kids

Sitting in the air

So many areas of parenting come down to two different camps…cry it out or go-to and soothe, sippy cup or no-lid cup, cloth diapers or disposable…

I’ve found that this is also the case with travel.  There are those parents who wouldn’t dream of getting on an airplane with their kid(s), and others who do it all the time.  We are of the latter.  We’ve been traveling with Silvia since she was about 4 months old and Isla earned her wings at 8 weeks.

I take a lot of extra precautionary measures to make sure they stay well through the shuffle (because it does means recycled air, germ exposure and often loss of sleep) and so far we’ve been blessed with no major issues.

Do what works!  Note the shoe to make the headphones fit and the cheerios necklaces.

Do what works! Note the shoe to make the headphones fit and the cheerios necklaces.

A few days ago I did what a lot of moms would throw me into the asylum for; I traveled ALONE with my two littles.  Silvia, I knew, would be a gem.  She’s a pro at this, afterall.  She knows how to put on her noise canceling headphones.  How to buckle her seatbelt.  How to put up and down her tray table and ask the flight attendant for some apple juice, no ice.

Isla is at that “I’m a walker” stage and wants to be constantly on the move.  So, she was the wild card.

Los Angeles to Detroit.  Not the shortest flight possible but far from the longest.  Plus we had the promise of Mimi and Papa’s comforts waiting for us on the other side.

photo 1

Isla trying out my headphones.

Everything started off great.  We made it through security and to our gate without a hitch.  (except that Silvia refused to carry her own backpack so I was stuck with Isla in the Bjorn, plus 3 bags across my back and shoulders…I’m still sore from it.  We made it on the flight and, though I was worried about the 2 seats in a row of 3 to which we were assigned, a complete and beauty of a mom took up the remaining seat and helped me with things like opening cracker packages and disposing of banana peels while my hands were busy with one or the other.

So for four hours we sat, and paced the isles a bit, and sat some more, in relative peace.

And then, as I watched the digital airplane make its way closer to our destination on the little seat-back screen, I celebrated when I saw that we only had 20 minutes left in the flight.  Silvia was showered with kisses for being such a good helper.  Isla was praised for her patience (despite no more than 4 minutes of sleep).  My new mom friend was thanked profusely.  And I even gave myself a little pat on the back.

And then it all went downhill.

“Due to weather in Detroit we have been directed to enter a holding pattern and will be doing so for at least 20 minutes.”

GROAN.  20 minutes left just turned into 40.  I don’t like moving backwards.

But wait….there’s more….

“Unfortunately we don’t have enough fuel to hold in the air so we are being diverted to Cincinnati where we will land and refuel, then take back off again.”

Cincinnati?! Like 4.5 hours south by car, Cincinnati?! DOUBLE GROAN!

But wait…..yes, there’s even more….

[upon landing] “Everyone must de-board the plane….blah….blah…..blah….”

By that point our crew had expired and we had to wait on a new crew to come in and fly us on a new plane which, as it turned out, wouldn’t arrive for another 5-6 hours or take off for another 7.

So off to negotiate the whole re-booking, stand-by hoping, airport feeding, more dirty bathroom hopping dance.  All on my own, with two littles.

NOT the best day.  And yet, somehow, it was filled with blessings.

The woman who helped on the plane and became my partner in the airport.  The airport lounge woman who went out of her way to find milk for me to give to Isla.  The people at the gate in Cincinnati who were also waiting to go standby on a flight that would still get them to Detroit before the next day, who actually applauded when my name was called because they felt so badly for the woman flying alone at nearly midnight with two small children.  The airline man who actually walked all of my bags onto our rebooked flight while I managed two very tired pups.  The flight attendant who moved us around so that we could have a whole row to ourselves on that second flight because she could see how badly the girls needed to sleep.

So happy to be here.

So happy to be here.

The thing that I’ve found about mothering, is that, yes, it’s about putting yourself aside and sitting so that someone else’s needs (most often a little person) can be met first.

But it’s also about opening your eyes a little farther to see the good that’s happening all around.  Your babies are growing.  They’re learning new words and skills.  They’re earning grades in school and achieving athletic markers you could never dream of.  That is goodness.

And people are willing, more than willing in fact, to lend a hand if only you’ll let them.  People are good.  Life is hard, but people are good.

And I thank God for that.

Worth the wait.

Worth the wait.

In the end, we made it to Detroit someone just shy of 1:00am.  Silvia and Isla ate chicken, brown rice and home-grown green beans in the car on the ride to Mimi and Papa’s (airport food just doesn’t cut it for these two).  And thought they didn’t get under the covers until 2am, they were troopers all the way through.  Isla didn’t cry one second until the final hour and Silvia stayed chipper throughout.  And I…?  Well, I chose to step up to the plate and “sit” for my girls.  I didn’t cry or moan or get mad at the gate agents who said nothing could be done except to wait for 7 hours.  I went with the flow.  I assured everyone that it would be fine.  And it was.  And I think that I was repaid in spades by being allowed to glimpse once again the good in people and the good in my girls so clearly.

