September19
I had the boys’ stuff packed over the weekend, down to the shoes. Our first trip with no diapers or pull ups! And packed my “diaper bag” with a potty ring, the DVD player that May lent me, ColorWonder books, some Sesame Street magazines, the toddler wipes – my “bag of tricks” Yesterday I tracked down car seat, booster, potty ring. And packed my stuff. I snuck in a quick T-Tapp TWO+
I am going about my business, when I realize. CRAP! It’s 11:00 AM! I was supposed to pick up the boys at 10:40 AM!
I rush to the car and drive like a maniac, wondering why no one has called me yet. Bad mom! Bad mom!
This after Zevan has such a bad time going this morning. :crap:
As I get to 19th and Uintah, my cell phone rings. I answer it, “I’m on my way. I’m so sorry. I totally lost track of time.”
I screech to a stop in front of the school, and race across the street.
I get to the office, still apologizing, and Zander and Zevan are in the doorway of the nurse’s office, on the floor. Zander is sitting, Zevan is laying with his head on his backpack.
Bad mom! Bad mom!
They both exclaim, “Mom!” when they see me and get up.
I apologize to them profusely. “It’s okay, Mom,” soothes Zander. “Mama, mama, ” Zevan hugs my leg.
Maybe I’m not SUCH a bad mom – how did I get such caring kids???
I take them over to Grandma & Grandpa’s for lunch, then I have to rush off for a lunch meeting with Mike and May about working together to get more clients and share the workload (which was really great!).
I come home and finish up some loose ends with work on clients’ sites and then continue packing.
Lisa stops by with Enrique to pick up the Wonderoos. I am amazed at how much he’s grown and how long it’s been since I’ve seen them both. It’s a nice visit.
The boys come home and we start preparing for the trip. They choose special toys and snacks for their backpacks. I pack my snacks.
We have dinner, I load up the car. Our plan is to leave between 8:00 – 8:30 PM for our red-eye flight at 11:55 PM.
I put them in front of a show. I wax my legs, eyebrows, etc. Something I wanted to fit in, and can’t believe I actually have enough time to do it.
We all load in the car. Zander says, “Don’t forget the Ready Beds!” Crap. I shove them in the bag with the carseats.
TO THE AIRPORT
About a mile from the house, I realize I don’t have my thyroid meds. I turn back to get it. We’re off again. We tell the boys to sleep. They say they can’t. They finally fall asleep around Castlerock. Despite some long traffic slow downs, due to highway painting, we get to the airport right at 10:00 PM.
I’m wishing now that I brought the double jogger because the boys are asleep. Doug drops us off at the ticketing counter (no lines for the red eye) with the luggage and goes to park the car. Zander is NOT happy about having to wake up. The boys and I sit on the floor waiting for Doug to get back. Twice, a Frontier airlines person comes to see if we need anything. I tell them I’m waiting for my husband. I spend most of my time trying to soothe Zander, with both boys in my lap.
Doug arrives, and we check in. They give Doug a special pass so he can help us to the gate (love that option!) Things go pretty smoothly through check in, security and the train to the gate. Now we’ve actually got quite a bit of time before the flight leaves. We try snacks and other distractions, finally, I just put Madagascar on the DVD player until its time to board.
Finally, it’s nearly time to board. Doug gets hugs and kisses and “I love you’s” from all of us. We take the early boarding option since I need extra time with my 2 kids under 5.
ON THE PLANE
Zevan takes the window seat, Zander goes in next, then me. I arrange all of our stuff, and let them watch Boomerang DirecTV preview time before take off.
We take off on time, I turn off their TV screens, and encourage them to sleep. Nope, it’s too loud. It’s too bright. Etc, etc
The drink cart comes, we get water and get some warm cookies that have a jet fuel aftertaste – ick.
We try several positions to sleep. No luck. I ask Zander to switch with me so I can be between them. He refuses. Zevan moves to my lap, Zander takes his vacant window seat, and then I move in the middle. They each put their heads on my lap. 
We have a family in front of us with one lap child and another barely older than 2 year old. They intermittently, and alternately, cry and fuss throughout the flight. I feel for them.
Somehow, sometime during the flight, we do get *some* sleep. First, with my head on the tray table. Finally, I actually lay on my side across the three seats, holding Zevan in front of me, with Zander laying on my legs. Of course, in our deepest sleep, the announcement of our descent wakes me up. Luckily I can get their seatbelts around them while they are laying down, and sit back up again. They sleep until we land, while I try talking them awake.
AT THE AIRPORT
We wait until nearly everyone is off the plane before we get disembark. They are awake enough to walk and pull their wheeled backpacks. I’m grateful for that.
As we walk to the baggage claim, Zevan all of sudden decides that he wants to drive in HIS car when we go to Uncle Fran’s. A long walk of crying and me expaining that our car isn’t there.
We get to baggage claim, and I call my dad. They haven’t left the house yet! We arrived 30 minutes earlier than he thought. Great.
Our luggage comes quickly, of course. We load it up on a SmarteCarte and we find a bench to sit on. After 30 minutes, we head outside to where they will pick us up. They do. I put the car seats in, and we’re off.
We pick up breakfast at Burger King. We get to my brother’s house, just as they are all waking up. We have hellos, we eat. I head up to the room and blow up the ready beds. Ash, Zander and Zevan jump on our air mattress.
Fran and Kimmie head to work, and we convince them to leave Ash with us instead of taking him to daycare.
The boys and I lay down to sleep. Zander is restless and says he’s not tired. I tell him he can go play with Ash IF he will nap when Ash goes to nap (at 11 AM). He agrees and is off. Zevan lays with me for 10 minutes, then HE wants to go play. He gets the same deal. He’s off. I go to sleep. Some hours later, they crawl into bed with me. I sleep until 12:30 PM. They sleep another two after I get up.
It’s 3:00 PM. And now we’re finally awake enough to start our visit.
He finally moves to the left lane, and I cautiously try to pass him on the right, wondering if he is going to try and cut me off again.
I’m so irritated, I could SCREAM.
