This summer we have had a lot of trips planned but mostly car trips. The month of August is the month we take our traveling to the next level, by air. Now this is not Everly's first plane ride but her first trip on the plane was when she was 4 months and still a little snuggler, now she is a wild 1 year old who is always on the go.
Last weekend we went up to Pittsburg to visit some family. I called this our "dress rehearsal" for our long trip to Canada in a few weeks. It started off great, she was a little angel through security and while we waited for the plane she was making all kinds of friends. We also lucked out because there were 15 kids under the age of 4 on this flight. Now normally if I was traveling without my daughter I would have not been so thrilled with the number of small children but in this case I was ecstatic, power in numbers. Everthing was going smoothly, we boarded and even got an extra seat between us, Everly met a little girl that lived in our neighborhood and they played the whole trip up. She got a little upset when we took off, squirmed around a bit but all in all I say it was a super successful flight up.
So when it was time to do it all again and fly back home I knew she would be fine, we managed the first flight like rockstars. Hah, I was wrong! For those who know Everly she definitely has a mind of her own and I wouldn't have it any other way, however it would be nice to actually be able to reason with a 1 year old in this situation. As we started to board the sold out flight my worst fear came true, my sweet little girl had a crazy freak out. And she continued to freak out as we took our seats and as all the onlookers took theirs. I tried everything puffs, soothie, tatas nothing worked. As I felt all the eyes on me and my crazy child I began to feel the tears well up in my eyes, I knew I had to pull myself together or I would never get control of the situation. Thankfully my dad was with me and was able to buffer us from the judgmental looks and help me gather up and clean off everything Everly flung on the ground. The poor little finely cried herself to sleep and slept for almost the entire flight, for that I was ever so grateful.
My big concern now is our Canada trip in a week and the 2 long flights we have to get to the great northwest. Do we suck it up and pay for Everly to have her own seat? After this past flight I never want to travel again, until she is old enough to understand what is going on. Just one of the many joys of parenthood and traveling!
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| Everly and her new friend Sammy |
