monday morning,
11:00 am is when i
finished packing.
we had to leave for the
airport 1 minute later.
but before we
left, i made some
time to get a
few photos
before saying goodbye
to our life as we’ve
known it.
our house sitter was
kind enough to give
us a ride to
the airport
and help us
get our luggage
onto a cart.
as we
crossed the street
to go inside,
we ran into rachel.
perfect timing.
we got checked
in, had some lunch,
then it was
airport security.
madeline was rather
cooperative, but i
think it’s ’cause
she had no
idea what was
about to happen to her.
maddy met some
friends before
we boarded,
giving a little girl
a hug and
a kiss.
a few seconds
later she
tried to steal
a little boy’s
toy car.
glad to know
i’m raising a
caring thief.
finally we were
on the plane
and heading toward
tokyo.
i was
convinced that 11+
hours in the
air with an
18-month old,
would be
no big deal…
for the most part,
i was right.
madeline was a great,
if not lively flier.
she climbed into
her bassinet,
stood on the
edge and jumped
into my arms
at least 25,000 times
(my arms feel like jello),
she threw food,
and kept saying,
“hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi”
to the guy sitting
behind us
(thankfully he was a good sport).
she even managed
to fall asleep for
awhile, maybe like
an hour.
at one point
she woke up
and she completely
lost her shit.
it was bad
and by bad, i
mean is was one
of the worst fucking
displays of infant
behavior i have
ever witnessed.
i would have gladly
gotten off the
plane in mid-air
than sit through
this scream-fest.
i can only imagine
what the passengers
were going through.
i felt awful for
all of them.
holy shit.
we tried everything
to calm her down.
and seriously.
nothing could be done.
she only wanted
daddy, so
i couldn’t pass
her off to rachel…
rachel sang her
luallabies, i sang
her this song
(couldn’t help it…the song has been stuck in my head since yesterday, and i don’t know the words to any lullabies),
we gave her medicine,
and toys,
and fruit,
and cookies,
and cartoons,
and damn near
everything else on
the plane.
finally, a flight attendant
sat down with
us and maddy
became mesmerized.
within seconds, she was
quiet, and when
the flight attendant
walked away,
we had to follow
her to the gally.
i spent the
next two hours there
with madeline,
making friends
with all the
flight attendants.
crisis averted.
we finally went back
to our seat
and maddy sat calmly,
playing with
some toys that
rachel brought for her.
i looked at
rachel and said,
“that really sucked”
and she said,
“yeah, that was an awful 15 minutes”
15 minutes?
no fucking way.
“yes”
she insisted.
it felt like 12 hours.
the rest of the
flight was uneventful…
maddy regained
the friends she had
lost earlier in
the trip by
smiling and saying
hi to all the
departing passengers.
we took a short
walk through
the tokyo airport
before getting back
on the plane and
heading to singapore.
now, maddy should
have been
exhausted, and
thankfully she was.
as soon as the plane started
moving, maddy
passed out.
she slept for
maybe three or four
hours, but it
was not the
soundest sleep
she’s ever had.
she woke up
a few times
and writhed around
in my arms…
luckily rachel is some
sort of baby sorceress,
’cause everytime maddy
would start to stir,
and everytime i got
worried that we’d
have another lax to
tokyo-style meltdown,
her mystical powers
got maddy
back to sleep
almost instantly.
i guess it’s
time i learn
the real lyrics for
“itsy-bitsy spider” and
“twinkle twinkle little star”
instead of the
ones i learned on
the playground
back in gradeschool.
maddy was
perfect on this flight.
i am absolutely amazed
to see how well she did.
i felt like
melting down more
than once,
so the fact
that she
had one major 15
minute freakout over
the course of 18
hours of flying?
pretty great.
i’d say i’ve
got an awesome
little traveler on
my hands.
so now we’re in
the singapore airport
it’s so strange
to be here.
last time i was
sitting in this
spot, it was
december 2007.
liz
was pregnant with
madeline, and i
was on my
way to bangalore
for what would have
been my 5th
and last work-related trip.
the first thing i did
each time i landed
in singapore was
find a wifi
connection so i
could call
liz.
