We are travel junkies in the summer. For the next several weeks we are traveling to spend time at Ellie’s Beihai Reunion, spending the July 4th weekend in the Rockies, and celebrating the wedding of Ryan’s brother and new sister-in-law in St. Lucia. Lots of whirlwind, lots of fun, and lots of R and R.
Our big girls started a week early and have been in Indiana with my parents all week. Evidently, they have been having much fun and excitement visiting with cousins.
So, Ryan and I headed to the airport yesterday afternoon for an “easy” flight to Indiana. We only had half of our kids with us, right? We’ve flown a ton with all the kids. Actually, I like to joke about how experienced they are and call my adopted ones, “airplane babies” rather than “hospital babies”.
Some days, traveling just doesn’t go smoothly no matter how experienced and prepared you are. Those days, you have a decision to make. Put a smile on your face, keep moving forward, and know that it will all be over soon enough.
We pulled up to a practically empty departures lane and discovered that we had left an important piece of luggage at home….Julia’s travel bed.
While we were trying not argue about whose fault it was (still not agreed upon, the only thing we agree upon is to no longer discuss it), a huge tour bus pulled up and dropped its full load of boy scouts checking in for our airline.
Tick, tock.
Since checking in lap children, we had to go through the long line rather than the express lane to check our bags.
Tick, tock.
Security, with two babies, strollers, etc.
Tick, tock.
Alas, with McDonald’s in hand, we made it to the gate in time to board.
“But, sir, you need to ticket those strollers. Just step over to the counter….”
Tick, tock.
Spent several minutes waiting for a very angry man to be told that there are no seats for him on this flight….
Tick, tock.
Finally, Ryan cleared his throat, stepped around the man and asked for the tags.
Tick, tock. Tick, tock.
We were the last ones on the flight and didn’t get to sit in the same row.
Well, then there is Evan J! He is 11 months old and has a strange quirk. The more tired he is, the more squirmy he is. He also has this fantastically strong grip. When he grabs something, you have to pry his hand off.
It was a quick 2 hour flight that involved spilling a whole order of French fries, a leaky diaper and resulting “naked baby” until the seat belt sign was removed and we could get to the bathroom, several trips up and down the aisle, a spilled water bottle from being gripped by super-strong baby boy, repeated hair pulling since the only thing that held his interest was removing my hair clip, chewing on it and “trying” to put it back in, repeatedly. Julia, however, sat quietly on Daddy’s lap snacking and reading books.
But the whole time I kept looking at his bare feet. He has the cutest little baby feet. They aren’t going stay that little, that fat and cute. Time has a way of slipping right on by us. Maybe I am just missing my big girls who have been gone all week, but I remember looking at their cute little feet and wasn’t that just yesterday?