I think I worked myself into a tizzy about our upcoming flight and trip to Chicago as it is already a pain in the ass to fly, but now we were adding a midget to the mix. The issue doesn't necessarily lie in the little one themselves, but the entourage of items that you need to cart in order to ensure their comfort in strange places. On top of it all I tend to be a bit of an overpacker so now I personally have a large suitcase and one for my son that is overflowing with stuff. Bathing suit for Chicago in March? Why not? 12 different outfits? Sure, we will be there for 6 days and he is bound to puke or shit on one of them. Thinking of the outfits in hindsight, my super coordinated son would be all cute to meet his Chicago family, then end up in a onesie and diaper for photos. Such is the way.
But I digress. We were taking a flight out of a city about an hour and a half away from us for the frugality's sake and everyone kept telling me what was key with flying with a baby was to give yourself plenty of time at the airport. Not this family. My poor law-abiding husband was pushing the limits of speed as we realized that our flight was 30 minutes sooner than we had thought. Did we look at the ticket the morning of to be sure? No way, looking at the ticket en route to the airport to determine the time is never a good plan, but it was the first time I had sat down in about 3 days of disorganized packing. (ie the over analysing overpacker!) We zoom into the airport counting on the fact of curbside check in to make life easier....not at this airport. Now we have 3 suitcases, stroller, car seat, carry ons, diaper bag, and of course the little one to tote into the airport. Okay Noah, you just hang and watch the car while mommy and daddy check in. Once again my husband turned into a pack mule while the child and I take the car to a very remote lot for parking once again for frugalities' sake. As I am offloading into a waiting terminal for a bus to take me, the baby, the car seat and carry ons back to the airport, I receive a frantic call from my beloved telling me that the plane will be boarding in less than 10 minutes and could I hurry on over. I can see the airport in the distance, its not far, say less than a half mile, but looking at my load I am not as worthy of pack mule status as he is. Thankfully the shuttle comes into view and I practically dive on board and beg the guy to bypass the other stops as our flight is leaving in 20 mins. Fortunately (maybe) the baby begins to fuss at this time which sealed the deal and off we were. Getting to the airport as my husband is just finishing checking in, you can totally tell that we are the newbie parents in this situation. I have a crying baby with dirty pants on my hip, half open diaper bag on my shoulder, heavy winter coats stuffed in a car seat, and an unopened stroller that we are dragging uselessly as we look for a changing room. On a side note, family restrooms are AWESOME!
We get the diaper situation resolved in record time and on to security with our circus act. This is where I had conjured up so many nightmares in the previous week's dreams, plus I didn't know if they had to strip search the baby. I had visions of diapers coming off and unfortunate spraying of airport police that leads us to a windowless room and a woman named Verla with rubber gloves. Thankfully they were helpful with all the gear and we once again broke time records getting boots and belts back on. And no they had no interest in baby or what was under his clothes! We luckily are getting on a plane that is right by security and we breathlessly get scanned in and board the plane.
Being late has its disadvantages as we had to take the last two seats in the very back of the plane by the engine and the pleasantly scented bathroom. On top of that, we had to walk past all the other passengers with a baby in our arms. We might as well been carrying a pair of vuvuzelas and harmonicas for the stares we got. You know you have done it. I am guilty of seeing the family with the kid and thinking 'Oh shit please don't be sitting by me!', knowing that my seat will be kicked over and over and a piercing screams will fill the plane for the duration of the flight. It is not fun being that couple with the baby as this was part 2 of my nightmare that he would break the eardrums of all the kind people on the plane. I had read that sucking a pacifier or bottle will ease the pressure in a baby's ears as they don't know how to pop them as we ascend and descend. Thank goodness my child loves to eat! He made nary a peep the entire trip and we were congratulated by at least 3 other previously worried passengers on how good he was. Major points for successfully navigating air travel with a baby!
No comments:
Post a Comment