it feels weird
to be here,
in this place
knowing that
i can’t call her,
that i can’t
tell her about
my flight,
that i can’t
ask her what
she wants me
to buy for her
in the duty-free shops,
(she loved when i left the country, just because i could buy her duty-free purses, perfume, etc).
that can’t tell
her i can’t
wait to get
home to her…
so as we wait
for the
visa desk to open,
i’m writing away,
while rachel entertains
maddy at an indoor playground.
soon we’ll be out
of the airport
and hanging out with
our friends.
apparently there’s already
a playdate setup
for madeline.
should be fun,
if only rachel
and i can stay awake.
i’m pretty sure
madeline will be fine.
***just as i finished this post, i turned to my left and saw this sight:
more to come…
also, it’s already oct. 7th here in singapore, so i thought i’d take the time to remind you about the liz logelin foundation’s 7th on the 7th campaign.
you can donate by going here:
thank you!
161 Comments
whoa – long post! congratulations on surviving the trip. i think what you are doing is absolutely awesome. my thoughts are with you. good luck and be well. oh, and keep updating!
Wonderful! So glad to hear that you made it there safely. And it must really reinforce the great choice you made re: nanny for Madeline! Rachel the Sorceress!
Glad to hear that Maddie did well on the flights, with only one meltdown. She is one experienced traveler !!
Almost there….it will all be worth it, especially when you get some sleep!
LOL hi, hi, hi, hi, hi, hi, oh and hi some more……
Great stuff, keep it coming!
Matt
I admire your strength and courage. I think what you’re doing is incredibly amazing and you are giving Madeline memories to last forever and sharing her mom with her.
I cannot wait to follow your trip and time away.
Congrats on the new start and getting there all safe and sound
Awesome post, as always. I’d say Rachel is truly a treasure!! Brush up on your nursery rhymes my friend they calm the savage beast!
Matt… I’m so happy to hear you survived the 15 mins of Maddy’s meltdown. Not too bad
Thanks for sharing the pictures and your journey. Can’t wait to hear more about your trip. Continued safe travels!
Awesome post Matt! Breaktaking pics as always….love em! Holy shit that lil lady is getting big! Shes a beauty!
Looking forward to the next update
Travel safe~
Have a glorious time!
YEAH MADDY!! Good Job Matt!! Looking forward to all the pictures that you take and the book that will eventually come out! Have a great trip with that awesome little traveler!!
i love living vicariously through you guys…safe travels! as for maddie’s 15 minutes? i don’t think i even hold it together that long on an 18 hour flight…
I am so excited to follow your journey. This 1st post was such a tease! My family will be praying for you throughout your journey and I can’t wait to hear all the stories…Matt-style, of course! Blessings to all 3 of you!
Following both of you on Twitter!
You’re amazing…and missed already!
This is so exciting–keep the posts coming! Glad that everyone is doing well so far…!
I love that your posts can make me laugh until I tear up… here at my work desk in Chicago on the cloudiest of cloudy, rainy, windy Midwestern days.
I hope the rest of your trip goes as smoothly as the first half!
Cool man. It’s really fun to read these updates for those of us stuck at home in our normal routines.
You’re lucky that it was only one 15 minute freak-out. That last picture of Maddy and Rachel almost brought me to tears. I hope the three of you have the best of trips.
lovely post matt. glad to hear the journey is getting off to a good start.
Glad the flight went well. That was a long flight with a toddler. You are very brave. Have fun in Singapore.
I’m glad to hear the flights went well. Everything is great here; don’t worry, I haven’t burned down the house…yet…
Truly amazing. What an incredible journey.
Sounds like a great adventure – safe trip!
so glad it was fairly uneventful…I kept thinking of you guys as we watched the Vikings win last night…I said to Mark “wonder if poor Matt is hating himself right now, poor him”, Maddy must be a hot mess. Glad to hear I just had lowered expectations! You have an awesome Nanny…
sounds like you’re doing awesome so far! here’s hoping the rest of your travels go just as good (minus the shitty 15 minutes, lol) Excited to hear all about it!!
Enjoyed the post. The last picture is so sweet and melts my heart.
