Today Rowan and I flew from home to Atlanta, Georgia because I'm attending a conference in Auburn, Alabama. This morning, 40 minutes into his usual 1.5-2 hour morning nap, we had to wake Rowan up to head to the airport. Tom dropped us off, and of course Rowan was all smiles while everyone made eyes at him as we checked in and got through the security screening. He enjoyed walking up and down the hallways of the airport while we waited to board the plane, and he regularly snatched his hand away from me to let me know he wanted to walk all on his own, thank you very much. Once we got on the plane he was fascinated by all the lights, buttons, tray tables, and window shades. He was happy to investigate for...oh...10 minutes or so. And they hadn't even closed the door to the plane yet! We resorted to reading books, talking about things, singing songs, snacking on Cheerios, drinking water, etc. until finally we were in the air and he relaxed a little. But it was obvious he was exhausted and simply unable to sleep in the cramped quarters. Finally about 20 minutes before landing he was in full meltdown. Crying, wriggling out of my arms, flailing around...I reached in my pocket for the one thing I told myself I wouldn't use since he has been without it for so long: the pacifier. But in this exceptional circumstance, where he was sleep-deprived and uncomfortable, I knew I had to offer it, and it worked. He settled down and spent the rest of the flight awake but peacefully sitting in my lap looking out the window.
Once we landed and made our way through the ATL to our bags, Rowan was way overdue for lunch. We found one at Houlihan's, but we were with the group of students I was chaperoning so the table for 14 took quite a while to be served. Rowan and I made several jaunts outside the restaurant to the second-floor atrium overlook. He loves watching people go by.
After a saga to get the rental car and hook up the child seat, finally Rowan was comfortably nestled into a somewhat familiar environment, and he drifted to sleep before we even got on the freeway. As I was driving, I was amazed at how well Rowan had taken the tremendous challenges I had thrown at him during the day. He was greeted constantly by strangers, subjected to pressure change in the airplane, deprived of sleep, given food at different times than usual, and put through diaper change after diaper change on cold, hard public restroom changing tables. It is absolutely amazing that still, even through all that, every time I smiled at him and whispered something in his ear, he would smile back with glistening eyes and give a soft giggle. I know there is a little to be said for how Tom and I raise him, but this beautiful personality Rowan displays is something that is totally him -- it comes from a deep, resilient place that is not easily shaken. I am awestruck when I try to take in how much this child has said to me even before he has uttered a complete sentence. Sometimes, when I for a moment wonder about what I believe, I need only stop and consider the creation that is my very own child. What a compelling creature he is, indeed.
