Travel Tuesday
Whew! I survived the solo airplane flight with my two preschoolers. No, I wasn't flying the plane, but I approached the mission with enough planning and checklists that you might have thought I was.
Ironically, travel with the children to Boston by myself was pretty easy. The kids were excited and fresh, because it was a mid-morning flight. Traffic was light and we curb-side checked as much gear as possible before parking the car within strolling distance of the terminal. (I'm still bitter about the $15 per bag fee!) Nobody melted down or screamed on the airplane -- including Mommy.
But returning with my husband at the end of the weekend was an ordeal.
To start with, we'd all gotten less sleep than usual, thanks to hotel noises and too many fun activities. And I guess I hadn't considered that taking a flight that departs Boston at 7:20 p.m. would land us at our front door just past 10. Not great for my 8 p.m. bedtime children.
Then, my poor man picked up a little stomach bug at his conference and didn't realize it until we'd already boarded the plane -- with him seated next to the Terrible Two. By the end of the short flight home, he looked absolutely green. I couldn't tell if it was his tummy ache or the incessant demands for another reading of Curious George.
In retrospect, the only thing I would've done differently would be to leave more room in our schedule for the transition back to normal life. That means no 8:30 a.m. dentist appointment Monday morning -- we slept through the alarm. (What was I thinking?) And even the 10 a.m. work appointment was a bit of a squeeze.
I also would've brought more fresh fruit for the trip, since my children ate little more than bagels with cream cheese and chicken nuggets with French fries.
The trouble and disruption was certainly worth it. The Children's Museum in Boston kept the girls entertained for hours, and was walkable from our hotel. (Loved the free admission for active duty military and family!) We enjoyed the carousel in Boston Commons and even picked up a pair of inexpensive sneakers that my toddler sorely needed.
But best of all was the time with my cousin and her family, lazing around the floor with board games and cheering on her sons at their Sunday morning soccer games. I hope those memories will build bonds between the children that endure long after I'm gone.
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