A visit...
I took G on a plane ride last week to visit my dear friend who had a new baby in October. It was so wonderful to meet the new little one and to see her oldest son (9 months older than G).
I thought they played really well together. G hasn't quite figured out "mine" yet (though M has) and they did squabble over some of M's more desirable toys. All in, they got on real well. And when we got home, G was still trying to say M's name.
Somewhat recently - I believe it was at lunch last weekend - G started smiling for the camera (when he feels like it). This is what that looks like.
Emily's lovely brood.
I wish I had pictures of what I looked like trying to get through the airport traveling by myself. With two kids of her own, both still in carseats, Emily didn't have room in her car for another carseat. So I just decided I'd take a cab. DC's full of them, I'd make it work.
This meant I had to travel with the carseat. Normally, for a three day trip, I would have carried on. But there was no way with G. How would I handle him, my purse, a diaper bag, and a carry on? Surely that would put me over my airline allowance.
I parked my car, put G in the Ergo (BEST investment ever), put the carseat in the santa sack I made for it, put the diaper bag over the handles of the suitcase, purse across my body, santa sack over my shoulder, and off we went. Well organized chaos I thought. Thank goodness G is a good boy.
My advice for travel alone, on full planes with cranky business travelers ... lollipops, nursery rhymes and songs, an iphone and lots of food. I also brought an empty juice box and straw (the straw gets inserted over and over and over again), a plastic bag with about ten cotton swabs (these are taken out and put back in the bag). I also bought a quiet book (was going to make one, but too time intensive, and I couldn't be bothered). Honestly the quiet book was a miss. He liked the velcro but everything else was kind of lame. He liked playing with the zipper on my jacket and the seat belt on the plane more than the book. So I think it's sort of worthless. He may grow into it.
I also brought three of his favorite books on the plane. Go, Dog, Go! is always a hit and I probably read it half a dozen times.
The way there he was great. We got in a cab, no problem, made it to the house. Called a cab to pick us up three days later, no big deal, made it to the airport. Our plane was delayed. Just 45 minutes, but still. I was not pleased.
G did great on the plane was a bit more needy. And this evil woman in the seat in front of us complained. At one point her seat mate turned around and said, "can you stop?" I was singing to him, trying to entertain him. I looked at her and stopped, put G on my shoulder and he just started screaming. I let him. What did they want me to do?
When the plane landed I heard the woman say to her seat mate, "children shouldn't travel on planes. It's not fair to anyone." I heard her. She knew I heard her. When she stood up to leave and saw my face she tried to talk to me. I was polite. Her bad behavior does not excuse me being rude, but I was so tempted. And I've been told I give very evil looks so I am fairly confident that my face relayed what I was thinking, even if I didn't say anything.
I enjoy challenging myself and G. I like exposing him to new things and taking him out of his comfort zone from time to time, because I think it helps his development a lot more than any old stupid preschool does.
That having been said. I do not think I will be willingly traveling on an airplane by myself with him for a while. At least not for a three hour plane ride. I could do an hour, peice of cake. But three was really, really hard.
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| From Emily Visit |
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| From Emily Visit |
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| From Emily Visit |
I wish I had pictures of what I looked like trying to get through the airport traveling by myself. With two kids of her own, both still in carseats, Emily didn't have room in her car for another carseat. So I just decided I'd take a cab. DC's full of them, I'd make it work.
This meant I had to travel with the carseat. Normally, for a three day trip, I would have carried on. But there was no way with G. How would I handle him, my purse, a diaper bag, and a carry on? Surely that would put me over my airline allowance.
I parked my car, put G in the Ergo (BEST investment ever), put the carseat in the santa sack I made for it, put the diaper bag over the handles of the suitcase, purse across my body, santa sack over my shoulder, and off we went. Well organized chaos I thought. Thank goodness G is a good boy.
My advice for travel alone, on full planes with cranky business travelers ... lollipops, nursery rhymes and songs, an iphone and lots of food. I also brought an empty juice box and straw (the straw gets inserted over and over and over again), a plastic bag with about ten cotton swabs (these are taken out and put back in the bag). I also bought a quiet book (was going to make one, but too time intensive, and I couldn't be bothered). Honestly the quiet book was a miss. He liked the velcro but everything else was kind of lame. He liked playing with the zipper on my jacket and the seat belt on the plane more than the book. So I think it's sort of worthless. He may grow into it.
I also brought three of his favorite books on the plane. Go, Dog, Go! is always a hit and I probably read it half a dozen times.
The way there he was great. We got in a cab, no problem, made it to the house. Called a cab to pick us up three days later, no big deal, made it to the airport. Our plane was delayed. Just 45 minutes, but still. I was not pleased.
G did great on the plane was a bit more needy. And this evil woman in the seat in front of us complained. At one point her seat mate turned around and said, "can you stop?" I was singing to him, trying to entertain him. I looked at her and stopped, put G on my shoulder and he just started screaming. I let him. What did they want me to do?
When the plane landed I heard the woman say to her seat mate, "children shouldn't travel on planes. It's not fair to anyone." I heard her. She knew I heard her. When she stood up to leave and saw my face she tried to talk to me. I was polite. Her bad behavior does not excuse me being rude, but I was so tempted. And I've been told I give very evil looks so I am fairly confident that my face relayed what I was thinking, even if I didn't say anything.
I enjoy challenging myself and G. I like exposing him to new things and taking him out of his comfort zone from time to time, because I think it helps his development a lot more than any old stupid preschool does.
That having been said. I do not think I will be willingly traveling on an airplane by myself with him for a while. At least not for a three hour plane ride. I could do an hour, peice of cake. But three was really, really hard.
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