Showing Off Bella - The Long Flights

Sat Feb. 12 we drove from Naples to FCO (Rome) leaving the car at long-term parking. It was a bit stressful though as when we went to Istanbul I overestimated the time it would take accounting for feedings and traffic, and then on top of that we left 30 min earlier than our planned departure time. This time for the US flight - I estimated an hour less on the drive and then we ended up leaving 30 min later than our planned departure time. So the race was on practically from doorstep to takeoff.

The Rome Airport is not user friendly. Who knew that there are international and domestic terminals, plus Terminal 5! So after cruising the entire international terminal - carrying car seats, baby items, kids, and our clothes - we had to get on another bus to Terminal 5. After checking in and going through security, somehow we ended up back on a terminal tram which forced us to exit the terminal and start back again through Terminal 5 and security. Argh!!!

And all that fun before the long flights!!

We got on the first flight, 9:40 HR to PHL at noon and they immediately turned off the lights and started showing movies hoping we'd all sleep. Nice try! On went our light and out came the crayons! Though Mo didn't sleep, the flights weren't that bad - just long and we were hungry. Had to buy all the food they had - Pringles, chips, and cookies.

Kristin rented a mini-van and picked us up at the airport with Aunt Robin. It was so great to see them! We got back to Kristin's cute house by about midnight, 24 hours since we'd woken up. Somehow between daycare and the plane, Bella got pink-eye which both Jeff and I were convinced we got too because our eyes were scratchy. But after 24 hours of no shut eye, anyone's would be!

Bottom line - we all made it as did all our stuff.