We're in Hungary!

Forgive me for copying an e-mail I just sent our family...we're short on time and energy at the moment:

We are glad to tell you our plane travels are over by now and Ellie is loudly snoring on the bed next to us. We arrived about 6 hours ago, had lunch at the Searls, then came to the Johnson’s where we will sleep while we are here. 2 of our suitcases have been unpacked and we have a ways yet to go in sorting through team bags and such.

We are glad to report that Ellie did remarkably well on the trip. The only bit of hassle she gave us was during layovers when she had to be changed (she hates the changing tables in the restrooms), or when she preferred to play on the dirty floor. There was a moving sidewalk on the concourse in front of our gate at O’Hare, and Ellie insisted on multiple rides, both standing on her two feet or riding in her stroller, until we were finally required to board the plane. At which point there were many tears. She looked so cute and grown up in her own seat on the plane where she loved eating Cheerios off her tray. She took a one hour nap about an hour into our trans-atlantic flight, then she was up again. The portable DVD player and new birthday toys were a lifesaver. Finally about 6 hours in, she gave up and slept hard with her head on my lap. It was the longest, closest thing to snuggling I have experienced with her yet.

One cute aspect of all the travel is that she seemed much more interested in interacting with us using the few personal tricks she has mastered. So on the last flight from Frankfurt to Budapest when Nathan and I really just wanted to close our eyes (even if we didn’t sleep), she would be tugging on one or the other’s arm for a game of peek a boo, “so big”, or who knows what (let’s make these plastic cups into goggles). I think we’re at the point where she might actually be ready for learning the names and identifying body parts (e.g. “Where’s Ellie’s eyes?). Once we landed and she got put in the van for the ride to the Searls' home, she was out HARD!

When we arrived at the Searls, she was warmly welcomed and then quickly 'woke up', estactic to see a blow-up pool in their back yard. We’re taking her suit so she can enjoy it after dinner. We were able to buy some time by having her splash around in a large tub filled with water on their back patio, but as soon as Sadie jumped in, she was at the patio rail looking longingly in.

We're off to supper. We'll post photos to the blog as soon as I can figure out how to operate Blogger with all the directions in Hungarian.