From Dallas, TX
I flew from Heathrow to Melbourne via Singapore with my 15 mo and she screamed for SIX out of seven hours until we landed in Melb. I feel your pain.
thanks for the pictures! more more! glad to see rachel’s lullabye magic worked on the little world traveler. xo
Good luck to you all! Great pictures–cannot wait to see more. Sounds like you’re off to a great start. That sweet girl is quite the traveler it seems!
Once upon a time I was a single parent of an 18 month old and we flew frequently too. You and Rachel handled everything beautifully. Our children are wonderfully adaptable. Enjoy your adventures, I love reading about them.
LOVE IT! Great to hear from you guys! Can’t wait to hear more!!!
Dear Matt and compadres! I have been thinking about all of you all day. You must be so relieved to have touched down.I admire you and wish many good things coming to you. Be safe. Anja.
go maddy, go maddy! so glad to hear the flight went soooo well. matt~hang in there and have a blast…so sweet you are doing this for your baby girl! she is soo lucky to have you as her Daddy. can’t wait to hear more stories. much love and blessings~erin
I laughed soooo hard when I read the part about maddy freaking out, then cried when I read towards the end.
Heck, 15 min is nothing! She really is a great traveler. I know it felt like eternity to you though. Glad you landed safely and the play date sounds fun. Rachel’s are the best aren’t they
I am so glad you guys made it safely!! I LOVE to hear about what’s going on in your life. I can’t wait to hear about your upcoming adventures. Good luck!!
As far as the mid-air meltdown. I would say you have an awesome traveler on your hands. Most children her age can’t make it an hour let alone 18!
Take care!
Andrea
Way to go, Maddy! Glad you got there ok. Have a good time in Singapore
So happy Rachel is the Toddler Whisperer! That all sounds exhausting for an adult let alone a toddler, Miss Maddy is totally awesome.
Keep on Keeping on.
Glad to know you guys are all right. Flying makes me really, really nervous… probably because I never have.
I can’t believe Maddy only had one 15-minute breakdown. My kids can barely make it through the grocery store without a catastrophe.
how exciting! This is an amazing adventure. I think you need to buy some perfume or something in duty free for your little monkey when she grows up! I hope Maddy keeps up being an angel for you.
I can’t wait to read the rest of your two month adventure.
glad it was a decent first part of the trip!! kudos to all 3 of you for making it
what a precious picture of maddie and rachel! good luck on the last leg of it!
I’m nervous to take a toddler on a 1 hour flight, let alone as many hours as you guys just did! (and have been doing all this time already). Good job, Maddie, and good job daddy and Rachel. You guys are going to have such great experiences, I cannot wait to hear all about them. Starting with this one. Thanks for keeping us in the loop. Your writing and colorful outlook on life keep me reading, and your love for your wife and daughter keep me inspired.
Off and on this whole last day I’ve been thinking, “I wonder how Matt & Maddy’s trip is going?”. It’s so wonderful to log on and get an update mid-trip! …..I’ll be checking back to see how the final day of travel goes! Have a good day/ or is it night?
thanks so much for the phone call…great pictures and update! Hi to Eshwari and Rachel xoxo’s to you and Maddy….wishing you a safe and uneventful trip to Bangalore! Look forward to hearing from you. lamubemoed!
What a wonderful post(as always) along with the pics, Matt! Other than the 15 minutes from Hell; it sounds like Maddy did quite well for an 18 month old who is inside the confines of an airplane with not much room to move around, and NO APPLES to throw!!! Maybe you could have ask some of the other passengers if they had any fruit amongst their snacks!!! LOL You all look great, and it sounds like Rachel has the magic touch with Maddy in getting her back to sleep! That airport looks beautiful! You all look great! Stay safe!
Plane trips with kids can be intense! Crazy that 15 minutes can feel like forever! Glad you guys got through it….I’ll be interested to hear about the trip back!
P.S. The picture of Rachel holding Maddy is beautiful!
So glad all is well- keep us updated and continue to have safe travels!
