Naptime in Amsterdam

The first leg of our flight home was awful. I refuse to relive it by writing about it. Rest assured, Tommy was a dream during that flight- a real bright spot in the midst of an otherwise wretched experience (well, the food was still good).


We arrived in Amsterdam weary and worn. Tommy was still sleepy and having tummy issues, and Mom and I were exhausted and cranky. I remembered that on our flight out I had seen a play place for kids, and a baby lounge next to the airport art museum, so we decided to check that out. We were hoping for a place to change Tommy and maybe get cleaned up a bit, like a larger "family bathroom" type room. Boy, did we underestimate the Dutch.

The baby lounge had dim lighting and soft music. There were individual circular booths for each family containing a crib and two side seats, and enough room next to the crib to place your carry-ones, all surrounded by gauze curtains to provide privacy. When I looked up, I noticed that there was a projector beaming shapes onto the ceiling for the baby's entertainment.


To the side stood a counter with a microwave for warming milk, two changing stations with sanitizer and towels, and two large tub-shaped basins. When I first saw them, I thought, "sick, who would wash their baby in an airport bath-sink?" Then Tommy had an unpleasant and very drippy diaper, and I found out that the answer was: ME! I consoled myself with the thought that he had probably been in far more germy situations over the course of his life. After all, he has giardia from drinking water contaminated with animal poop, so what could he catch from a sink in the developed world (dry by the way, stainless steel, and very clean looking)?


After bath time and a change of pajamas, we put down blankets and put Tommy in the crib and Mom and I did our best to nap in the seats. Tommy just would not settle down. He wanted to be held, and kept fussing for it. Finally Mom opened her eyes and ordered me to get in the crib with him. The crib was a built-in with a solid bottom, so I obliged. I don't know if Tommy slept, but I had a great nap. I seem to recall that I might have stayed in the crib even after he woke up. I sure needed a nap.