Have Pack-n-Play, Will Travel

 

Watching the planes at the airport

With very little advance notice, Marty was told he needed to go to Cedar Rapids for a series of meetings for his project. Not looking forward to spending those 2 weeks alone with Oliver, we decided to figure out a way for me to go visit my mom and other family in Indiana while he was in Iowa. I'm a bit nervous about flying alone with Oliver, not that I couldn't handle him, but that I couldn't handle all his stuff! Marty's job pays for our tickets home, so we always get one for Oliver. So that means carrying a car seat, diaper bag, toy bag, and pushing Oliver in a stroller. Hard for one person to do. Marty very generously decided that we'd all fly to Chicago, and he'd rent a car and drive to CR from there. His parents picked Oliver and I up at the airport . . . of course they'd do anything to get to see their favorite (and only) grandson! We spent the night there, and then my mom drove the 3 hours to pick us up the next day. Yes, it all sounds horribly complicated, but it was all surprisingly easy. 

It was a very nice trip. We enjoyed getting to spend time with my mom, whom we didn't get to see at the holidays. Oliver also got to meet his Uncle Brad (my brother), and they bonded over legos and flinging tupperware lids. Oliver really is a great traveler. He adapts well to new places to sleep...even closets (nice large closets, of course!). His behavior overall was great. While on this trip, he started simply walking to his closet/room when it was time for bed, one night even skipping his book! If I said he needed a diaper change, he'd walk right to the corner of the room and lay down on the rug my mom had set up for that purpose! What an amazing change from the wrestling matches we used to get into over diaper changes!! If it weren't for missing Marty, I could have seriously just kept traveling. Maybe because Connecticut doesn't feel like home, but all our families houses do. Plus, it was nice to have the help with Oliver!! 

Anyway, here are the highlights in photos...

  

Helping Grandee (now called Nee-nee) feed the squirrels 

  

Walking through the woods around Grandee's house 

  

Coloring, his new favorite activity lately, along with making silly faces! 

  

Visiting my Aunt Pat & Uncle Dale, he really loved playing with all the tiny things in Aunt Pat's dollhouse. 

  

Grandee says, "Give me a kiss right there!" And Oliver points to his cheek instead.

  

Visiting my Aunt Bonnie & Uncle Terry for a few days. Oliver was obsessed with Sophia, their gorgeous, but allergy inducing (for me) cat. 

  

Sophia and Oliver staring each other down.

  

Making a salad while Bonnie and I cooked dinner. He's sitting in the highchair that my dad and aunt used as children, and we used as grandchildren at my grandparent's farm. So Oliver is the 3rd generation to use it, and it is in amazing condition. They don't make them like that anymore! 

  

Back to Grandma and Grandpa's (Mamaw and Pop-pop) house. Opening his Valentine's Day gifts from them.

  

Listening to the Ramones on Daddy's cell phone. 

  

Back on the plane again, getting ready for take-off!  Oliver did great on this flight. He kept himself entertained with a sippy cup and my empty plastic cup for almost an hour. Then we pulled out the surprise new toy: the Travel Doodle Pro! That was a huge hit! Highly recommend it! 

  

Naked baby at baggage claim. 

  

Yes, we had a blanket, but he kept throwing it off during our 30 minute game of peek-a-boo while Daddy waited for our luggage. 

Why is he naked? He puked on the plane. Well, technically, he puked all over himself and his carseat while the plane went through some very bumpy air right before landing. That's what happens when you sit in the back of the plane (again) due to Southwest's stupid boarding policy that doesn't allow families with small children to board first. Yes, I am writing a letter to corporate on that one! The back of the plane is the worst. He also seems to be blessed with my motion sickness gene. I remember puking on many a plane/car ride in my youth. Of course, the vomiting scared him and so he was crying pretty hard...until we came in for a landing a few minutes later. Then he immediately started laughing, yelled "Hooray!" and clapped. That got quite the laugh from the other passengers.

Good mother that I am, I didn't pack a change of clothes in any of our massive carry on bags, and his clothes were so awful, we had to strip him down. He did have a diaper on...you just can't see it in this photo. Yes, we got quite a lot of stares on our walk to baggage claim. He was in his stroller and I had the blanket wrapped around him as best I could, but he kept throwing it off. Then during our long wait, I kept him entertained with a rousing game of peek-a-boo, throwing the blanket over his head, which had him cracking up hysterically. I swear the people at the airport must have thought we were nuts. Hey, whatever makes him happy.

In spite of the puking, we had a great trip. Oliver seems to love traveling more than being at home! So who wants us next? We're ready to go!