A Plane, A Mom, and a 15-month Old....

You can only guess where this is going to go....

I have a work event the 28th-29th in Utah so Matthew and I decided to head to Utah a week early to see family and go shopping. This was my first time going on a plane alone with Matthew since he was about 3 months old. Here's a run down of how our experience was....

Jordan takes us to the airport and we are checked in for our 4:21 flight by 3:00. We look at the security line and "see" that it's short so we grab some lunch/dinner before we go through security. I get into the security line at 3:30 and you can't see the real line until you round the corner and it was huge. I thought uh oh, I wonder if we're going to make it.

I'm too cheap to buy a second seat for Matthew so I had to take my laptop bag and a huge carry on because Matthew's carseat was one of our checked "bags". I hooked both bags onto the back of Matthew's stroller and we went round and round security for 1/2 hour before finally getting through. To get through security I had to unload my laptop, portable DVD player, video camera, take both of our shoes off, fold up the stroller, put both bags through and carry Matthew through. Just that alone made me sweaty and Matthew was really good through the whole ordeal. Jordan was watching us the whole time (unbenownst to me) because he was worried I wasn't going to get through in time. I finally got out of security at 4:09-too close for comfort.

Our gate was only 3 gates down so that was nice. I don't think I realized how late we really were as there was no one left to board so we jumped on the plane. At the end of the walkway I had to get Matthew down, get both bags off the stroller, fold up the stroller and then carry Matthew and my two bags all the way down the plane. I know that helping me isn't anyone's job, but I was rather surprised that no one offered to help me as I ambled down the plane with everything (definitely not an easy task) while everyone was staring at me. I finally get to my seat and someone is sitting there. I ask the guy if he has 17C as that's my seat and he said no, he was just trying to get an aisle seat. He moved pretty quick because I don't think he really wanted to sit by MJ.

Ok, so I've stowed my bags, have things ready to entertain Matthew and I'm seriously hot and feel like throwing up. Matthew was pretty good during take-off and then the wrestling began. I am so glad that the middle seat was empty or he would have been screaming the whole time. He played there for awhile, peeked at everyone around him and gave them smiles, and then wanted to get down and screamed about 3 times because he wasn't happy about having to stay up in the seat. Let's just say that the pretzels were the perfect size for him and kept him entertained for awhile.

Once we landed I had to haul everything off again and once again not a soul asked if they could help me. Matthew was not happy the whole ride to my parents house and was so excited when he was finally out of the car and able to run around and be "free".

I leave on the 30th to fly back home and only can hope that the middle seat will be empty and that Matthew will be pretty tired since it is a 8pm flight. I really don't think I'll be flying much alone until he gets older. I was very stressed out trying to keep him entertained and not screaming his head off. After this week of being on my own with Matthew I am even more impressed by single moms and don't know how they do it day in and day out with no breaks and possibly minimal help.

I was contemplating flying to Russia this summer just me and Matthew alone to visit our friends Paul & Lindsey. That WILL NOT be happening. Jordan will be going even if it burns up the rest of his vacation. There is no way I can handle Matthew myself for that long of a flight. It's really our only shot at going so let's hope he's a bit better by the time he's 2. We might even buy him his own seat (actually we'll probably have to).