Thank you for updating us on this amazing trip so far. Please keep it coming!!
so glad you had goo dsafe flights. im only slightly jealous of your trip… slightly…one day ill make it to the other side of the world, dubai for christmas, india for life? k not yet but maybe some day soon :]
Great pictures! So glad you had a great flight, yes I consider only 15 minutes of crying on an 18 hour flight w/ an 18 month old great!! Can’t wait tp hear more about your journey & see more pictures!
Take Care!
Your so brave. I feel panic reading the part about the flight. Your doing great!!
Wow! That was a pretty awesome post considering you’ve been on an airplane/in an airport for most of the past 36 hours! That picture of Rachel with Maddy is precious. Looks like you picked an awesome nanny. What an adventure! Soon enough you’ll be in a comfy bed and all 3 of you can sleep the jet lag off-I’m sure it will be significant!
Glad your trip was uneventful.
It is amazing how 15 minutes can feel like a lifetime, but then you have lived several life times already. Safe travels.
So glad the first part of your journey went well. So wonderful and uplifting to read your posts and see your pictures. Have a safe second part of the journey to India and have a wonderful time in Singapore.
You are amazing.
Keep posting.
Well done Maddy
Wow sounds like it went wonderfully except for that awful 15 minutes. I am really looking forward to more pix and more stories, enjoy your stay. When are you gonna land in India?
So glad you guys made it to S’pore!! Having traveled that route frequently I can tell you that a 15-min meltdown from an 18-month old is nothing. Maddy rocks!
Wishing you all the best as you continue around the globe. Can’t wait to see pics from India.
safe travels!
Awesome post.
That is all.
Enjoy the rest of your travels to India!
Great post! Its great that you are able to keep us up on your travels~ Keep them coming!!! ;^)
Maddy is SO Awesome!!! I can not believe she only had a 15 minute melt down!! You are the Luckiest!!! It is so stressful flying with little ones!!!
I am sure that most of your travels are going to make you think of Liz and miss her a little more. Maybe even make you feel closer to her on somedays. It really makes me so so sad that u can not pick up something for her or call her……
Oh and that pic of Rachel was so beautiful for so many reasons! Even though it is not the way it should be, it is nice that Maddy will have a Woman in her life for a couple months helping take care of her.
xoxoxo
Wishing you more safe travels as you guys travel to your next destination…home for the next 3 months!!
So glad to hear from you and know that it went so well on the flights. I flew from San Francisco to Dallas on the same flight as a two year old who screamed for 3 hours. It didn’t really bother me;I felt bad for the baby who just seemed really freaked out by flying and for the mom who was trying everything to get her to stop.
I really think most people understand it’s beyond your control sometimes!
Happy adventures to all three of you.
try giving Maddy sugar free lollipop..that will keep her quiet next time she has a tantrum.
I’ve been stalking your blog since pretty much the beginning and this is my first comment – and it’s to say I love your Fighting Saints shirt. I’m also a displaced Minnesotan.
Glad you had safe journeys – enjoy the ride!
Here’s hoping your plane ride is short and uneventful!
Oh, Matt. I can’t even begin to comprehend how difficult it must be to have this trip be different than all your others. I’m sure this is far from how you pictured your life or imagined where you would be at this moment. But what you are doing with the situation you are in is beyond amazing. Madeline will be so grateful that you’ve taken her on these amazing journeys and given her an insight into who her mother was and who you and Liz were as a couple.
I hope you have an amazing time. I’ll keep thinking about you and hoping that the rest of your travels go as smoothly as the first part.
Best of luck in India. We’ll be thinking about you all and wishing you well.
Much love to you, Maddy and Rachel,
Sarah S
congrats on a great flight. That last photo of rachel and maddy is great. Enjoy singapore.
Congrats on surviving this first leg of your journey! Thanks for posting – have to admit that I was thinking of all of you today, wondering how the trip was going. Take good care and have fun!
!!!SO EXCITING!!! I can’t wait to hear more about your adventures.
Have a safe rest of your journey!
Welcome to my side of the world (Japan)! Hope your trip is safe and relaxing from here on out.
