The trip was good, although much to quick. I do not recommend flying with an infant if you are alone, but if you have to, I do recommend that you do it with my baby. She fell asleep at the airport on the way out and thanks to a delay got a good chunk of sleep under her belt before we boarded the airplane. She cried a bit as I manhandled her, trying to get her out of the stroller and into my lap once I was settled, but was fast asleep again before we even took off. She sleep solidly until I moved her to stand and get us off the airplane, when she fussed a bit, then went all smiles (and a little vomit) as we finally made it off the craft and to grandpa.
The ride back was a little bit more difficult. We cut it a little too close and made it to the gate as they were already loading. I didn't get a chance to move us from aisle to window (since the window seat worked so well for the ride out), so we were stuck with what we got. And what we got, thanks to a Northwest Airlines employee with a sick sense of humor, was a seat right next to the only other baby on the airplane. Munch wanted to play, which the other baby wasn't too interested in. She also desperately wanted the seat belt extension that they use in the demo, so after she was given that she seemed pretty content. She drank 2 oz during takeoff, then went promptly to sleep and slept until descent, where she got a little frustrated with being in my lap too long.
In other words, she was practically perfect. And I was only slightly frazzled and cranky, especially at Captain Seat-Stealer, the man who was seated in front of me. Once the doors closed there were two seats empty directly across the aisle from me, and I moved the baby and started getting my stuff together so I could move over and stop the ferocious baby battle going on between Munch and her neighbor. Captain S-S turned around, looked me in the eyes as I grabbed my diaper bag, and scurried back into my potential new digs and quickly belted himself in. I thought about scooting myself into the middle seat just so Munch could kick him, but decided moving was too much effort just to make someone else miserable the entire flight.
But in general, a good trip, and a wonderful time with family. On Friday we went out to lunch at
Catering Catering, where we shortly had the whole room to ourselves (seriously, I didn't think Munch was crying
that much). Afterward, we went to Great Grandma's apartment, where Munch tried out Grandma's walker and had a hand at bear wrasslin'. Later we had dinner with my mom, the other great grandparents and my brother's family, and Munch got to play with her cousin, who just turned one last month. Saturday was more family with a return to Great Grandma and Grandpa's, followed with a party full of cousins and their families. The night ended in fireworks -- the literal kind, before heading off to bed for the 7 am flight.
Too quick as always, but we'll be back in November for Thanksgiving. Thanks to everyone for showing us such a good time!
