Someday I'll tell you about our last plane trip with 3 kids when they were ages 4 years, 2 years, and 10 months old, but for now, let's just sum it up like this -- glad we did it, memories were made, but it was HARD!
And this trip?
Here's my 4 year old daughter (the one that pretty much refused to walk on her own the last trip), pulling a suitcase!
And the 6 year old? Pushing the stroller with his brother plus bags and of course, the stuffed "Big Duke". That large stuffed bulldog almost needed his own seat on the plane!
Oh, and check out my seatmate for the plane ride home! My husband thought he was getting the better end of the deal being one row ahead with the 4 year old and 6 year old, leaving me with the 2 year old. Thankfully for me, that exhausted toddler conked out during take-off and didn't wake up again until we were preparing to land! I actually got to READ A BOOK ON THE PLANE! In the last 6.5 years I've had traveling with kids, that has never happened!!!
And then today, shortly after my 6 year old got home from school he said out of the blue, "Thanks for the trip. I don't think I said thank-you, yet." Even old enough to be grateful for the vacation!
So to all you moms still traveling with babies, placating them with cheerios, one at a time for the duration of the flight, praying the plane lands before the snacks run out, I've been there and I'm here to tell you, it does get easier!
This post is part of the Moms' 30-Minute Blog Challenge.
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LOVE.THIS.POST! You give me hope that we WILL travel with our kids...just not soon:)
ReplyDeleteI have to agree. We travel quite a bit with our kids by car (well, van, actually) but I have been surprised at how much better things go even 6 months later. Last time, our 3 YO could even tell us she had to go potty-before it bacame a DIRE emergency! Now, we still have to potty train one, but it's getting so much easier!
ReplyDeleteSO glad you had a wonderful trip! We'd like to do a trip like that some day soon, so your post was encouraging. :)
ReplyDeleteWe have only taken our kids by plane one time and my youngest was 2. We are headed off again in May. This time to Disney and my youngest will be 4 this time. I think the trip may be a little easier this time around. :-)
ReplyDeleteMy sons are a year apart (barely) and we drove from California, stopping in Flagstaff, then San Antonio and then on to Northern VA. We had to stop to visit family to rest and have real estate paperwork fedexed along the way. My husband, in the Air Force, was assigned to VA. We were in two different vehicles. He was sick, the boys (2 yrs 5 mo & 1 yr 4 mos) were also sick and had diarrhea. It was not possible to stop every 30 minutes for a diaper change. Poor babies they would scream in pain and discomfort as their rears were raw, their noses were stuffed and running...it was awful. Going anywhere was a challenge and very stressful when they were small but it did get better. It even got to be fun, they're now 13 and 14!!!
ReplyDeleteAwesome!
ReplyDeleteMy daughter is five and she loved her plane ride to California from Ohio last year. I really underestimated her.
Thanks for sharing the experience :)
And then today, shortly after my 6 year old got home from school he said out of the blue, "Thanks for the trip. I don't think I said thank-you, yet." What a wonderful moment for you, as a mother!
ReplyDeleteWhat great reassurance! We have not flown with our little man yet (14 months) but may fly to visit family in a few months. The hubs and I have not been looking forward to the prospect of a day of travel with a baby who does not sleep with a mommy who is pregnant again. It's great to hear that it does get better!
ReplyDeleteAwww! Just wait until they get even older - mine can even pack themselves now =)
ReplyDeleteGoodness, this all sounds too good to be true... I love when mine are old enough to do their own seat belts... All I have to do is jump in the car and check every one is in!!! Lovely!!!
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