Glad to hear you made it safe for the first part of your trip.
stay safe and enjoy your trip. Thanks for updating us!
yay! so glad she did well. my little guy can’t bear a 15 min car ride most days. she is such the trooper! you are blessed!
i guess you need some baby einstein music…if you don’t have any, i’d happily burn some and send them to you so you can learn the words.
enjoy! can’t wait to get more updates. hope it’s mostly happy memories than sad- and new one’s with liz jr.
WOW, you do have an incredible little traveler! Fifteen minutes is nothing on such a long flight. I am sure those minutes felt much longer to you than any other passenger. It’s fantastic that Rachel is such a perfect fit. Thanks for the post! Happy travels!
i don’t know why, but the phrase “lost her shit” (especially when referring to maddy) makes me giggle a little.
glad it went as well as it did!
wow..a 15 min meltdown on an 18 hour flight is pretty damn awesome! I hope that your time in India is awesome and that the rest of the trip is great!
Way to go Maddy! you’re quite the traveler!
Hi, Hi, Hi, Hi, Hi! I can only imagine! I admire your bravery. I’ve got 21 mo. old twin girls and you couldn’t pay me to take those flights. But I am glad it went well and that you are all well! Will be tuned in for more updates. Rachel sounds wonderful. (:
Safe travels Matt, Maddy, and Rachel!! I hope you have a most excellent adventure!
its so awesome that you made it…..hope to read more soon…..have fun in singapore
glad to see you’ve all arrived safely! the fun is just beginning…
Glad to hear the first part of the trip went so well. I think most adults wouldn’t be able to last 18 hours of traveling without at least one meltdown, so I’d say Maddy is doing fantastic
I am so glad to hear everyone is safe and sound. Only 1 meltdown is fantastic! She is such a wonderful traveler.
Can not wait to hear more.
Hello! So exciting to read about your travels. Question- what kind of child back carrier is that? And is it comfi??
Looks like Maddy is quite comfortable with Rachel! Glad that it’s going well!
I have been following your blog just about since the beginning and this is my first comment
Congratulations on surviving the trip! I have a little guy a week older than Maddy and I know he couldn’t have done it. Good luck with the book – I will be the first person in St. Louis to buy it! Thanks for being such an inspiration.
Maddy truly is a phenomenal little traveler. I hope the rest of your trip is wonderful!
Glad to hear you guys had a good and safe flight!
As a parent, for every minute your kid cries is like twenty in our mind.
Best of luck and fun on your trip!
Glad the flights weren’t too bad. Thank goodness for Rachel!
I just saw an ad for The LLF on celebritybabyscoop.com!
You know in Madeline’s short little life she’s seen more of the world than the majority of people living in it. You are doing amazing Matt. I hope you all have an amazing time.
EXCELLENT. Fiften minutes of meltdown. Not too bad. She may be a better traveller than I am, and I am thirty-four. Glad you made it safe and sound.
Matt, I have been following you for almost a year now and have yet to post. I guess you could call me a lurker of some sort-LOL. I just always feel a little wierd commenting because I almost feel like I may be invading a person’s privacy but geez you are documenting your life as it happens! I just wanted to say I look forward to your blogs and the adventures with Maddy. I can’t imagine what it’s like for you but I believe you are starting an exciting new adventure in your life and I can’t wait for each new and exciting post. Thank you for sharing your life with the world.
Inspiring as always–looking forward to reading more about your adventures, experiences and on-going journey. Love that last photo–a cute but quite spent traveller!
You are an amazing DAD! Madeline an awesome little girl! Good & safe trip!
baby sorceress! How freaking funny.
Wow. I have been thinking about you all alot and wondering how the traveling has been going. Thanks for the update and I can’t wait for you to arrive at your destination for some serious writing.
The picture at the end is more than beautiful. I love Rachel’s darkness with Maddy’s blondness. It’s a study in contrasts for sure. You can tell Maddy totally trusts her. What a great thing to have someone with who can spell you off when you need it. To get your writing done, you’ll need plenty of it.
Be safe and travel well.
I never could understand why melt downs seem to be hours long when in truth it was only minutes as you experienced. Glad to hear you, Maddy and rachel are off to a good start. Love the picture of Maddy over the air vent
Best wishes for the rest of your travel.
Glad to hear you all made it safely around the world. I admire you for going on this journey! I hope it continues to go well for you. Looking forward to more updates!