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My iPhone Photo Library Looks Like This!

I can’t possibly be the only one experiencing this.  But it’s blowing my mind…hilarious!

Taking pictures of herself

Every once in a while, usually to fend off a meltdown, I’ll hand Silvia my iPhone.  I always lock the keyboard so she can’t wreak total havoc (deleting apps, calling people…you know the drill).  Even still, she knows how to double-click the home button until the camera icon comes up.  Then she hits the button in the top right that swings the camera around so that it’s facing back at her.  Then, after she clicks the shutter a few times and snaps some photos, she hits the button in the bottom left that allows her access to the library of photos she just took and she sits there scrolling through, using her finger to “flick” her way through pic after pic as if she had been doing this all her life.  Which, in truth, she pretty much has.

More pics all by myself

But here’s the real kicker.  When I get the phone back, I find that my photo library is chock full of pictures that look like this.

More foreheads!

And this.

HILARIOUS!

Relevance

I’d like to be totally honest.  My issue with all of this post-child sitting is not in the fact that I feel sloppy or fat or ugly.  It’s not in the fact that I spend most days, until about 3:00, in exercise pants with dirty hair.  It’s not in the fact that I can’t keep my nails looking nice or find the time to actually do my hair.  My issue is that sometimes I just don’t feel relevant.

Let me stop you, please, before you have a chance to comment.  I know that I am relevant to my little Silvia.  I know that my life lived any other way would change her.  I know, too, that I am relevant to Ryan…and to my parents and siblings and friends….

But since I said I’d be honest, I’ll be honest.  It’s that I’m afraid that I’m losing relevancy to other people.  That because I’m choosing to be home instead of in front of a TV camera right now, people will stop caring about me.  Or stop wondering about me.

I’m afraid that I’m becoming irrelevant out there in the big-girl world.

So here’s how I get through ot.  First, because I’m just a yoga-pants wearing mortal, I pray for guidance and a greater wisdom than I can come up with on my own.  Then I look over at the sweet face of Silvia and I remember that she won’t be like this forever.  We will, however, always have TVs and TV shows.  There will always be jobs to be had and meetings to attend.

But this…this sweet face, as she looked up at me this morning from her snack cup and dolly, won’t be here forever.

So, I make peace with it again and again and find a thousand things to be thankful for in the stillness of the day…Silvia’s cute little bottom stuffed into her pants as she walks around the house, Ryan having a morning at home with us, and me being able to be home and finding the relevancy in just that.

Apple of my Eye, Watermelon of my Heart

Remember when I told you about the Watermelon Moments Silvia and I were having?  Remember how I promised that I was going to dress her up as a watermelon for Halloween and that I’d share pictures?  Well, forgive me for being so tardy in the picture sharing but better late than never!!

While I’m not a huge Halloween fan (going door to door collecting candy isn’t really my thing) I was so excited to stuff Silvi into her pink pants and tee and that adorable watermelon tunic and hat! And, I got to do it 4 times!!

The first time was for the Children’s Museum Haunted House VIP preview party.  The place was packed and even though we never made it through the haunted house Silvia had a blast.  What did she like best?  Carrying the bean bags back and forth between the corn hole end zones, of course.  I’ve never understood that game but Silvi took too it right away!  Those poor big kids, though, they had to keep hitting the pause button as Silvia highjacked their game!  Look at the determined look on her face!!

The next time was for the 1-year birthday party our friends Matt and Sheri threw for their son.  It was a Halloween-themed party complete with a bounce house, a dj, catered kids foods and plenty of kids (and adults) in costume.   Ryan and I wore street clothes but not Silvia.  She threw on a smile while I threw on her pink chucks and full get-up again!  What did she like best here?  Well, the mac n cheese was a hit and she loved watching the kids in the bounce house but she had a heyday going down Luke’s little backyard slide!

Third time’s a charm and on Halloween night Silvia sure charmed us all.  We threw her and her best friend Caroline (dressed as a strawberry) in a wagon together and wheeled them down to the neighborhood parade.  Our little fruit basket.  Could they get any cuter?!  She loved the parade, of course.  And she loved the wagon ride with Caroline (let’s be honest, she loves ANYTHING with Caroline).  But she surprised us all by how much she loved handing out candy to the trick or treaters (she didn’t do any t or t’ing herself)!  All in all, she had an absolute blast Halloween night!  And was completely in showoff mode.

The fourth time she wore the costume was the following Friday when we dressed the kids up for play group during my women’s Bible study.  Sorry, I got tired of taking pictures by then but she, like a true performer, never tired of her costume.

I love that little watermelon!!!!

…and the costume was a little big so maybe she can wear it again next year!