Tomorrow I venture out into the great blue yonder… well, maybe it’s more like the great brown and red yonder that is Arizona (we’re visiting my grandparents and Nick’s mom). What a lovely break it will be from the nasty cold that has overtaken the Northwest for, oh, about 7 months. Despite the gorgeous day last Saturday (of which I spent the majority in a warehouse working the consignment sale), it’s still pretty much the dead of winter around here and everyone’s getting a little cranky about that. We went from having our heat on on Friday, to our AC on Saturday, and back to heat from Sunday on. Ugh.
But back to the trip at hand. Despite the sunshine, I must say I’m getting a little pit in my stomach about my upcoming adventure.
Dilemma #1: Our flight leaves at 6:04am. That means our car leaves the house at 4:00am. That means my alarm clock goes off at 3:15am. Nobody’s ever happy when that happens.
Dilemma #2: Has anyone noticed airports around the nation have not been the happiest places on earth in the past two weeks? Hopefully we circumvented the majority of the problems on that one…
Dilemma #3: I am traveling with a toddler and an infant. By myself. Um, can anyone say happy day? Oh, and see #1 about the leaving the house at 4am thing – this isn’t going to be pretty.
Dilemma #4: We’re traveling on mileage, which meant the cheap flight, which meant no direct flights, which means a layover in San Francisco. Refer to dilemmas 1-3.
Luckily, I’ve done my research – I’ve scoped out all the best preschooler entertaining games and toys for flight travel, and I’ve purchased – well, all of them. Man, I remember when I used to be a really savvy traveler that knew what to do in the security line, and breezed through without a hitch, with my camera, video camera and lap top in tow. I had the system down. All of the sudden I feel like a novice who’s never flown before. Mylie used to be a great traveler as an infant, but not so much as a toddler. Mister Nolan, on the other hand, is a HUGE unknown. Sometimes delightful, other times, not so much. Let’s pray for sunshine, the kind that hits BEFORE we get to Arizona.
I’m sure we’ll survive – I’ve got the video iPod, the iPhone, the pipe cleaners, and lots of (usually forbidden) snacks. And if all else fails, I’ve got heavy drugs Tylenol. So wish us luck, pray for us, and check back for stories of our adventures!
Good luck! I know I don’t have 2 kids but I have flown a few times alone with London and I still use my front carrier for her while going through security. It has no metal so I can keep her strapped to me without the pain of trying to get her out of a stroller, fold it up, take everythin else out, you know. Some security people will tell you that you have to take it off but just tell them that so and so said you could leave it on. Because one guy in security told me once (after I had taken it all of and everything) that I should have just left it on. So maybe you could put Nolan in a front pack or sling and make Mylie walk. I don’t know how that will be. Or just push the stroller with Mylie so you can have room for all of your stuff (including her car seat). London does SO much better on the plane when she’s sitting in her car seat instead of the seat on the plane. It’s a little more of a pain to get it there, but the flight is so much easier without her trying to get up and run around. But, like I said, I’ve never done it with two kids. So good luck. And have fun!
For some consolation watch a flying episode of John and Kate plus 8 and be glad you’re only taking two!
I hope it went well! The sun and warmth on the other end of the flight will make it all worth it. We are going to AZ at the beginning of May… childless. Isn’t that sinful?! Have a wonderful time and soak up some sun for us all! It snowed here this morning. YUCK!