My mantra for our flight up here to the Quad Cities wasn't all that different from the one I use on a daily basis: expect the absolute worst and hope for the absolute best. And it worked! My expectations were exceeded and while it wasn't any sort of dream flight (but it was direct! that was kind of a miracle) - it could've gone worse and I don't think we made any lifelong enemies out of any of our fellow passengers (to my knowledge).
6:30 in the am. Theo is in a frenzy because he hasn't had his coffee yet.
Simon took one look at his outfit and asked if he was en route to a game of Parcheesi ...
PERHAPS, Simon. Perhaps.
Anyway, let's just cut to the highlights:
As soon as we got to the airport Phoebe wandered into the gift shop and started looking for GG (great grandma) and then slyly tried to steal a Beanie Baby.
Failure on both fronts.
I was slightly worried when I realized we forgot the carrier we've grown to love but was SO happy we decided to buy a double stroller (fits through doors! folds down easily! has lots of storage! didn't break the bank!) at the very last minute right before we left. It's made the trip a lot more of a breeze than it would've been otherwise. Nice job, last minute Pattons.
And speaking of the last minute - we waited until then to board so that the kids wouldn't be asking how much longer before we'd even taken off and I was so glad we did.
I also broke the one carry-on bag rule (although I think technically you can have a diaper bag with a lap child) ... I think Phoebe's antics distracted them.
Getting up at 4 drove Bosco to mid-flight tears that finalllllllly ended in a little nap ....
... 10 minutes before we landed. Not complaining. Very much.
I thought I had been smart and packed some magic ink coloring pads (I'm saving the water painting for our flight in a couple weeks) but no, no I hadn't. Phoebe managed to only color a smidge of her seatbelt and her entire sweatshirt so -- it was fine.
Julia asked for her sweater as soon as we sat down.
Like mother, like daughter.
Saving his energy for his impending meltdown ...
smart baby.
post-landing with GG ...
and we decided to go with something simple and compact for our rental ...
dream whip. The kids can spread out so they fight a lot less and we can't even hear the fighting if it's happening in the very back seat because it's essentially in a different zip code.
So, back to minivan reality tomorrow. No one is ready. Especially me. I will survive. I think.
6:30 in the am. Theo is in a frenzy because he hasn't had his coffee yet.
Simon took one look at his outfit and asked if he was en route to a game of Parcheesi ...
PERHAPS, Simon. Perhaps.
Anyway, let's just cut to the highlights:
As soon as we got to the airport Phoebe wandered into the gift shop and started looking for GG (great grandma) and then slyly tried to steal a Beanie Baby.
Failure on both fronts.
I was slightly worried when I realized we forgot the carrier we've grown to love but was SO happy we decided to buy a double stroller (fits through doors! folds down easily! has lots of storage! didn't break the bank!) at the very last minute right before we left. It's made the trip a lot more of a breeze than it would've been otherwise. Nice job, last minute Pattons.
And speaking of the last minute - we waited until then to board so that the kids wouldn't be asking how much longer before we'd even taken off and I was so glad we did.
I also broke the one carry-on bag rule (although I think technically you can have a diaper bag with a lap child) ... I think Phoebe's antics distracted them.
Getting up at 4 drove Bosco to mid-flight tears that finalllllllly ended in a little nap ....
... 10 minutes before we landed. Not complaining. Very much.
I thought I had been smart and packed some magic ink coloring pads (I'm saving the water painting for our flight in a couple weeks) but no, no I hadn't. Phoebe managed to only color a smidge of her seatbelt and her entire sweatshirt so -- it was fine.
Julia asked for her sweater as soon as we sat down.
Like mother, like daughter.
Saving his energy for his impending meltdown ...
smart baby.
post-landing with GG ...
and we decided to go with something simple and compact for our rental ...
dream whip. The kids can spread out so they fight a lot less and we can't even hear the fighting if it's happening in the very back seat because it's essentially in a different zip code.
So, back to minivan reality tomorrow. No one is ready. Especially me. I will survive. I think.
Please tell me you went to the Dport ChickFilA for lunch last Saturday in that van and I had a drive by Patton sighting! Safe travels home. Great ideas for airplane toys thanks.
ReplyDeleteOh this post had me in stitches! Thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteYou may need that gigantor van one day when there are more Pattons in the world. Thanks for sharing parts of your trip. Love seeing life through the eyes of my fav fam on the inter webs <3
ReplyDeleteIf you want a huge van, test drive the Nissan Nv. We have one for our 5 kids and it's amazing. Very family friendly and easy to drive
DeleteLove all the pics and commentary! 😁 I'm still in super denial that Phoebe is as big as she is. Wasn't she just born?? Wasn't Theo just born??
ReplyDeleteThat's me, too!! I can't believe how old they are already! :)
DeleteThe back seat is in a different zip code! That cracked me up - I feel that way about our Suburban and regularly banish kids to the "way back".
ReplyDeleteYou guys are so much braver than we are!!!! How did you handle all the car seats?? That's one of my excuses for our lack of air travel... That van. I don't know how you go about renting one of those bad boys but way to do it up right!!!
ReplyDeleteRented them! Sometimes we can borrow but not this trip :(
DeleteI was also curious how you handle the car seat situation?
ReplyDeleteDying over the van commentary. Hope you have a good time in the QC and your flight home is even better!
ReplyDeleteSwooning over the van!
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU for mentioning my boarding until the last minute. When you're traveling with little kids, priority boarding isn't quite the win that airlines seem to think it is... 😑
ReplyDeleteYou guys are the bravest of the brave, and awesome at that! I say give me road trips of give me death! LOL!! That's probably pretty dramatic, but I get anxious just thinking about all my children on a plane. It would be worse than snakes on a plane! The idea of it.....and the movie.
ReplyDeleteWe own that van! Well the slightly smaller one. We have a ten seat blue one with a sliding door for the kids. We love it... And it fits in our standard size garage which usually doesn't get too happen with the full size vans often.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely love your posts. Makes so much sense boarding last when you are traveling with kiddos. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteJust so you can feel relieved that you aren't a rule breaker (I know, you must be losing sleep over it), your purse doesn't count as your one carry on item usually. You can have a purse and diaper bag, or purse and laptop.
ReplyDeleteon most airlines! but we flew Allegiant and you really are only allowed one personal item - unless you want to pay haha.
ReplyDeleteI bet those people were thinking, 'sweet! empty seat next to me'. Then come the last minute Pattons...ha
ReplyDeletei cant even handle how cute your flock is - and those backpacks <3<3<3 You do it right, GP.
ReplyDeleteCracking up at this post! "Theo is in a frenzy because he hasn't had his coffee yet." Almost spit my water out.
ReplyDeleteI took those "water wow" books for my trio last week and they loved them! I broke them out for a return flight and they were distracted way longer than I expected!
ReplyDelete