Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Stella and I decide to change our flights to Denver. We change it from Friday at noon to Thursday at 8:30pm. Friday at noon kind of disrupts the whole day and I needed to work; and because I am so lucky to work from home, I can work from Kenny and Tehmi's home. Our flight is set to arrive at 11pm where Ken and Tehmi will pick us up. Stella and I will be flying alone because Trevor has to work until Saturday night.
Thursday, December 18, 2008 11:30am
I realize that I have to pack for the 2 of us and figure out how to entertain an ADD child quietly for 2 hours.
Thursday, December 18, 2008 11:43 am
Start the laundry because I have NO CLEAN CLOTHES.
Thursday, December 18, 2008 4:00pm
I get a phone call from Trevor reminding me that Alex and Chase are coming to spend the night. I better fold the laundry that is lying on their bed, find the clean sheets and scrub the bathrooms.
Thursday, December 18, 2008 5:30pm
I call my mother and have a complete melt down. I can't find Stella's birth certificate and I have just realized that I haven't really finished packing for the 12 degree weather in Denver. I also need to find the Benadryl.
Thursday, December 18, 2008 6:04pm
Throw Stella in the car and head to the grocery store to get more Benadryl. I then drag Trevor out of the Sports Den so I am not late for my flight. I am going to need as much time as possible.
Thursday, December 18, 2008 6:30pm
We are all loaded up to heading to the airport and I take a deep breath, we are going to make it.
Thursday, December 18, 2008 7:05pm
We check in. 1 bag over 50 pounds, 1 car seat, 1 stroller, 1 diaper bag, 2 coats, 1 child and 1 adult. Because my bag is over 50lbs I have to carry my computer in the diaper bag with me, not something I really wanted to do. I will have enough stuff with me that I don't need those extra few pounds with me. Taking deep breaths.
Thursday, December 18, 2008 7:15pm
Trevor leaves us at security in Salt Lake. Luckily there isn't anyone in line and we have some time to unload all of our junk. I take off my shoes, coat, and belt. Then I take Stella's shoes, and coat off. Fold up the stroller. Unpack all the liquids from the diaper bag. Unpack the computer. We go through security just fine, now we have to load everything else back together, and our 5 bins and stroller are causing a traffic jam on the xray machine. I am starting to get a little panicky, I hate being the reason for a delay.
Thursday, December 18, 2008 7:40pm
We find out our flight is delayed an hour, now departing at 9:55. ugh, No fun. Stella is a dream through the terminals. She is just wandering around saying "hi" to everyone. Even the people who are listening to their headphones and have their eyes closed, she is peering at them until they open and say Hi. Only 1 person didn't find this adorable. He was a jerk.
Thursday, December 18, 2008 8:10pm
I give Stella a dose of Benadryl. She hates it and makes a huge scene screaming and spitting the medicine everywhere. Awesome, now I am sticky with benadryl and so is she. We head to the bathroom to get cleaned up.
Thursday, December 18, 2008 8:40pm
Stella is still running around, even with another, more successful, dose of Benadryl. Our flight is now delayed until 10:20pm
Thursday, December 18, 2008 10:15pm
We are now boarding the plane and luckily there are several children on the flight. We drop the stroller off at the gate and now I am carrying her, our coats, the full diaper bag, and the computer. My arm is cramping. We find a seat in the middle of the plane with a lovely BYU student sitting by the window. Stella flirts her way into her arms. Thank goodness, I was about to drop her.
Thursday, December 18, 2008 10:32 pm
We are told that he pilot has just landed and will be making his way to our plane shortly. Stella is busy jumping around on my bladder, which is empty thankfully. Unfortunately there isn't enough Diet Coke in me to survive what is going on.
Thursday, December 18, 2008 10:51pm
The cabin doors are finally closed and we are moving. The flight isn't full which means that there is an empty seat next to us, and its a life saver because Stella is bouncing from it to me. The lovely lady across the aisle has also fallen in love with Stella and is distracting her with Peek-a-boo.
Thursday, December 18, 2008 11:02pm
We are finally airborne and Stella is still a disaster, she won't sit still and won't drink her bottle. Regardless of what I do, she doesn't want books, her cell phone, her dolly, the bottle of lotion, the tube of chapstick, or a baby wipe. She is throwing her teddy grahams at me along with her bottle. We are in a complete frenzy right now, its late and she is beyond exhausted.
Thursday, December 18, 2008 11:30 pm
She has now soaked a diaper and needs to be changed. There isn't anywhere to change a diaper on the airplane. Hmm. The sweet girl next to me gives me the ok to just lay her down on the empty seat and change her.
Thursday, December 18, 2008 11:47pm
Stella is still freaking out, she won't sit still. I am trying to force her to take her bottle and an complete tantrum ensues. Screeching. Lots of Sc reaching. I jump up to try and change the scenery and she calms down, we walk up to the front of the plane and the stewardess sends to me to the back of the plane. I can't get to the back of the plane because of the drink cart. We sit down again.
Thursday, December 18, 2008 11:53 pm
Turbulence. Lots of Turbulence. It doesn't calm her down any more, she is still in a frenzy. Shoving the bottle at me. I know if she just takes 2 sucks she will completely relax and she will be asleep in my arms. Nope, she wants nothing to do with it and I am about to lose every ounce of sanity.
Friday, December 19, 2008 12:01 am
The same jerk that was in the terminal who didn't fall in love with Stella is sitting behind us. He gets up and walks past us and says "This is the nosiest flight I've ever been on". Stella screeches as he walks by.
Friday, December 19, 2008 12:15 am
We are finally descending to Denver, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, we are almost there. Stella is still bouncing from my bladder to the empty seat.
Friday, December 19, 2008 12:21am
Wheels are out, flight attendees are ready, and we land. Stella finally takes 2 sucks on her bottle and is asleep in my arms.
Friday, December 19, 2008 12:31 am
The fantastic girl next to me holds Stella while I put hers and my coat on and pack up the diaper bag. I load my arms up and exit the plane to get the stroller. Stella is still asleep.
Friday, December 19, 2008 12:44 am
I am still waiting for my stroller to exit the plane, meanwhile holding the sleeping child in the cold jet way.
Friday, December 19, 2008 12:58 am
We meet Kenny and Tehmi at baggage claim and our bags are being tossed onto the carousal. We are just now waiting for the car seat. Stella is still asleep in the stroller, despite Tehmis best efforts to wake her up.
Friday, December 19, 2008 1:10 am
We are in the car headed home. I am so exhausted, tears just start streaming down my cheeks. I never want to do that again, ever.
I am sorry for the bad experience. But that was hilarious. Thanks for the minute by minute summary.
ReplyDelete-Katie
I'm sorry! Hopefully you'll never have to do that again!
ReplyDeleteI feel your pain Tehmi. Lindsey was the screaming culprit on a trip from SLC to Washington DC. Luckily Ben and Katie were nice and the passengers could see that I had had some success in raising children. When lindsey feel asleep the last half hour of the 5 hour trip the attendant asked me if I needed a drink. I said yes but I didn't have it but boy did I need it. Times like this do make for great stories. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteAunt Jill
Sorry for the awful experience! It could be worse- you could be moving to Europe with your baby. I had 3 70 lb bags which I checked but took the rest with me through security- carseat, carseat base, stroller, bjorn, computer bag, diaper bag, a rolling carry on (which weighed about 50 lbs and a 2 month old baby. Alone. It's horrible what we do to ourselves isn't it? And she was too little for benadryl. Needless to say I had a nervous breakdown when we go there too. I am dreading getting back on that plane in 2 weeks.
ReplyDelete