details galore

well, as i'm sure you've been waiting on the edge of your seat...

(by now, you know i'm a details girl. so feel free to skim this one.)

we had a great time. however, traveling with two children under the age of three was, shall we say, difficult. nope. understatement. really, really challenging.

our flight was at four o'clock in the afternoon on thursday. i knew we needed to leave by two to get there by 2:45 to check in and be ready to pre board. and really, i was ready for security. TSA, bring it on. this mama is prepared. i had read everything on their website to know what i could and couldn't bring and how many ounces it had to be, etc. well, as luck would have it, apparently children become an amazing trump card. all of your liquids have to be three ounces or less. unless...you have children. medicines, formula, milk, juice, etc. can exceed those three ounces if you have a child present.

mind you, when i arrived, the only parking space available in the short term parking lot at the airport was the south forty. literally. so i had big h (who is probably too old for a stroller) in a single stroller. i had goo in a sling. i was a true picture of mother earth in all her tree hugging, granola-ness. but let me eat my previous words. you "babywearers" are a smart group of people. i found it so comfortable. however, the only problem was the heat. this thing feels like you're wearing a denim jacket. in august. in texas. and an extra ninety-eight degrees stuck to your body. that part i didn't like. but goo did. i had big h's backpack that he was "carrying" on the tray of the stroller. and i had my bag that was in the basket of the stroller. oh! and the big a-- suitcase that i chose to bring. sorry for my swear word, but people, i chose to bring the suitcase that buz and i took on our SEVEN DAY honeymoon carrying TWO ADULTS' clothing. you never know. i wanted to be prepared. plus, the amount of "security" items that were brought was ridiculous.

so by the time, i even got up to the ticketing counter, i was so hot, i could barely think. and you know how i love to be hot AND sweat. (tongue in cheek) checked in and we were on our way to security.

and i had prepared big h so much that he was actually excited about the experience. i told him that these people would send his backpack through a machine that would tell if the stuff we were carrying was safe. he thought that was cool that they could see through his backpack. he liked "walking through a door without a door." his exact words.

i had prayed SO MUCH about not being nervous and worrying. i knew that if i looked and acted worried, they would both see it in me, and they would end up being scared because mama was. so i prayed. prayed a LOT. but once i got into the line of security, i forgot all about my prayers, and i felt so far away from Jesus, i couldn't see straight. what's funny is that i fly pretty regularly. i mean, not with my children, but i have always loved going places, so the heightened security has never bothered me.

until i flew with two children.

by the time i was ready to walk through the x-ray machine, i'm almost positive the only thing i had on was my intimate apparel and the goo. ok, not really. but i had taken off my belt, my shoes, most of my jewelry, etc. craziness.

we get to the gate, and beads of sweat are running down my face. big h is so fascinated with everything. and honestly, i wanted to share in this with him. but i realized that pre boarding would start in about five minutes, and i still needed to take him to the bathroom.

and the bathroom was so much fun for him. it had one of those plastic wrap things that basically coats your seat with a ziploc baggy. you know, for hygiene purposes and all. and it had an automatic flush. who knew we could have so much fun in the restroom. one big problem. forgot to change the goo's diaper. didn't realize i forgot that until i was on the plane. guess who had HORRIFIC diaper rash upon arrival? and guess whose fault?

we left the restroom and they already called all the pre boarders. so we rushed on the plane, and i had promised that big h could sit next to the window. he immediately buckled his seat belt. and he got out all of his jay jay planes and other airplanes. i had told him that it was really important to drink his no-nee (milk) while we were taking off so his ears wouldn't hurt him. honestly, i could have sat there for an entire day watching this little guy. it was a beautiful picture.

goo, on the other hand. well, i could've left her at home. ok, not really. but apparently goo is not much of a flyer. yet, at least. she was my "lap baby." or that was the term they gave her. not that she stayed on my lap for any amount of time. i took her out of the sling, and i was so hot that i just stood her between my legs on the floor between my seat and the seat in front of me. and then i hear the cute little flight attendant announce that it was a completely booked flight. "Lord, be with the weary soul who will have to fly next to us." i thought putting some tylenol in her sippy cup would do it. you know, knock her out. nope. not a chance. she was awake the ENTIRE TIME. eating grapes and other foods. playing with the hair of the lady in front of us. i was that mom who everyone talks about. "hey lady, get control of your kid. make her stop pulling my hair." i did everything i could. but let's just say it was a long flight.

