Mission: Accomplished

We did it! Me, Caitlyn, and 30 round-trip hours on the plane. No crying, no fussing. Just smooth sailing. Can’t say I didn’t see this one coming. I mean, you don’t get the word ‘Expert’ tacked on behind ‘Baby’ by accident. It’s there for a reason.

It was good seeing and catching up with everybody. Until next time, which means in another two years or so, here are the winners and losers from our trip. 

WINNERS:
Shopping carts: This is what Caitlyn flew 7,957 miles for. To sit in a shopping cart while Grandpa pushed her around in the grocery store. Even when there were no groceries to buy, Grandpa would still take her and push her around the store for an hour. Now that’s commitment.

Carousels: This came in a close 2^nd to shopping carts. If Caitlyn saw a carousel, she was determined to ride it. Highlight came in the form of riding one carousel 12 times in a row. I wonder if there’s some sort of world record for number of times ridden on a carousel. Caitlyn could probably beat that without breaking a sweat.

Me: With no Mommy to tattle-tale to, I was finally free from the watchful eyes of Big Brother to do as I please without being reproached. That included eating as much food as fast as I could physically stuff into my mouth. It’s how food is meant to be eaten.

Pink heart-shaped glasses: Caitlyn chose these at a souvenir shop while in San Antonio. She never once took them off for the remainder of our time in the States. When asked why, she simply said that we all wear glasses, so why shouldn’t she. Can’t argue with that logic. Plus, they were perfect for Valentine’s Day. Best two dollars spent.

The Wife: Two weeks without the kid and me. Need I say more? Don’t believe her for a second when she bemoans the fact that she never got a good night's sleep because she was always thinking about us. Someone needs to go to Hollywood to collect her Oscar.

Weather: 80 degrees and sunny in February? Yes, please.

Grandparents: Grandma and Grandpa loved to dote on their grandkid, and Caitlyn took complete advantage of it. And that’s the way it should be….until we're back on my turf. What you gonna do now that Grandma and Grandpa aren’t here to save you?! Wuahaha!!!

LOSERS:
SeaWorld: We drive four hours to SeaWorld and the only thing Caitlyn wants to do is ride on the carousel. Grandpa’s probably thinking about how much money he could have saved just by staying at home and going to the grocery store.

Zoo: We go to the zoo and the only thing Caitlyn wants to do is ride on the carousel. You see a pattern forming here?

Shopping Mall: We go to the mall and the only thing Caitlyn wants to do is…..sigh.

Jetlag: I don’t particularly appreciate being dragged out of bed at 3 a.m. in the morning to play with toy trains and cooking sets all because someone can't stay asleep.

Food: I figured I would be gorging out on Taco Bell, Popeye’s Fried Chicken, and the likes while back home, but strangely enough, I had no urge to eat anything unhealthy. In fact, I had no fast food/junk food whatsoever. Has the wife finally gotten to me? What devious Jedi mind trick do you have me under, woman?!