So I was actually crazy enough to fly back to the states with the kids alone. My cousin was getting married and my children were dying to see their friends that they so dearly missed. My mom was planning to come to the wedding. And to top it all off the wedding was a short eight hour Space Available flight away with no stops. How can you pass up going to your cousin's wedding when it only costs you $32.50 per passenger? You'd have to be crazy, right? So I did it. Why is it I can just close my eyes and jump into a situation like this, but the high dive is impossible for me?
It wasn't too bad actually. The flight there was pretty easy. It just made for a very long day when you get up at 5:30am to be at roll call at 7am with all your bags. We waited a long time just to sign in for roll call. Then the roll call doesn't actually happen until 9am. Checking bags truthfully was the roughest part, but we were still on our high that we actually just took the last seven seats on the flight and we were actually going to the US to see friends and family that very day which made it bearable. I think we were in line for that for an hour and a half. Then we had to go through security and passport check even though we'd had our passports checked three times already since arriving that morning.
So we board the plane and our seats are not even together because we took the last seven seats. Hannah and Isaac had to sit four rows in front of me. Genna and Drew had to sit on the row in front of me. Bobby sat on one side of me and Judah on the other. I clearly did not get the good end of the deal here, but to minimize problems this was the best way to arrange everyone. Bobby had his infant car seat that I wanted to get him to sit in for at least one nap and for meals. As we were getting settled, Bobby was falling asleep on me, so I laid him in the car seat and he stayed asleep.
Judah fell asleep after take off. He slept for close to two hours. Bobby didn't sleep that long but he was happy after I nursed him and fed him lunch. He took one other nap, but he was mostly awake and happy the whole time. Drew had one time I had to deal with him, but he was mostly happy to watch Star Wars on the back of the chair in front of him and do the activities that I brought in his backpack.
The first four hours went by quickly, but I was counting down a little closely for the last four hours. When we got off the plane they so kindly took our stroller that I had gate checked over to the baggage claim. Do they not know what they are doing here? I am flying solo and was relying on that stroller to help me carry a child and a few carry-ons hooked on the back. I had to carry the car seat, my diaper bag (which is big,) my messenger bag with my lap top, and have Bobby in the Ergo. We first had to go through the crazy long customs line.
We picked up our two bags at the baggage claim. Yes, we only had two bags to check. I know that is shocking because so many people kept commenting how little luggage we had for so many people. I just know from experience that the baggage is most of the trouble. Reduce the baggage and you reduce the stress factor by a lot.
After going through yet another checkpoint, we were welcomed by a huge USO group and hailed as heroes which I totally felt bad about since I'm not the one in the service. They gave us care packages and helped direct us to the terminal that I needed to sign up at for our return flight. After we got in the elevator, Genna turns to me and says, "Mom you looked really awesome when we were just walking out of there with Bobby on you, the car seat in one arm, and a big bag in the other." What a sweetie! I needed a compliment like that.
After signing up, we waited for a shuttle to the rental car place where Brian had reserved a van for me at the last minute once we were on the flight. The first three shuttles were full and didn't stop, but just as the children are giving up all hope a shuttle stops and we pile in. As we are sitting in the shuttle, our conversation was making the men around us chuckle. At one point (Drew had asked so many questions already) Drew asks me, "Who was the best on the trip?" My response was, "Bobby, because he didn't ask me any questions." That got a good laugh out of our shuttle audience.
We had a little trouble with car seats in the rental, but nothing that couldn't be dealt with. Then we get in the van to head to our old house, aaaaand I realize it's five o'clock. Peak traffic time. Only an hour of traffic later (not as bad as I' have thought) we arrive, and happiness and bliss consumes the children. All travel blues exit their little bodies, and I take a big sigh of relief that we got here. Half the traveling is over and now I can relax with my friends and family until it's time to repeat this in reverse...if we are just as blessed to get on the first flight again. If not...well, I can't think about that yet.
It wasn't too bad actually. The flight there was pretty easy. It just made for a very long day when you get up at 5:30am to be at roll call at 7am with all your bags. We waited a long time just to sign in for roll call. Then the roll call doesn't actually happen until 9am. Checking bags truthfully was the roughest part, but we were still on our high that we actually just took the last seven seats on the flight and we were actually going to the US to see friends and family that very day which made it bearable. I think we were in line for that for an hour and a half. Then we had to go through security and passport check even though we'd had our passports checked three times already since arriving that morning.
So we board the plane and our seats are not even together because we took the last seven seats. Hannah and Isaac had to sit four rows in front of me. Genna and Drew had to sit on the row in front of me. Bobby sat on one side of me and Judah on the other. I clearly did not get the good end of the deal here, but to minimize problems this was the best way to arrange everyone. Bobby had his infant car seat that I wanted to get him to sit in for at least one nap and for meals. As we were getting settled, Bobby was falling asleep on me, so I laid him in the car seat and he stayed asleep.
Judah fell asleep after take off. He slept for close to two hours. Bobby didn't sleep that long but he was happy after I nursed him and fed him lunch. He took one other nap, but he was mostly awake and happy the whole time. Drew had one time I had to deal with him, but he was mostly happy to watch Star Wars on the back of the chair in front of him and do the activities that I brought in his backpack.
The first four hours went by quickly, but I was counting down a little closely for the last four hours. When we got off the plane they so kindly took our stroller that I had gate checked over to the baggage claim. Do they not know what they are doing here? I am flying solo and was relying on that stroller to help me carry a child and a few carry-ons hooked on the back. I had to carry the car seat, my diaper bag (which is big,) my messenger bag with my lap top, and have Bobby in the Ergo. We first had to go through the crazy long customs line.
We picked up our two bags at the baggage claim. Yes, we only had two bags to check. I know that is shocking because so many people kept commenting how little luggage we had for so many people. I just know from experience that the baggage is most of the trouble. Reduce the baggage and you reduce the stress factor by a lot.
After going through yet another checkpoint, we were welcomed by a huge USO group and hailed as heroes which I totally felt bad about since I'm not the one in the service. They gave us care packages and helped direct us to the terminal that I needed to sign up at for our return flight. After we got in the elevator, Genna turns to me and says, "Mom you looked really awesome when we were just walking out of there with Bobby on you, the car seat in one arm, and a big bag in the other." What a sweetie! I needed a compliment like that.
After signing up, we waited for a shuttle to the rental car place where Brian had reserved a van for me at the last minute once we were on the flight. The first three shuttles were full and didn't stop, but just as the children are giving up all hope a shuttle stops and we pile in. As we are sitting in the shuttle, our conversation was making the men around us chuckle. At one point (Drew had asked so many questions already) Drew asks me, "Who was the best on the trip?" My response was, "Bobby, because he didn't ask me any questions." That got a good laugh out of our shuttle audience.
We had a little trouble with car seats in the rental, but nothing that couldn't be dealt with. Then we get in the van to head to our old house, aaaaand I realize it's five o'clock. Peak traffic time. Only an hour of traffic later (not as bad as I' have thought) we arrive, and happiness and bliss consumes the children. All travel blues exit their little bodies, and I take a big sigh of relief that we got here. Half the traveling is over and now I can relax with my friends and family until it's time to repeat this in reverse...if we are just as blessed to get on the first flight again. If not...well, I can't think about that yet.
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