James & Jayson are the only kids who have been on a plane and they were only weeks or months old so they don't remember. James & Jacob have specifically inquired why we never take them on an airplane. So here was their big chance.
Our drama started right after the Super Shuttle showed up to take us to the airport. Jacob realized that he had misplaced his Nintendo DS (the video game system that I told him NOT to play until he was sitting inside the plane. He only has like 3 hours of battery & it's 10 hours of travel time). He went on a frantic hunt. Jon & I joined him while trying to stall the shuttle driver who had already packed our 4 luggage bags and our 6 carry on items.
We looked everywhere and then we looked there again. I checked in ridiculous places because Jayson moves things to ridiculous places. Jacob was sobbing. Time was ticking. Not a convenient time for a hard life lesson, but we could NOT miss the plane. Trip of a lifetime and all my son was going to remember was that he didn't have his video games to play all day. But we marched them all out to the car. I was mad and sad and frustrated.
Turns out it was in his backpack the whole time. He had moved it to the side pocket instead of clasped onto the top. Thankfully finding the DS was a tension breaker and we laughed about it on the way to the airport.
Traveling with 4 kids, 1 stroller, 1 toddler carseat, & 10 various sized bags (actually we used 13 coming home) isn't as tricky if you let the porters & curbside assistance help. The kids all wore their backpacks & took turns pushing Jayson in the stroller.
I had worried about getting them all through security - removing shoes, taking no liquids, etc. You have to take the baby out of the stroller & x-ray it. I was so consumed with guiding the kids that I walked through security with my cell phone & a ziploc full of loose coins (for the toll roads in FL) in my pocket. I also forgot to remove my belt. I set off the alarm & had to remove my metal before passing through.
To be Continued (it's time for me to go watch LOST :)
I can't wait to see more pics! :)
ReplyDeleteI thought our trip to disney was easier than i had worried. I stressed about security too! but it all worked out fine - I made sure the kids did their part to help!
ReplyDeleteglad you found the DS
When I was a teenager I had to stop an entire charter bus because I had left my travelers checks in my mom's car and this was before cell phones - we had to wait for her to get all the way home to answer the phone and come back!!!