not for big h. he LOVED every minute of it.

we arrived, and i have never been so glad to see my brother. we headed home to see all the cousins. and big h's comment to uncle bob in the car was "you know, i got really tired from all that flying. i am just ready to see my cousins."

thursday night was great. seeing my nephew and nieces for the first time since christmas was awesome. i love them. i love my sister-in-law. i love my brother. good times.

bathed goo and put her down with NO PROBLEM. big h got to bathe with his two cousins. he had a ball. read stories, and he decided he was going to be scared in his own room. so i gave him a choice. he could either be brave and sleep in that room or he could sleep on the floor in his cousins' room on the floor in a sleeping bag. and because i'm his mom i just knew he would choose his own room.

apparently i don't know my son very well.

sleepover, it was. he had SO MUCH FUN.

friday morning was time with my sister-in-law's family for lunch and then a children's museum for the afternoon. a kid's parade and makeshift block party that night.

let me talk for one quick second about the weather friday night. here is the thought that immediately came to my mind.

anyway.

friday night we ordered pizza and put the kids to bed and watched tv.

saturday was tough. for several reasons.

one being that my amazing sleeper, little goo, woke up at 4:20 in the morning. never went back to sleep. so i got up and rocked her until 7:45. i am used to sleeping children. i know. i'm spoiled. but whew. what a way to start your day.

i'll be honest. here's the deal. goo had twelve teeth right now. she's thirteen months. twelve teeth. freakish. ALL DAY saturday (and i'm NOT exaggerating), she was a mess. we took the kids to a park that morning, and i promise you she would NOT get out of my arms to do anything. not go with my brother. not walk around the park. not swing. NOTHING. she has separation anxiety so badly right now. but c'mon goo. enjoy yourself. be with the gang. get to know your cousins. no such luck. so she sat in a stroller the entire morning at the park. cried in the car on the way to the park. on the way home from the park. wouldn't let anyone but me get her out of the car. i mean, don't get me wrong, i love to feel needed. but whew.





left the park and hung around the house all morning. put her out of her misery and gave her a nap. and big h wanted to take a nap too. (screech on the record player.) what? nap? unheard of. but he did. he fell asleep on me and then requested to go upstairs and sleep in his sleeping bag.

now, the entire reason for the trip was a wedding of a friend of mine. but i was starting to feel bad for leaving goo in such an awful state with them. but my sister-in-law insisted that they would take care of things.

so i went, and it was wonderful. but i thought about the goo the whole time. i got back home and they said she had done fine. i went to change her diaper, and i looked in her mouth. people, she is cutting EIGHT more teeth. i mean, i thought twelve was freakish. twenty? (btw, my pediatrician swears it's okay.) so...that's why she has been overly sad. so we went out to dinner at a laid back mexican food restaurant. and i ordered her every soft thing i could find. and let's just say, home girl was out to impress NO ONE. the girl ate everything on her plate and then started grabbing for her cousin's food. at least i knew why she was so sad.

and sunday morning was the farewell. big h was so sad. and i hear that my nephew (who is five), was pouting sunday afternoon saying that he missed big h. and when questioned about what he was looking for in the toy chest, he responded with "something to remind me of big h." we miss them already.

and let me just give a shout out to my friend becky. she was a friend who was in the wedding the day before. she just happens to live in texas with me. and she just happened to be on my flight. and she just happened to sit by me on purpose (even though she is married with NO CHILDREN). naive soul.

angel with clothes on.

she became my personal nanny and goo's personal grape dispenser. i wised up this time and waited to give goo her bottle. oh, and i dosed it up and made a lovely morning milk cocktail, including all sorts of sleeping aids. she was out. big h got to watch cinderella. and i got to have an adult conversation with someone i haven't talked to you in years. it was wonderful. beck, you are a godsend.

i can say that i have never been happier to see my husband. and neither has big h.

it was a great trip. and there are rumors that they are stopping by our house in october en route to a vacation. big h can hardly wait. and hopefully goo will have all of her adult teeth by then.