Today Cal and I are on our way via the airway to Reno. Just he and I. Him and me. The two of us.<\/p>\n
And I am NERVOUS!!!<\/p>\n
The last time I traveled alone with an infant it was one of the WORST DAYS OF MY LIFE. Absolutely horrid!!<\/p>\n
The Hubby, Gwyneth and I were traveling to Reno and decided to stop in Portland to visit family on the way. We then decided that Gwyneth and I would fly from Portland to Reno and The Hubby would drive the rest of the way. We thought it would be easier on Gwyneth and since the flight was only just over an hour long, it should be easy peasy.<\/p>\n
I had everything planned to a tee.<\/p>\n
I booked the 7:45 am flight so that I could nurse Gwyneth before we left and arrive in Reno by 9:30, right when Gwyneth usually went down for her first nap that she could take while driving to my home town. Perfect.<\/p>\n
I had two bottles of milk in a freezer pack, just in case, and anything else she could possibly need.<\/p>\n
The morning of departure was a bit stressful because we were running behind schedule. Actually, Gwyn and I were ready. It was… Ahem…. someone else who was a little behind. Once on the road, we got a little lost on the way to the airport.<\/p>\n
My blood pressure was rising.<\/p>\n
By the time we got to the airport I was freaking out a little. There was no more extra time. There was no leisurely stroll up to the ticket counter. I had to book it!<\/p>\n
I had to check the carseat base and to do so I had to wait in a super long line. Gwyneth wouldn’t just hang in the carseat, so I was juggling holding her and carrying the carseat, carseat base, diaper bag, and coat. Once I checked the carseat and base I booked it over to security and again, waited in a HUGE line while continuously looking at my watch.<\/p>\n
I was beginning to perspire here.<\/p>\n
When I got about halfway through the line, a security woman came up to where I was standing and announced that it would be faster for everyone from me back to go to the opposite side of the airport and go through that security line, and then make our way to our gates. Debating what to do for a few minutes, I decided to go for it and did a quick walk\/jog to the other side and stood in THAT line. I think the lady was full of crap, because that too was a huge line.<\/p>\n
Now Gwyn was getting real wiggly and my cheeks were turning red. But, I got through security and walked FIVE STEPS in the wrong direction. You know that sign that says once you walk past this sign you can’t go back through??<\/p>\n
Well, I got confused and went down the wrong hallway since I was trying to go back toward my gate. The security lady in the chair SAW me do this. And I literally stopped in my tracks, realized what I had done and turned around to go back and she stopped me. I\u00a0hurriedly\u00a0explained how I had JUST gone through that long line and that I was going to miss my flight.<\/p>\n
She would not budge. This is when I started to cry.<\/p>\n
She still made me go back through security, but took me toward the front of the line. My bags, once again, were cleared, except for THIS TIME they decide to test my breast milk.<\/p>\n
ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?<\/p>\n
This took an extra 10-12 minutes for them to strap on their gloves, get their little tester strips out and wave them over my milk, only to conclude that yes, I did not put explosives in my baby’s milk.<\/p>\n
Once I was given the okay, I grabbed my stuff and had the diaper bag over my shoulder, Gwyn on one hip, my purse on the other shoulder and my jacket hanging from the diaper bag. And I booked it.<\/p>\n
I waddled\/ran as fast as I possibly could the (what felt like) TWO miles to my gate. I was in disbelief at how far away my gate was. And you’d better believe I took the little moving walker strips too, making my way around every slowpoke in my way.<\/p>\n
I was in a full on sweat now.<\/p>\n
I FINALLY saw my gate, ran up to the counter out of breath and screamed to the lady,<\/p>\n
“I’m here! Is the plane still here!?!?” while I looked at the empty terminal with tears welling in my eyes.<\/p>\n
“No, ma’am, it’s too late.”<\/p>\n
This is where I lost it. I didn’t know what else to do, so I went and sat down on a chair, plopped everything on the ground, besides Gwyneth, and I just cried.<\/p>\n
The lady at the terminal came over with a box of Kleenex and asked for my ID, which I gave her. She then came back and told me the next flight to Reno was in FIVE hours. And that it had to go through Last Vegas first too.<\/p>\n
