Home safe!

The baby angels did not have my back quite as much on the trip home. The flight was completely full, there was a delay in taking off (which meant that with the early boarding the Tiny Dark Lord and I were sitting there for an hour before the four-hour-flight even started), and then the fun began.

Imagine trying to contain a very strong, determined, young chimpanzee on your lap during a flight and trying to keep him from throwing himself at the people sleeping around you. It is fun times. Add to that a disgusting diaper, an airplane bathroom changing table where we probably both caught hepatitis, and a bit of screaming from him and some almost-crying and shooting-self-in-the-face wishes from me and you've got yourself a party. He finally fell asleep at the halfway point while I held him standing back in the galley, only then I felt awkward and intrusive when the flight attendants came back and sat in their seats and got out their lunches. Also there was this random guy also standing in the galley who would lean over and ask one of the seated flight attendants to top off his drink. I didn't want anyone to think I was with him, so I left and went to stand by the stinky bathrooms for a few more minutes until I thought TDL was far enough gone that I could get us back in my seat. He stayed out until we landed and then we both took massive naps when we got home. Whew.

One thing that did help while he was awake was my iPad--specifically, the new Make it Pop app designed by my friends. Why yes, that's right, my friends design apps.* They are just talented like that. And seriously, friends aside, I kind of love this one. The Tiny Dark Lord loves it too. Even though he is not quite coordinated enough to play all the games yet, he loves looking at it and touching the different images and watching me play. He actually started giggling during the popcorn game, which was precious.

This app holds his attention for much longer than some of the others I've downloaded for him, and we can stay in the game for longer because he can't accidentally touch any "locked" icons that prompt us to pay money, or a button that close the whole thing down, or any of the other annoying things that can happen when an infant is scrabbling his little hands over the screen.

As for me, if it weren't for the young chimpanzee on my lap I probably would have just popped the bubbles in the bubble/shape game for the entire flight because it gives me the same de-stressing satisfaction I get from popping bubble wrap (but it's much quieter).

Y'all should check it out. The graphics are beautiful, the music is quiet, it's fun, and there all these cool little details. Example: there is a crow in the balloon game that will squawk if you touch him. It is funny.

*Note: my friends did not pay me to say any of this, nor did they give me the app for free. I bought it, I really liked it, I wanted you to know about it, and I want Alma to become a millionaire so she can buy me really nice birthday presents. That is all.