I remember the good old days as a single lady when I dreaded having to travel by airplane.
The crowded airports, red-eye flights, cramped airplanes, sitting next to drunk men or crying babies, the jet lag. Blech!
Then I remember the good old days when I dreaded traveling by airplane with baby Kenadie. She fussed, screamed, and conveniently had multiple blow-outs on flights that were still often in the middle of the night. Those were draining flights for me and Garrett.
(Colicky Kenadie passed-out after a scream-fest while traveling from Minnesota to San Diego)
I've now graduated to these good days of flying with 2 toddlers by myself while pregnant and still experiencing bouts of "morning sickness".
I've never run a marathon before, but after experiencing 3 hours of sleep, taking the kids to the airport at 4am, hauling 2.5 children and all our gear through security, escorting Kenadie to the airplane bathroom 5 times during one of our flights (thanks to that darned beverage cart!), racing through the Seattle airport with kids and bags in tow to make our connecting flight, and enduring a Lila tantrum that resulted in a passing-out spell during take-off, I can't imagine a marathon making me feel more haggard or spent than I did after that trip!
(A moment of peace brought to you by the magic of the mini DVD player--a must when flying with children!)
This traveling thing just seems to get more and more draining the more children you throw into the mix, which is why I am starting to like the idea of sequestering myself to Alaska for the next 10 years simply to avoid such trips.
Unless it happens to be the kid-free flight to Hawaii that my husband, in-laws, and parents have made possible for me and Garrett this November!
Although I have to admit that the thought of leaving my little girls gives me slight anxiety attacks, Hawaii has long been a dream of mine and a little alone-time with Garrett will sure be nice (our first trip alone since before Kenadie's birth).
Plus, I can't deny the odd excitement that I feel in knowing that the 6 hour flight to Hawaii won't include Lila's tantrums, baby diarrhea blow-outs, or screaming children (at least not mine, anyway). Just the thought of it sounds so heavenly and relaxing, a far cry from how I perceived similar airplane rides 5 years ago!
3 comments:
I feel for ya! Two summers ago, on my way home from AK, our flight got canceled after being in the airport all night by myself with 3 children. We spent our next day trying to get some sleep in a hotel in Anchorage, and walking around town trying to entertain ourselves before heading back for our re-scheduled midnight flight. We then flew through the night, arrived in Long Beach in the morning, and had an all day layover there. The kids and I along with all our carry-on luggage, decided to head to the beach. I found a bus that would take us to about half a mile away, from which point we carried the bags to the beach. At one point during the day, Mariah had fallen asleep in my arms, and i had to pack her and two of the bags several blocks to a bus stop, then try to get money for fare out of my pocket and herd the other two onto the bus. I'm sure we were quite the show! Anyway, from the time Bonnie dropped us off at the airport in Anchorage until we finally arrived at home was over 48 hours, of which I slept for about 5 total! You are right--traveling with children is NOT for the weak!
Taffy, there is a special place in heaven reserved for you just based on that trip alone!!!
I hear ya', Holly! George and I are leaving for 2 weeks in November also-Puerto Rico and a cruise. It WAS going to just be us, but then we decided that we love my parents too much to torture them with all 4 kids for 2 whole weeks.....so we're taking Koda and Brady with us. You have no clue how excited I am to ONLY travel with the two older ones-no carseats, diapers, etc. Plus, hopefully I'll get to fly by myself a couple times for med school interviews. So excited for a little time away from the kids this winter!
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