Happy to keep up with your travels and glad to know the flights were tolerable. Keep up the good work and good writing. Thinking about you guys!
Wow…congrats on a good trip to Singapore!! What a little trooper you have…my daughter, who is Maddie’s age, was a nightmare on our 5hr flight…I couldn’t even imagine 18hrs!! Rachel seems like a natural toddler wisperer….a much needed assest on a long trip!! Enjoy your time with your friends and on your next flight to India
Safe travels you guys!! 
Long time lurker, first time poster…your story has me in tears and then -such- inspired. Makes me want to be a better mother. Can’t explain. Many congrats on a parenting journey -so- incredible.
Awesome! 15 minutes in 18 hours – what a star!!! I would be terrified of the show my own toddler could potentially put on on a flight (we still have yet to brave our first flight with her). Can’t wait to hear more!
Matt, Maddie and Rachael,
Praying the Lord will keep you safe on your journey to making new memories.
I am in awe of your courage and strength, Matt. The way you continue to love Liz day in and day out fully by loving Maddie so completely is a beautiful thing to witness. With each new posting, I’m both touched and filled with belly laughs.
Looking forward to many more posts.
Glad the trip is going well so far. I know the memories will probably hit pretty hard but you will have your Maddy there to soften the blow. Thinking of you guys. Hope you find everything you are looking for. Can’t wait to read your kick ass book!
Welcome to Tokyo, and sayonara! Weird to think you were here, even if it was just for a little while!
Hope you guys enjoyed Singapore, it’s one of my favorite places in the world!
Best of luck to you, Maddy and Rachel, you’re always in my heart and prayers!
Glad that the three of you made it there.
I tell you I can’t ride an hour in a plane without freaking out let alone 18 hours.
I just dont like planes haha
Have fun and can’t wait to hear more about your experiences while there.
Maddy is sure a trooper.
So far so good, guys! =)
Thanks for the update. Looks great so far!!!
15 minute meltdown…try 2 hours…our last trip to Guam…we flew into Narita (which it looks as though you flew into) but it was the trip from Narita to Guam that almost did me in. He was 11 months old and wanted NOTHING to do with anyone in our immediate family, toys, food, airline people, people sitting around us…nothing. It was amusing to say the least.
Have a wonderful trip! They do get easier when they get older and understand a hinch more. We’ve done a trip to HI and we’re going to Ireland in the spring.
It’s always an honour to read your updates and to see the way you’re pushing on. I think Liz is always with you guys in spirit and she’s proud of you for doing this. Thanks for keeping us part of your journey, good luck my friend.
awesomeness….pure awesomeness. So glad you guys made it there safely.
You are doing so right by that little girl.
Keep it Matt…your doing something right.
Boy, I love the ‘moment by moment’ recap…I felt almost like I was with you guys. Maddy is such a doll baby and so amiable. Your picture sure has captured the trust and love between Rachel and Maddy already…such a lovely portrait. You are an awesome photographer, Daddy, son, and friend.
Hope you all rest well…nothing will better refresh you. I am so impressed that you are revisiting beautiful, poignant memories and, at the same time, making NEW ones!! A traveling trio on a quest and adventure that will beautifully unfold as you move through this journey together. Thank you so much for posting and keeping us up-to-date. Praying for safety and good health. And LOTS of fun!
I’ve been following your site for months and sending you good wishes. We had a similar meltdown on a flight from Chicago to Copenhagen and those 15 minutes can seem like FOREVER. Good for Maddie and good for you two to get past it. She sounds like a good little traveler and Rachel sounds like a great nanny, too.
Safe travels,
Elizabeth
I remember flying to Japan to visit the grandparents–it’s a horrible flight from NYC (14 hours!), especially in coach. My sister and I would wail because we would get soooo airsick and random lovely strangers would try to distract us by showing us pictures of their Siamese cats. My poor parents!
In the old days of China, people would only go on one or two voyages on a ship in their lifetime, so they used to believe that their fellow passengers were connected to them by fate–so they would spend the voyage getting to know each other and try to learn from one another. I always try to travel with that spirit.