More tears, naturally.<\/p>\n
Without another option since \u00a0I had already checked the carseat base, I had to take it. So Gwyn and I piddled around the airport for the next five hours. Going to the bathroom… hard. I couldn’t put her down on that nasty floor. Getting something to eat…. Hard. Same reason.<\/p>\n
So when it was time to board you’d better believe I was one of the first in line, only to be notified that the plane was delayed.<\/p>\n
“Are you shitting me!?”<\/p>\n
An HOUR later we were finally able to board the plane. And we sat on that plane for FORTY FIVE minutes. Now Gwyn was getting pretty fussy. Since we weren’t moving yet, I got up and walked her around \u00a0the little hallway outside of the plane. When I finally got her to sleep, I tiptoed back to my seat where I sat for another fifteen minutes before some lameass lady ran onto the plane.<\/p>\n
They were HOLDING THE PLANE FOR HER.<\/p>\n
Why wouldn’t they do that for me SIX hours ago!?!? I was furious.<\/p>\n
I finally got Gwyn to sleep after a lot of fussing and apologizing to those around me when a bitchy steward came up and notified me that I needed to put on my seatbelt.<\/p>\n
Yeah. Because I am holding my now sleeping baby and I can do that. So, I glaringly nodded and he kept walking. He then came BACK to me and sternly told me to put my seatbelt on.<\/p>\n
A very nice gentleman sitting across the aisle stood up for me and said,<\/p>\n
“Can’t you see she can’t!?!? Good God at least help her!” And he and the person on my right buckled me in. I was so incredibly grateful for this man and told him so numerous times. He said he totally understood and that he was a father himself.<\/p>\n
And then you’ll never believe what happened.<\/p>\n
A-hole steward man walked passed me and HIT my baby’s head with his legs, which of course woke her up and made her start screaming… and he KEPT WALKING!<\/p>\n
I could have stabbed him!!!<\/p>\n
Thankfully, she didn’t cry long and I got her back to sleep. Once in Vegas I booked it to my terminal and boarded that plane to Reno. This time, though, Gwyn screamed almost the entire time there.<\/p>\n
Yeeeeeeep. I was that mama walking up and down the aisle with a screaming baby, once again apologizing to everyone around me.<\/p>\n
Finally, finally, finally we made it to Reno and I looked like a zombie. I was beat. Destroyed. Pulverized. And when I saw my dad…. I cried. And he hugged me. And I just let it all out.<\/p>\n
By the time I got to my parents’ house, The Hubby arrived 30 minutes later. Pff, yeah. It took just as long for me to fly as it did for him to drive.<\/p>\n
And I told myself, NEVER AGAIN! EVER!<\/p>\n
And what am I doing tomorrow??<\/p>\n
Flying alone with Cal.<\/p>\n
Two weekends ago when we drove to Portland with the whole Fam, it took us three hours longer with both kids than it normally took us to get there. Since the normal drive to Reno takes about 12 hours, we figured it’d take an extra six if we took Cal with how often we needed to stop to feed and change him.<\/p>\n
So, The Hubby and I decided that I would fly with Calvin and he is going to drive with Gwyneth. My flight is supposed to leave at 9:45 and arrive around 1:00. I feel pretty prepared, once again, and even booked “Earlybird Checkin.”<\/p>\n
Will you say a little prayer for us!?<\/p>\n
And for my hubby and Gwyn too please. That also makes me nervous that they are on the road for that long. The hubby installed a DVD player though and downloaded season 4 of Blues Clues to help keep her occupied. And Grammie sent home a goody bag of new toys and treats to play with as well. And the truck is stocked with snacks and drinks. So… I do feel pretty good about all of that at least.<\/p>\n
I feel like nothing could be worse than the first experience, so I do have high hopes! Send positive thoughts!<\/p>\n
Happy Monday! (I hope!)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Today Cal and I are on our way via the airway to Reno. Just he and I. Him and me. The two of us. And I am NERVOUS!!! The last time I traveled alone with an infant it was one of the WORST DAYS OF MY LIFE. Absolutely horrid!! The Hubby, Gwyneth and I were […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-269","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-life"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\n