Baby Travels

A week ago today Desmond and I headed to the airport to visit Ohio. Leading up to the trip I'd worked myself into such a mess I had a stomach ache! What if I forgot something, what if he had a meltdown on the plane, what if east coast time screwed up whatever little schedule we'd managed to get him on, what if...what if...what if. I wish I could've stopped myself from getting into such a state, as it was not all that bad!

This isn't to say the trip was completely smooth sailing. Tuesday morning we gave ourselves an hour and a half to get dressed and out of the house. Lesson learned, this is NOT enough time when dealing with a newborn. Somehow we were running a bit behind still. Then, when we got to the airport, United didn't have anyone manning the curbside check and there was a huge line in front of the check-in counters. I tried not to panic and got in line. It didn't move at all! I started panicking that I'd miss the cut off to check my bag and was commiserating with the woman in front of me when she let me know that that line was for canceled flights! So I'd wasted all this time in the wrong line! I ran up to an agent (crying at this point - damn hormones and sleep deprivation!!) and explained my mistake but it was no good, it was 5min past the cut off. She sent me back to the canceled flight line so get help. 

Long story short, another agent came and pulled me out of line ("You shouldn't wait here with that baby!") and helped me get on a new set of flights and apologized that they were so swamped no one was available to catch me before I got stuck in the wrong line. This flight would get me into Cleveland at 11pm instead of 5. Mind you Desmond normally starts his fussy beyond consolation period around 6, so I was worrying this would mean I'd have one loud angry baby on the second flight. 

Mark came to get us so we could wait for the new flight at home instead of at the airport, and Des and I both got naps. I think this made ALL the difference. When we got back the airport Desmond decided he should keep the drama of our travel day going by doing a MASSIVE blow out which somehow managed to shoot all the way up his back avoiding his pants and - now this is the crazy part - missed his jacket too! So I found myself in the bathroom with a naked baby giving him a wipe bath (meanwhile he was all bright eyed and smiling at the lady washing her hands) trying to figure out if I should wash out his onesie or just pitch it. It got pitched, lol. Luckily I did think to pack extra onesies, I thought incase he puked but this worked too. 

After little man got dressed again and back in the wrap he passed out...for most of the first flight! *insert mommy happy dance!* But then he woke up and did another poo-splosion, le sigh. I discovered that there are changing tables in the airplane lav's though!! It was actually a more useful station than the one in the airport bathroom! 

The rest of that flight was thankfully uneventful, he just played with his monkey lovie. Before we got off the plane though, thanks to my friend Michelle's suggestion, I asked if Des could get a photo with the pilot and wings since this was his first flight. The pilot had already left but the flight attendant let us take a picture in the captains chair!! 

The second flight was as smooth as it could possibly be with a bub that was sick of being confined to tight spaces. This kid loves to kick and there was just no room! 

There was a lovely elderly couple that were so nice and helpful - from offering their tray table to carrying my bag for me when I went to change his diaper (regular, no poo for once lol). It definitely made things go by faster. I was kind of nervous about nursing in such tight spaces, even if the grandfatherly guy next to me was as friendly as could be, but my wrap gave plenty of privacy :) 

I was so ready to get off the plane even though it wasn't a bad trip. Plus I knew Tita Maya and Grammy were probably about two inches from the baggage claim escalators waiting to see the Des...well and me. Lol. Sure enough, Maya was leaning down to look up the escalator and get the first view of us. They engulfed us in hugs and coos all over Desmond. I did get love after the initial baby smooches were given :)

Desmond was SO not loving the cold and the need for a coat!! I thought he was a down right adorable blue hooded teddy bear, he was probably wondering what the fussy beast was that was eating him whole! 

It's taken most of my visit just to write the travel portion of our story so I'll leave the summary of our stay for another post. Suffice it to say for now that Desmond is one extremely loved little man who got to meet a lot of the people who care so much for him.