I will always love that airport because it reminds me of my grandparents! I love that picture of the vending machine–so pretty. I hope you got Maddy a Calpico.
hello! a singaporean reader here! i’m really glad yall in singapore(: and i hope you enjoy yourselves (:
and maybe i’ll see ya around XD
Wow! I know I’d have a very hard time on a long flight like that! Way to go, Maddy! She’s definitely a true traveler! : )
15 minutes, not bad! hope things go smoothly from there!
15 minutes??? While I know it must have felt like an eternity to you, that’s outstanding. Hell, I’m pretty sure I cried for longer than that during an 11-hour flight home from Istanbul a few months ago (turbulence was BAD, and I’m panicky if a plane so much as moves an inch up or down), and I’m in my 20′s!!!!!! =)
So glad to have an update already, Matt. Such a fabulous thing you and Maddy are doing.
You are a very brave man, I could not even contemplate an 11 hour flight with my 19 month old. I would need many xanax for that, I don’t even know where i would find xanax. I think it is so awesome that you are taking this trip, I can not wait to hear all about this adventure.
WOW, Maddy rocks!!! Only 15 min, you are so so lucky, like I’ve told you before, your precious Maddy is just perfect! Thanks for keeping us posted, I was so much looking forward to your next post, I did not expect it so soon, but I’m glad you did. That last picture of Rachel and Maddy says it all, I’m glad to see they both connected and are off to a good start, Rachel seems very sweet. Love the picture of Maddy over the air vent. Awesome post, very inspiring in many ways.
So glad the trip is going well so far! If only you can get some rest at some point! Have a great time with your friends!
You are amazing and so is Maddy. I am sorry that the memories are painful as they always will be and that you don’t have Liz on the other side of the phone to share your adventures with. I’m glad Maddy did well on the flights – children are pretty resilient. I took my three and six year olds on a 21 hour flight to South Africa to visit my parents a few years back and can totally identify with the inevitable meltdowns that long flights and tired children can be prone to. Sounds like she was right on track. I think it’s wonderful that you’ve had the courage to go back to India and give Maddy a little taste of what you and her mother shared and loved. You have so much courage as a person and a father. You inspire me, as a now single parent, to do better and to be braver.
Wishing you much rest and adventure and happy memories in the weeks to come. Hugs to Maddy.
Tricia
What a trooper Maddy is. Having flown with an infant, I felt your pain while ready about the 15 minute chaos. Great to hear that was the least of your troubles though. Can’t wait to read more about your journey. Enjoy your time…what an exciting adventure for all 3 of you!
I hate the not being able to call or share every experience. The good. The bad. The ugly. I still find some days where I make a mental note to tell Roger when I get home or talk to him. Then I have to make a new mental note that I can’t do that. Ever again.
LOVE your blog. My favorite read of the day. Your honesty is refreshing. Have a safe trip. Looking forward to reading all about it!
Congratulations on your first leg being so successful! Honestly, I don’t know how you do it – I would be terrified.
And probably OD on Benadryl. For myself.
Thank you for *taking us along with you* I’m glad she was so good outside of those 15 minutes that felt like 12 hours! I continue to wish you happiness and good times in this adventure of yours. Thanks for keeping us all in the loop..you and Maddy are such special people. God bless. :O)
Great Trip so far! Hope all is well and you are safe & sound.
I’m so glad the first 2 legs of your trip went so well!! The baby screaming on the plane is SO stressful and it always seems so much longer and worse than it actually is.
I’m so excited to hear about your adventures. I haven’t been reading you for all that long but I feel like I miss you and I don’t even know you.
Super excited for you guys…what an adventure. Looking forward to reading all about it!
Hey Matt, So glad you guys made it this far with only the one melt down! That Maddy is a rare & amazing girl! Keep safe & enjoy your adventure.
Peace- Cass & Tom Cheyney
You’re doing a great job! I think it sounds like Maddy did great. I bet those other passengers felt bad for you guys when she was crying. Most people understand, I think.
Yay! This is so fantastic… I really can’t wait to follow along with the rest of your journey. Love to you all!
