Take a Chance on Me: Flying Solo

January 12, 2011

Flying Solo

A few observations from my 13 hours of traveling home yesterday with my 2 boys:

Two cuties peeking out the airplane window.

When you show up at the airport with a giant double stroller, an active toddler, and a cute baby you get quite a variety of reactions from people. Some give you a look of pity, some give you a look of disgust when they find out you will be on their flight, some give you a look of awe and tell you that you are crazy to fly alone with two youngsters, and a few lovely people give you a look of sympathy and offer to help get your carry-on bag on to the plane! (I love those people).

Considering that we had to take 3 different flights to finally make it back to Des Moines I think my boys did a great job! Several people as they were leaving the planes gave me a few words of congratulations for having such well behaved little travelers...what these people didn't see were the moments that made me laugh, and the moments where my blood pressure raised the roof!

Ethan's little antics kept everyone around him entertained. When we boarded the first plane the flight attendant said, "hello." He (his name was Ran) was a little taken aback when Ethan replied with, "I'm just getting on the airplane to go home to pick my Daddy up at the airport." Ran checked on Ethan pretty regularly during the flight and got quite an earful each time he stopped by (including Ethan speaking in gibberish, is it normal that he has begun speaking in a made up tongue? Are we reading him too much Dr. Seuss?). Ran was nice enough to give Ethan a second apple juice when he told him, "my Brown Dog needs an apple juice now."

I'm sure everyone on the long flight from Seattle to Minneapolis appreciated when he yelled, "I'm pooping mom!" By the way, changing a rather tall two year old in those tiny airplane bathrooms is pretty much impossible.

Ethan also had a few moments of defiance. As we were getting off the plane I had gathered up our coats, bags and Caden, all Ethan was asked to do was carry Brown Dog and follow me. Right as I started down the aisle he chose to sit down and put his seat belt back on, refusing to follow. I went up ahead a few rows and got out of the way so everyone could pass, Ethan couldn't see me and went hysterical crying and yelling, "mommy, mommy!" Everyone glared at me like I was a huge jerk that forgot my son. I had to put everything down and go rescue him. Then as soon as we got off the plane while we were waiting for our stroller he took off running down the jetway and disappeared into the airport. By the time we got it all together I was so mad, he got a little talking to and I think he got the message...when he talked to Clark shortly after that he said, "we listen to mommy and we don't run away Daddy, that is very naughty."

My favorite moment was during slightly rough landing in Minneapolis. There was a sweet boy with Downs Syndrome sitting behind us. When the tires hit the runway he yelled, "yahoo," and Ethan yelled, "yay." They went back and forth cheering. I started giggling until I heard Ethan yell "help." When I looked over at him the abrupt stopping had made him slide right out of his seat, the seat belt had caught him just under the chin and he was basically hanging by his head. I quickly unbuckled him and he fell to the floor. The whole scene probably lasted less than a minute but it was hilarious!