Waking your children up at 5:30 isn't exactly ideal. Especially if you plan to drag them to the airport, through the airport and onto a plane. For 6 hours. I was tired, they were tired. We were all a bit hungry.
Today was the big travel day. I tried to be as prepared as possible. I think I did a pretty good job. More on that some other day. I tried to pack light as far as carry ons go. In fact, I packed pretty light overall. For 12 days, 4 people, I packed 3 suitcases. Though, 1 was full of gifts I brought with me, 1 full of diapers (I wanted the extra space for the return trip anyway) so really it was just one large suitcase. Not bad. The girls each had their little backpacks and I had my big backpack as well as my camera bag.
I have to say that I am really impressed with the non business travelers. Very nice, helpful. Those business men, not so much. But I digress... We made it successfully through the airport, checked bags and the girls' car seats and headed toward security. I did my best to remain calm and relaxed. No need to rush even though you have to take off 6 shoes, 3 coats, take out 1 laptop, 1 DVD player, put 4 bags on the conveyer along with a double stroller and a car seat, sans baby. Then carry baby through and coax the others through, one at a time. Ahhh. THEN we have to get everything and everyone put back together. We did it though. No crying, no screaming or whining. And the kids were good too.
The plane ride was, well, it was about as good as it could have been. The girls were brilliant. I had bought a seat for Maggie and I am so glad I did. I am pretty sure I could not have travelled with the 3 by myself if I hadn't. Especially considering Daphne's 3 trips to the bathroom. Daphne was a bit cranky to start but took an uncomfortable looking nap for a bit and woke up refreshed and only a bit whiny. You know, normal. Naomi was happy as a clam with all her activities, she didn't even watch any shows on the DVD player. I'm impressed. Daphne, however, is at a different stage of life and that is O.K. Maggie was, well, Maggie. Happy, happy, happy.
So other than a few tears, a few dropped crayons, slipping earphones, and those painful ears on decent, we did very well. They got many compliments and everyone thought they were cute. So, today I was proud of my little girls who were awoken at 5:30 a.m., shoved in a car, on a plane and then another car for 2 hours ("It takes so long! It takes so long!") and still managed to hold it together. Did I mention they didn't really eat most of the day either? That's another story as well...