I have actually not been reading in a while because I knew you and Maddy were leaving soon. I’m glad you made it safely to Singapore. Is it weird that I miss you both and I don’t even know you? I can’t explain it (I have been trying to put it into words for the last 5 minutes) I feel a little sad that you are oceans away. Good luck on the book and I look forward to reading about all the exciting things you and Maddy are doing over there.
15 minute tantrum?
Nice.
Makes you thankful that your ears didnt bleed out uh?
Awesome adventure!
What a great journey for you and Maddie!
Safe travels.
Amy,lurker from St Louis
Loved this post! Thanks for keeping us updated! I’m glad Madeline did so well for you! What a trooper! Can’t wait to hear more about your trip! Be Safe, Have Fun, and ENJOY this trip, Matt. You deserve it! Can’t wait for the new book!
If it’s any consolation, the screaming toddler is always worse in the eyes of the parents of said toddler than to the rest of us. We are just glad it’s not us with the screaming toddler.
Glad you arrived safely.
Love that pic of rachael and maddy snuggling.
What a couple of sweeties.
So sweet Rachel and Maddy. You do have a traveler. Such an awesome little girl, her mother is there with her, maybe that is why she is such a traveler. She is with Maddy and daddy. I can’t wait for more adventures. Sleep up everyone, I am tired just looking at you. SLEEEEEEP
H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y RACHEL !!!!!!!!
how dare I ever worry about a short 2 hour flight with my kids. you are my hero. seriously. I admire your will and strength and passion. Maddie is blessed.
I’m writing for the first time though I’ve been following your posts. I was kind of sad to know that you and Maddie left the states, but good luck in India. I think you’ll write a great book there! Thanks for the vivid pictures and the description of your flight. I have a 17-month old daughter, and we are going to Taiwan with her in a couple of months from Chicago. Hope she travels as well as Maddie. Maddie is so cute! I love the pictures in Tokyo, because I used to go there often 10 years ago….before I had my kids!
Good luck, Matt and Maddie!
I love the spiderman pose by maddy
Waiting for more updates and sharing from Bangalore!.
Matt – You continually crack me up! Scream-fest 2009 was priceless. She is such a good girl. Best of luck in your travels and I look forward to reading more.
I am envious~ Maddy travels so well! I dread the 10 minute drive to daycare everyday with my 22 month old daughter.
Have a safe trip!
This is so off topic, but when I saw it, I thought of you.
http://www.bearsharktopus.com
Let us know when you get settled in safe and sound.
Glad to know you guys are doing ok, I was just telling my husband yesterday that I was getting nervous not knowing how things were going and he said “you talk about them like you know them” and i know i don’t, but i fell like i do, thanks for sharing your life. LOVED the last pick by the way.
Rachel seems to be super great with Miss Madd…
Looks like you all are doing well! been following you on twitter now and love getting all the updates on you, Maddy and Rachel! Hope you all are doing good! Remember you are Awesome!
Wow!! thanks for the update, looks great so far!!!
RACHEL H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y !!!
Hi Matt, i first saw your story on the oprah show. iam sorry for your lost but your story interest me because i am sick and may die at any time. i am married with a 7 year old daughter. my husband feels that if i die he will move back to st louis and i do not want him to. i have an autoimmune disorder called scleroderma and i am not doing very well with it. to put everything in order me and husband have talked about what is best. he feels that he can not raise her by himself and that he needs help from family in st louis. what can i do
So glad that you and Mady and Rachel made it in one piece! I am sure this will be an amazing trip – and Liz is surely watching you from above, smiling….
I have to ask… Rachel is not, possibly, a love interest, is she?
@Katie C.
only for madeline.
Well glad that Miss Madeline loves Rachael. They seem like two peas in a pod. Although I can tell Miss. Mady is definitely a daddy’s girl through and through. The pictures of her with her little hand constantly on your back while she rides in your backpack are just too cute for words.
So happy that you and your daughter are enjoying the time spent in a place you so enjoyed with your lovely Liz.
Awesome Pics that tell a story by themselves!
Love that the LL foundation won! Can’t wait for more adventures!
Baby tantrums always feel like 12 hours don’t they? hehe. Awesome pictures and lovely post! Can’t wait for the book!