Planes, trains, and automobiles

My sister and I headed down to DC today on the train. With both of us having similar "anticipatory anxiety" issues, we were both dreading the logistical nightmare of getting two people, a baby, two suitcases and a stroller from her apartment in the Bronx to the hotel in DC (technically Alexandria, VA). It involved lots of stairs, subway rides, escalators, baby in and out of stroller and carrier, cabs, and finally the hotel, where my reservation had been canceled because the organizers had me checking in yesterday with the rest of the band and when I didn't show, the hotel gave my room away.

But as so often happens, everything worked out. People helped us with the stairs to the subway, we got good seats on the train, the hotel booked us another room, I sang, Bumpus slept.

Well, he's sleeping now. Apparently each time I left the hotel room he would start screaming. I would come up after a band break to find my poor sister pacing with my sniffing infant, who clearly was only just recovering from a major meltdown. I would nurse him, then go back down to the ballroom to sing for another 45 minutes or so, only to come back and find the same situation. After nursing him again it dawned on both of us that he wasn't hungry - he just missed his mama. Could it be? Was all he wanted was to be close to mommy? I think he was exceptionally tired, too (we all were after this crazy long day), but it was funny to think that he really just needed to see me to feel better. I know some of you out there probably think I'm nuts - of course he wants me, I'm his mother, dammit. But I guess I thought - I don't know what I thought. When a little baby can't communicate and they're just full of smiles for everyone and don't reach for you yet, I guess to me it looks like he still doesn't really know me yet, that he'll take food and comfort from anybody. Apparently not!

We solved it by having my sister down in the ballroom with me and Bumpus in the carrier. He of course fell asleep instantly and has been dead to the world for the past couple of hours. I think he will hang in the ballroom tomorrow, too. It will make him (not to mention my sister) much happier, I'm sure!