Travel Time

Haha! This picture just about sums it up....

 Yesterday was the loveliest day ever- I spent it in my very favorite city, New Orleans.  I wanted this post to be about how obsessed I am with NOLA, and how much I miss it, and why I think it's the greatest city ever.  But... I can't get my pictures to save properly, and a post like that really needs pictures.  So I'll save that one, and instead talk about traveling- more specifically, the rules when traveling with children.

Today I said goodbye to New Orleans again, and boarded a plane for Seattle. :) It was nothing like my super dramatic sobfest goodbye of 3 weeks ago, where I cried for 2 hours and then drove around the city by myself for another hour "remembering".  Wow. What a drama queen.  (RJ's words, not mine).  This goodbye wasn't nearly as bad because I'll be back in 3 weeks, and I'm going home to my favorites, so I can't wait!

The only sucky thing was the 6 am flight this morning but I was completely prepared to sleep my way through it.  I even passed up coffee, which never happens.  And then... I found myself in a middle seat (which by the way I would NEVER choose, and I remember being able to pick the seats for this trip, so I'm 99% sure I was sabotaged).  This middle seat wasn't just any middle seat however. It was a middle seat right between a 7 year old and a 4 year old.  Rude.  Now I know, I know, I'm a teacher and I talk all the time about how much I love kids, blah, blah, blah.  And I do love kids.  I just don't love sitting between them at 6am on a 4 hour flight.  Here's what I found to be weird- their mom was in the row ahead of us sitting by herself.  I know this to be true because I paid very close attention. Maybe this is just me being judgmental, but if I was flying with my 7 year old, and 4 year old, I would ask the person who was sitting between them if we could trade seats.  She probably just didn't want to give up her cushy aisle seat. What are your thoughts on this? Is there some sort of etiquette on sitting with your kids when you fly?  If not, then heck, give me 5-10 years and then sign me up for separate seats when we fly with our kids!

So I'm sitting between this 4 year old and 7 year old, and it takes me all of 5 minutes to realize that the 4 year old has absolutely nothing to amuse himself with.  No books, coloring pages, handheld games... nothing.  The 7 year old has a book that seems to be keeping him pretty interested, but the other little guy... not so much. That's when I knew it was going to be a long flight. Looking out the window as we took off kept him amused for about 5 minutes, and then he started to get antsy.  I watched him kick the seat in front of him, and climb all over his seat for about 10 minutes before the teacher in me overpowered the tiredness.  If there had been TV for purchase you better believe I would have swiped my credit card and let him watch cartoons for 4 hours. (Gosh, I'm going to be such a good mom).  But alas, there was none.  So we started chatting, and he told me about preschool and I taught him how to play the dot game and tic-tac-toe.  16 games later I decided it was time to call in some reinforcement.  Hello i-phone!  Thank goodness I had downloaded some kid friendly apps awhile ago, so while he amused himself with Fruit Ninja and other games, I drifted off to sleep and had a lovely little nap. The kid played on my phone for over 2 hours as I slept, and frankly, I didn't care. Again... I can just see those “Mother of the Year” awards in a not so distant future...


I woke up when he tapped me and told me the phone was broken. For a second I almost had a heart attack. I could just see RJ's face when I explained that the reason I needed a new phone was because I gave it to a kid I didn't know on the plane and then fell asleep. These are exactly the types of situations he tells me to stop getting in.  But luckily it was just dead.  Phew!  We played a few games of "I Spy" and then we landed and I said goodbye to my little friend.  Now I kind of miss him.  Is that weird?


Now I'm home safe and sound in Seattle, doing what I do best... napping, drinking wine, and catching up with Mama Lund.  The only thing that would make this more perfect is if RJ was here....


Speaking of RJ, I think it should be noted that he would like to be called "Bear" in this blog.  Yes, this is real.  Obviously I've ignored this request thus far, but for those of you who care, here's the story:



E: I wrote another blog today. And I gave you a super secret code name, just like you asked.
R: Oh yeah? What is it?
E: RJ!
R: (sits up straight with a concerned look on his face) RJ? As in my initials? That's not code! People call me RJ all the time!
E: I've never heard anyone call you RJ
R: See, this is why I don't want to be in your blog. No more writing about me.
E: What? That's the silliest thing I've ever heard. I have people begging to be in this blog, and I put you in for free, just because I love you!
R: Well you don't have to. It's ok. And who has begged you to be in the blog? Your mom doesn't count.
E: Death Glare. (That was way harsh Tai). Ok, what if I give you a cooler, more secret code name like Maverick or Bear?
R: Fine, whatever, Bear is ok. Yeah, use Bear.
E: Let me get this straight, I can talk about you in this blog if I give you the code name Bear?
R: Defeated look on his face...
E: You see, this is a prime example of why I write about you. You just make it too easy to make fun of you....

Sigh. Don't you all wish you had an RJ-Bear in your life? :)


Well, that's all for now, but please weigh in your thoughts on "the rules" of sitting with your children when you fly.  I am very curious.


Hope it's sunshiny and beautiful where you are, I'm off to go call RJ-Bear!