Unfortunately, Erajh did not wish to explore the possibility of free childcare while flying up to Atlanta for Hazeline’s baptism this past weekend, so instead he called Delta ahead of time and made sure we were all in the same row. Not as easy as you might think. Anyway, below are just a few of the things I learned while we traveled for the first with both kids:
- No matter how much you pack, you will forget at least 1 thing. And if you are lucky, it will only be 1 thing. Improvising is key. Admittedly, I packed enough for a small army. I thought I had everything, but needless to say, I didn’t. I did find out that a dishcloth and a chip clip make a great bib though.
- Delta Airlines flights have an unofficial cry zone. Don’t think I didn’t notice Delta. Let’s just put it out on the table, shall we? You reserve rows 40+ for those with kids. I’m not against the cry zone, but wow does it take forever to get on and off a flight. Plus all those dreaded “don’t sit by me” stares you must endure on your way back to your kid-friendly seat. I do feel slightly bad for those who seem to be accidentally put in the cry zone, but the panicked look on their face when they sit down and realize where they are is priceless.
- Seat belts are scary. I never saw this one coming. Before our flight, I was pretty sure the money we spent for Greenleigh’s seat was a total waste and that she would only want to sit on my lap. I was very surprised when she actually seemed to like sitting in her very own seat. The seat belt was another story. The mere attempt to put it on her yielded shrieks and claims that she was “Guck!”. Thank goodness we were in the cry zone.
- Getting Greenleigh a seat means we get extra carry on luggage. Greenleigh wants to carry her own stuff, and who am I to stop her? We picked her up from daycare with Elmo backpack in tow, but it mistakenly made its way into the airport. She thought it was great to put her own stuff on the conveyor belt at security and put her own back under the seat in front of her. Apparently it is the little things that make her happy. Needless to say, I packed that bag a lot fuller on our flight back to Fort Lauderdale.
- Descending planes make my kids sleepy. Both kids insisted on staying awake the entire flight. No amount of begging or pleading could get them to go to sleep, but the second we started to descend, the eyes got sleepy. Once we landed, they were out cold. At first I thought it was a fluke, but maybe not. The evidence:
Exhibit A:
Not more than 1 minute after we landed in Atlanta.
Exhibit B:
Approximately a minute and a half after we landed in Fort Lauderdale. And yes, I know she is too old for a pacifier. Don't judge me.
Exhibit C:
Landing in Fort Lauderdale.
