The Number Field

I've spent plenty of time taking care of Elena by myself. But yesterday we faced a new kind of situation, with limited space and a need to stay very quiet. Jenny had been asked to give a talk in church, so she got to sit on the podium. Elena and I sat in our normal position, and I hoped that we would be able to make it through the hour without having to go out into the hallway.

Elena did an excellent job of behaving herself. She kept pointing at her toy bag because she wanted to play with them, but I asked her to be patient for just a few more minutes, and we made it until after the sacrament before I got them out. Then she played quietly for most of the time, and didn't bother the people sitting near us too much. When Jenny got up to speak, she waved and tried to say hello, but didn't cry or need to go to her.

Towards the end of the meeting, I could tell she needed something different. I sat her sideways on my lap, then maneuvered her into a lying-down position, so she could look at things upside down. I quietly tickled her tummy and neck, and she giggled a little bit. I saw something I wasn't expecting--four white tooth buds. Her upper teeth still haven't broken through, but it looks like four of them are going to come in at once.

Jenny gets to face a similar, but much more complicated situation with Elena tomorrow. We're flying to the East Coast for the rest of the week, and had to book different flights. Jenny's with Elena, and I'm with the luggage. Depending on how things go, I could get both Elena and the luggage on the return trip. We've loaded Elena's Baby Songs video on the iPod, and hopefully it will induce the same zombie-like state as it does when she watches it on TV. Does anyone have other tips for traveling with a toddler?