Anyway, I was all set to write a post yesterday so I could schedule it to post itself this morning. However, I was wiped out after mid-terms (lots of writing). I actually sat down at my computer to whip up a post when I got home from class, but then I got distracted and immediately forgot about the post.
Well, Liv has been asking me about traveling, lately - where we could go, what hotels we'd stay in, what we'd do at a particular location, would we drive or go on a plane - that kind of thing.
She got me thinking about the very first time she traveled - she was just about 4 months old at the time. Andrew was deployed in the Middle East at the time, having left just a week or two before we were to head to our new assignment in New Mexico.
Here I was with a 4-month-old baby, having to move from the Boston area to southern New Mexico! By myself! Thankfully, Andrew's parents had come out to help with the packing and other stuff that needed to be done so the movers could ship our household goods to New Mexico.
And thankfully, my mom had come out to help me travel all that distance with baby Liv.
The day we were to leave, my mom and I had to get up extra early. We had a mid-morning flight out of Boston's Logan airport, so with all the security stuff we had to deal with at the airport, we had to get an early start. We were having "The Airporter" (a commercial "taxi" taking people in the Greater Boston area to/from the airport) come get us - oh, around 6 AM or so.
After each of us showered, dressed, and packed any remaining belongings (like toiletries) into our suitcases, I nursed Livie, got her dressed, and went to check out of billeting (the on-base lodging, like a hotel).
Then the Airporter arrived. I remember this drive to the airport, that rainy, overcast morning. It was gloomy that morning at sunrise, and because of the rainy weather, it was SO dark and gray in the Airporter van. Livie had only been in my little Corolla, so when we zoomed (literally) to the airport, we were getting bounced around in that van. She was in her car seat, buckled into the seat, of course, but she could still feel the bumpiness. She had a super surprised look on her face the whole ride, big round eyes, big round mouth shaped like a perfect circle of surprise. I thought she'd cry, but she just looked around with that surprised face the whole 30-40 minute trip.
Once we got to the airport, all I can say is that I'm so thankful for another set of competent adult hands to help me and Livie get our bags checked, and through security!!
And I'm thankful that my mom bought us day passes to the airline's airport club/lounge so we'd have somewhere quiet to wait for our flight, instead of waiting at a bustling gate. That way, if Livie fell asleep, she could nap in a quieter, less traveled spot. Also, I'd be able to nurse her in private, when necessary. Because of the day pass, we could use the airline's airport lounge at both the Boston and Dallas airports (we were going through Dallas because our final destination was El Paso, TX).
I can't remember for sure if I took this photo in Boston or Dallas; I think it was Boston, because I don't see the bright pink gate-check ticket on the stroller handle (the baby seat we used on the plane, buckled in tightly with the seat belt). We used the stroller in the airport, but gate-checked it for each flight.
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| Liv's hanging out in the "Admiral's Lounge." |
I was worried that Liv would cry or be fussy during the flight. I had a pacifier in case the flight bothered her ears, but as soon as the engines revved up, she was out, soundly sleeping for take-off. And during the flight, I was able to nurse her (with a special cover-up so no one would see anything), so I'm sure that helped her ears feel better.
She was SO GOOD during the flight, that when we got to Dallas, a lady in front of us, upon standing up and and getting her stuff from the overhead bin, saw us with a baby and exclaimed, "Oh, my goodness! I didn't know there was a baby right behind me! She was so quiet!" I was so relieved, hoping she'd be the same way during our connecting flight.
And she was, thankfully!
Yes, I absolutely had to get a photo of her on her very first airplane ride! Once the seat belt sign had been turned off, and she woke up from her nap, I took her out of the car seat so her grandmother could hold her.
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| Here we are on Liv's first flight, being held after the captain turned off the seatbelt sign. |
She was so good the whole trip. Nevertheless, I was absolutely relieved when we got to the El Paso airport, and headed to my grandparents' house. And they were crazy with love upon meeting their great-grandchild, Livie, for the first time!
Come back next week when the topic is Kindergarten.
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3 comments:
Flying alone is intimidating. I flew across the country with Pierce when he was around 9 months. He did better on the way home than the way out.
She was such a cute baby! Love those chubby cheeks!
What a little trooper she was on that flight, Sonya! ...:)JP
Nursing comforted and relaxed sweet baby girl!
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