So, this post is proof that we (Kate, Joseph and myself) actually made it to California. Yes, it was a long day, but it went much more quickly than I envisioned. Before our departure, I had fears of holding a screaming infant with a toddler in a poopy diaper with crabby passengers giving looks that say, "Why can't you control your children, lady?". Thankfully, I had numerous friends and family praying for a smooth flight and things that could have severely gone wrong all went right, without a hiccup, without leaving me or my children permanently traumatized.
Beginning with checking our bag at the Southwest counter the kids were a delight. We were able to bypass the crazy long line of passengers waiting to go through security and easily went through the detectors. TSA did run my diaper bag through the scanner twice and inspected it...I forgot that I had put a Capri Sun juice in the bag to give Kate on the plane for being such a big helper, totally forgetting the less-than-3 oz-liquid- rule. The agent examining my bag looked at me with the two kids, looked back down at the innocent juice box and said she would let this slide on by. Whew!
We strolled to the gate, Joseph in the Baby Bjorn carrier(a miraculous invention)and Kate in her umbrella stroller, rode back and forth on the flat walking belt about 20 times to entertain Kate and boarded the plane with Kate holding tightly to her Fancy Nancy book that she was eager to read. I knew that Joseph was going to be ready to eat just as the plane was taking off and a man in his thirties sat next to us...which would have been a bit awkward. But the baby didn't make a peep the entire flight and Kate sat contentedly sipping her Capri Sun and reading her books! Or layover in Chicago, if you can call it a layover, was extremely short. We literally walked off the plane to our next gate and boarded without time for bathroom break, lunch or diaper changes! We nibbled on snacks once in our seats. A lovely grandmother sat next to us. All in all it was a great flight: the kids both were quiet, filled their diapers more than Pampers or Huggies could have ever thought possible and recieved compliments from fellow passengers on their behavior at the end of the flight. The grnadma kindly offered to hold Joseph while I went to change Kate's maloderous diaper in the impossibly small plane restroom.
We arrived in San Diego to be met with sunny 75 degree weather and lots of hugs and kisses from Papa T and Mama Lynn. Kate quickly acclimated herself to the grounds, went for a quick dip inthe pool and read stories with Uncle Jeff and Papa T as she fell asleep in her pink princess bed.
A long day, but sooo worth it!
