Travel

I am going to let everyone in on a big secret....

No one - NO ONE likes to travel with babies.  Not businessmen, not retired people, not college kids, and certainly not parents.  The babies don't even want to travel with babies.  Our trip yesterday went that well...

I tried to be prepared, and thankfully, Joel Andrew was a dream.  He really enjoyed the plane experience.  He did not get sick!  He had a great time, watched his movie, played ipod games, and ate licorice (black, isn't that weird)?.

James, on the other hand...  Was not so good.  He is our trouble kid, but he is also usually chill in most situations.  So I thought he wouldn't be that bad... But, let's face it.  Mommy was a mess, there is a lot of stuff to lug and deal with with a 2-1/2 year old and a 10 month old, and it is just not fun to travel anyway.  So no matter how I sliced it, we were in for disaster.

We got to the airport early.  Daddy had a last minute meeting so I drove myself and parked in the long term lot.  Hoisted the bags around me and pushed the stroller and suitcase all the way to the airport.  I was quite impressed with myself, as were many airport employees.  That was not so bad.

We checked in like a breeze, we went to Manchester, and the Southwest people were very nice.  Security was no problem.  Thankfully they do not make kids under 12 take shoes off anymore, so that is good (and totally makes sense).  Mommy was prepped and prepared to go through, and we made it through quicker than the businessman traveling alone next to us!

We found the play area (gate 4 & 5) in the airport and hung out there for a bit.  Then, went to Sam Adams for some grilled cheese all around.  It was so far an awesome day!  Mommy went to the potty, and Joel even wanted to try.  But I think I scared him for life (and me too because of the germs) - as when he sat on the auto flush went on and scared the pants of him...

I went to the gate and told the Southwest people I might need help getting on the plane.  They put us right on, first. Someone even carried the evil bulky car seat on for me.  The flight attendant held Baby James while I put it together, Joel sat there like a great little man.  All was set.

Take off, wonderful.  Toys and snacks for Baby James, movie and snacks for Joel.  But, about 1/2 hour in it became apparent that James had enough.  I think he was over stimulated, and he really just wanted to sleep.  And, in an effort to keep him from crying I just kept throwing toys at him, or snacks, or his bottle, or taking him out of the seat (I was desprate!) - which would solve the whining for one minute but then bring it back again until finally I realized that the kid just needed to sleep.  He fought it and fought it and cried and cried for 10 minutes, during which Joel Andrew kept asking what was wrong and dropping his ipod, snacks and headphones. Finally Baby James fell asleep.

We landed, baby wakes up and people start filing out of the plane.  One woman, waiting to exit, says: "That cute little thing made so much noise?"  And then continued... "Is he too young to be medicated?"  I laughed it off, but really?  Then another lady, I think hoping to redeem the last one, decided to "help" me exit and hold up the rest of the passengers and insisted that I get off the plane in front of her.  This I was no prepared for.  Which then lead to a screaming toddler, baby, Mommy trying to hold everything and people looking at me like I was the worst mother in the world.  Then I proceeded to hold them up while I got my stroller assembled.  It was awesome.  I left the terminal crying.  There was another mother with her boys about a year older than mine, breezing through and looking at me like I was nuts.  She was traveling with no car seats, only one back back, and a small umbrella stroller.  Perhaps next time I need to remember less is more.

Probably not a good time to take a trip...  But today we are going to brush it off, see the choo-choos, and go to the Zoo!