Last summer I decided to fly from Chicago to Orlando to visit my parents. Samuel was a few months shy of his 3rd birthday and Joel was 1yr3mo. My husband couldn't get off work, so I made the trip by myself. I had to bring both of our carseats and our double stroller. Oh, and I decided that I wasn't going to check any luggage. (Insert: what was I thinking?! ha, ha).
If you were in the airport that morning, this is what you would have seen: Me pushing two boys in a double stroller (I figured out how to wedge Joel's seat into the double stroller with him still sitting in it). I had on a diaper bag backpack and a carry-on size duffle bag with all our clothes. Then I had to flip Sam's carseat upside-down and balance it on the accessory tray of the stroller while I pushed it through the airport. My boys were actually asleep and I thought I was doing pretty good. Until I hit airport security. Uh-oh. Did you know that you have to take those kids out of the stroller and walk through the metal detector with them? And you have to fold up your stroller and try to wedge it through the scanner? This is where my "can-do attitude" kicked in. I held my head high, gather up my two sleeping boys in my arms and let the airport security woman pass all my things through the scanner. Then I passed through the detector and put us all back together. After that, the airplane ride was no big deal! :) Now, the part that makes this the tops of dumb was that I was pretty sick at this point with my Ulcerative Colitis. I was going to the bathroom about 12 times a day (it got up to about 25 times a day by the time I went in the hospital). I had to run that double stroller to the bathroom more than once while we waited for our plane. And I had to ask the lady sitting next to us on the plane to keep an eye on my boys while I went to the bathroom on the plane. But I didn't really stress out at any point of the day. I am a super bull-headed person and I was determined to make it through that day with a smile on my face. And it all went fine.
I suppose my one piece of advice when traveling with little ones by yourself is to be willing to ask others to help you when you need it. I've asked airplane neighbors to hold my baby while I went to the bathroom. I've asked fellow train travelers to play with my kids while I filled a drink up. I've asked people to carry my stroller down the escalator for me while I held my boys' hands. People seem to take pity on a young mother with children and love to help out. Don't be afraid to let them!
4 comments:
Wow! I admire you for the airport excursion! I had a different experience.
I was turned away at security because the agent did not see "babe in arms" on my ticket. It was there, just not highlighted. I ran back to the counter, back to security, got through, ran to gate, and missed plane by 30 seconds?! Plane was still there. I was 4 months pregnant too. My baby daughter has never traveled so fast in her stroller! HA! I admit with the hormones, I felt deflated and cried just a minute to know I was stranded for several hours. They didn't think a pregnant momma could run so fast! I learned to really get to the airport earlier with a baby.
Oh, Leah, you are an inspiration to me! Just reading your story made me feel exhausted and overwhelmed :) I can't imagine having to actually do it! Thanks for sharing :)
It's amazing the things we'll go through for our children to see their grandparents!! I flew a lot with Graham before he turned 2 and not so much now that we have to buy him a ticket and have another baby. We'll be traveling again in a couple of weeks, so it will be interesting to see how it goes! After traveling so much during those first two years, one of the biggest things I learned, was how to pack lite. Plan to do laundry, borrow baby equipment or keep big things at your destination, and keep things in your carry-on that can double as toys. The more you bring the more you have to keep up with while you are there so ask yourself if you really need it. Flying alone with kids can be intimidating, but it is doable.
Leah, your story made me smile!! When you have a small infant, you don't have to take them out of a carrier that's strapped to you. I do think you still have to take them out of strollers. But you did a great job that day and loved the story! It really is all in your attitude.
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