Baby Magic

We arrived in South Africa, but it took two days flying across the globe. CQ was amazing and seemed to love world travel, she is nicknamed PR, since she will charm any one young and old within split seconds. She might be cranky and screaming at mom, but the moment a stranger shows up or she is looking over at the crowd her face change and she's all smiles, her happy self.

I have to admit, it was the longest flight of my life and I am so grateful Ouma Salome was on the journey with us. Sixteen hours on a plane with a six month old is no joke. Hours seemed like days. I only managed to watch two movies halfway, don't know why I even bothered and she was too big for a basinet, unfortunately, so use your imagination.

BABY MAGIC and COMMITTED SERVICE : When we arrived in New York, not my favorite airport to begin with, we made our way to terminal 4 to check in on our SAA flight to JHB. CQ asleep in the MOBY, we stood in line for a while. When we finally reached the check-in booth they couldn't find CQ in the system and wouldn't let us add this lovely infant to our flight without buying her fair again. This seems so ridiculous since we have her passport and proof that I am her mama... and we had proof of paying the fair already, we just didn't have her paper ticket(who issues paper tickets anymore??). I find it a little disconcerting that we had to pay as much as we did for an on the lap infant, no extra baggage and no extra seat, what are we paying for? Anyway... there we were, a little at a loss, when BABY did her MAGIC. Out of no where a beautiful woman stepped into the booth with great authority, she asked what the problem was and how she could help, she was a customer representative for SAA, on vacation. Dressed in all purple her shirt actually had "ANGEL" engraved on it, not kidding. After numerous phone calls to SA and some serious communication between the check-in booth and the ticket-booth, we were issued a new e-ticket for CQ. If I ever doubted BABY MAGIC, this moment confirmed it. SAA is a great airline, tops any of the American Airlines with their service, the mistake was made on the travel agents side unfortunately. We were impressed with the service we received from this wonderful women who stepped out of her vacation into work mode to help us out. Thank you ANGEL "S"!

CQ seems ecstatically happy to be with her family in South Africa. Her little body has to adjust to the sun coming up at a different time, but this seems easier for her than for the rest of us. It's in the middle of the night that she's not sure whether she's supposed to wake up or be asleep. She takes her naps with great ease, this is wonderful for mama and she continues to suck down her ROOIBOS TEA, it's definitely even better here in its land of origin, I'll be going home with a suitcase loaded with this "Miracle brew".

Any ideas or advice about moving onto solids with baby? This will be my next topic since we crossed the sixth month mark and started with some cereal and sweet potato.