Friday, January 7, 2011

No Worries

We are home and back to the ol' grind once again.  As much as I was looking forward to seeing family, I spent more time than I would like to admit stressing about the travel itself.  Weeks beforehand I would shudder at the thought of multiple plane flights, traveling with two active boys, a two hour time difference, not to mention staying in a hotel for almost a week.  In casual conversations with other parents I would bring it up and ask for tips-any tips or any advice they might have.  I found myself  consumed with thoughts on whether to medicate Baby O with tylenol, benedryl, or dramamine-just to make our (and everyone else's) flight a tad more pleasant.  By the time Christmas came and went and the trip was fast approaching, I was just plain tired of obsessing-so much so, that I stopped thinking about it at all and acquired an almost Zen like approach (extremely rare for me):  Hakuna Matata!  No drugs, no checked bags, no worries.


Somehow we managed to make our flights with the kids, bags, and car seat in tow and arrived slightly exhausted but with plenty of anticipation of meeting aunts, uncles, cousins and seeing grandparents again.  The next few days were filled with family and fun. 




Jumping on the bed, pillow fights and hide and seek with his cousins were some of Boy O's favorite activities.
 



Baby O was full of hugs and kisses for his cousin closest to his size.


 



 
A family of four can actually fit into a mini cooper.  I would never have believed it before, but it was quite comfortable.





Finding an empty gate was a must.  We were able to spread out, stretch our legs and even accomplish some acrobatic feats before our next flight.



Aside from some uncomfortable moments on the last flight home with Baby O (there were times when I was wishing that I had investigated benedryl with more zeal), we made it and are back into our regular routine.  There was so much excitement surrounding our arrival and meeting Boy and Baby O that at times it was overwhelming.  Looking back, I am amazed that there were no questions from Boy O about what was coming next-both boys were great at just going with the flow and there seemed to be no anxiety with the constant revolving door of friends and family.  This trip enabled me to recognize that comfort is not just coming from the 'routine' we have worked so hard to create, but the unit our family has become.  

Here's to hoping your wings are ready for takeoff-Happy New Year!

4 comments:

  1. Welcome home. Glad it went so well. I bet next time you will approach it like a champion. The one thing I have learned over all these years though is there is nothing better than coming back home and be in your own 4 walls especially when you have little kiddos.

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  2. Yes, as much as I enjoyed seeing and spending time with everyone-you are so right. There is nothing better than sleeping in our own bed, having our own rooms and just being home.

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  3. Amen. Laughed out loud at the reference to the "empty gate." It's amazing what suddenly becomes imperative when u have kids! So.... spill the beans, how was the hotel? Reminiscent of pre-mrathon????

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  4. Ha ha! The first two nights were awesome! Baby O was so tired from going to one nap a day and the time change that he slept like log. The next three nights were terrible. He would wake up at 2 on the dot. But we learned from the marathon experience and had a suite, so I was able to go into the other room and sleep with him on the sofa bed and watch some tv, so we didn't bother anyone else. Baby O got lots of sleep on our chests, but it didn't make the best resting experience for us :)
    We also requested a room at the end of the building and told them we had a baby, so we didn't have two people on either side of the room. No one knocked on our door wanting to throw us out, thank goodness.
    I was expecting more waking up in the middle of the night when we got back, but he seems to have just gone right back into the routine. And I'm happy to catch up on some sleep!
    Live and learn, I guess.

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