Flying Infants

"When you are pregnant and boarding a plane every one around you is interested in you, asking when the baby is due. When you are boarding a plane with your baby everyone ignores you, hoping they are not seated beside you."

Amy Poehler

Finley and I have been flying. In fact we have done 8 flights in the last 3 weeks! Fin & I flew to Ottawa over Labour day weekend - then we flew to meet Steve at the airport in Toronto to renew our Visas then the three of us flew home to NC. Two weeks later we boarded a plane to Winnipeg Manitoba to visit Steve's sister.

To say I was apprehensive to fly for the first time with Finley would be a lie. I love to travel and so does Steve. We figure our child will just have to get used to traveling and will become a good one at that. Air travel has never bothered me. I am of the set who feels I am safer in an airplane than on the road in my car. I don't love the stale air and the proximity of strangers in my space, but, I can get over that pretty quickly when I really think about where I am going and who I will be visiting, or working with, once I land at my destination.

I was not expecting the feelings that overcame me as I was about to step with Fin onto our first airplane. All of a sudden I became a little verklempt - I looked up at the blue sky the sky - swallowed a lump in my throat - told Steve we loved him and boarded the plane. Finley was a champ and slept through most of the flight! The stewardess said Finley was well behaved. She actually said she can tell by the demeanor of the parents if the children will be okay in the air. I took the complement. This was the only time I was nervous getting on a plane - I guess I masked that feeling pretty well. It's amazing how a child can make you so much more aware of your mortality. Of course, with this flight under our belt we flew without incident on the remaining flights.

This is Chicago O'Hare - Pretty nice hunh?

My lunch of champions. Eli's Famous Chicago cheesecake & Starbucks.

(I did eat a breakfast bagel after the desert!)

Check out this change station!

It had a garbage and paper towel dispenser in reach too. Swanky!

Ahhh, my favorite - the COVERED toilet seat!

I still NEVER sit on the seat - practicing powerful pose has kept me strong in the skill of hovering even while wearing the kid! I do share my cousin Jen's annoyance with the automatic flush toilets. I appreciate not walking into dirty toilet stall but does it have to flush randomly? One flush when I'm done my business is enough!

Finley & I at the airport. Yup, we were both as tired as we look!

I'm wearing the back pack -it's our carry on/diaper bag/laptop tote. It balances the weight of Finley on the front and keeps my hands free to handle the Starbucks! By the end of a travel day carrying an additional 35 pounds in kid and gear I am really ready for bed!

Finley 5 months old and her Daddy in the air.

I bought this car seat bag. It wheels and is a back pack. I asked at the counter if my flights were full. They were, so, I checked the car seat. Had there been a seat available I would have brought the seat to install on the plane for the wee lass to sit in. You can also gate check strollers and car seats. Since I was flying alone it was just easier not to lug the seat through the airport. The bag got beat up but is still usable. At least the seat is intact! It was easy to wheel from the car to the airport along with my wheelie suitcase.

I was also able to wear Finley in the Ergo carrier through the metal detectors. It does not set the sensors off and is super comfortable to wear for long periods of time. It has a big front pocket where I kept our tickets, passports and my wallet. Such a great carrier!

We had lots of people offer to help us along the way which was so nice! It restored my faith in the generosity of people.

Next flight will be with Finley at 10 months old -uhoh - it will be whole new ball of wax with a wiggly, talkative baby! Steve will be with us for that flight to help out and I may be flagging the bar cart just to get through it! Kidding - kinda.