Finally Here!

For Kaelyn and myself we have been here in Las Vegas for a week. We arrived around 8 pm here in Vegas from our "torturing" or what felt like all day traveling with Kaelyn. It was a 5 1/2 hour travel time and we were officially on the plane for about 4 hours total. Traveling with a toddler is rather difficult and very stressful by yourself. I now feel for those moms or anyone who gets on a plane with a child who is 3 and under. My experience with Kaelyn was not quite what I had in mind. I prepared the night before got all her favorite snacks/candies, new toys to play with and of course her portable DVD player with all of her favorite Yo Gabba Gabba DVDs. Before we flew I knew I would have some trouble getting through security because she hasn't learned what patience is. She still wants to run around and do whatever thinks is best for her. Samantha one of my really close friends took us to the airport. She helped me get checked in and thankfully there was no line to wait. We get to the security line and Samantha and I say our Goodbyes and to the hoping that Kaelyn would travel well. My initial thought was her carseat was too big and we have an hour lay over in Colorado and there was no way I could keep up with Kaelyn and carry the big myride65 carseat around the airport with our lay over. I also thought she would love to sit in a big airplane seat...boy, was I wrong. I decided to ask the man who had the window seat if Kaelyn could sit there bc I knew I had to block her in or she would think she would have full reign to explore the airplane. So he agreed. Before take off, I was trying to get Kaelyn to sit in her seat and to buckle her up. Well, that didn't suit with her so I decided ok see if she would sit with me and we would buckle up together. She was perfectly content until the flight attendant came and asked if she was over 2 and that she would have to sit in her own seat buckled before take off. So I tried to put Kaelyn in her seat and buckled. Kaelyn is very strong for her little self and was crying hysterically and saying mommy, mommy, mommy. The flight attendant came over and said you should have brought her carseat, she would be safer and she would know better to be buckled up. Little did they know I was by myself and there was nothing I could do about a carseat...thinking to myself well if you want to go up underneath the airplane and get it I will gladly put her in her carseat. So I was still struggling to get her to sit down and the flight attendant came by again with animal crackers she said this may help but she has to be seated or we can't take off. She said not only will I get in trouble and this is my job but you can get in trouble as well. So as I was forcing my child in her seat and got finally got her buckled. She was still hysterically crying and yes I was one of those moms with a crying child that everyone hated to be beside on an airplane. Luckily no one said anything and the guy next to us just looked straight forward and said nothing. I physically had to put her down in her seat and hold the seatbelt down so she couldn't get out. I felt terrible that I couldn't hold Kaelyn and calm her down because I could get in "trouble". Surprisingly, I said nothing as the flight attendants told me what I should have done but thinking have you ever flown with a toddler by yourself? Not to mention they weren't helping me to calm her down and making the comments about a carseat. The last plane she was on was when she was 16 months old she could sit in my lap and I had Tim with me. That flight was nothing compared to being on my own. No wonder why she was freaking out. Finally we were in the air high enough where I could unbuckle her and she could do whatever she wanted. I still couldn't understand why it was ok for a 2 year old to sit in my lap if needed especially if a child 2 and under could. We did pay for her seat but I was not expecting her to freak out like she did. Throughout the whole time ascending I was very calm but frustrated that I could do nothing but listen to my child hysterically cry and say mommy, mommy a million times. When Kaelyn cries it stresses me out and hurts my heart. There was nothing I could do to calm her down because all she wanted was me. I couldn't imagine what she felt like because everything was so new and she couldn't be close to me. But anyways we made it through 2 1/2 hours to Colorado and yes she still cried when the plane descended because she had to be buckled once again. As we were getting off the plane I said to the flight attendant thanks for being patient with myself and my child and the only thing she could tell me was make sure you use the carseat...really? A carseat is not required because they are considered a "big girl". Anyways, I was thankful to be off that flight and I don't think I have ever experienced such a crappy staff. I would think they would be a little more empathetic for those who have little ones? So, we had a layover in Denver and I figured Kaelyn would be tired and hungry because it was 7:30 our time. Thankfully our plane was on the same side of the airport as the one we got off of and we didn't go too far. The only thing available was Quiznos which I like but of course Kaelyn didn't want to stand in line and saw the escalators. So we cruised the elevators probably about 4xs and I finally got her over to Quiznos when there was no line and ordered a sandwich/chips and milk for Kaelyn. Overall not too bad but frustrating b/c I was hungry and Kaelyn wanted to go up and down the escalators :) So we got on our next flight we were in the very front and I was thankful b/c we were in the back the last flight and I was praying things would go a little more smoother. I also wanted to get off the plane as soon as possible this time around because I know Kaelyn would have been extremely tired. I got her in her seat turned on the DVD player, gave her milk and some playdoh to play with. No fuss at all ascending. The guy beside us was actually quite pleasant and found out he was originally from Russia. Over in the next 3 seats across from us was his family..wife, and his 2 kids. Before we ascended I apologized if Kaelyn cried a lot and he seemed not to mind. This flight was an hour a half very laid back. The attendants never bothered myself or Kaelyn. Nice and relaxed and it seemed as if Kaelyn was more prepared or just plain tired from the last flight. I was happy that our travel time was just about done! We were almost HOME! Hour and a half went by we had to descend and Kaelyn decided to cry because she had to be buckled and all I could think was we are almost done...almost there!! Thanks goodness! By the time we got off the plane she was wiped and of course baggage claim was way off, she didn't want to walk and she didn't want me to hold her. So I picked her up and carried her until we got on the tram to get our baggage and of course I was the mom with the screaming child all the way through the airport. Though she did like the tram and there was a cute little chinese girl that paid a lot of attention to Kaelyn said hi and was trying to cheer her up. Even gave her some hershey kisses...big mistake! Haha! She had chocolate all over her by the time we got our luggage and met up with Kristin. Not that I really minded because it made her a little more pleasant to get to our luggage. Boy, was I done physically and mentally. Trying to entertain a toddler on a plane and getting through the process of security, waiting in lines, sitting for hours is not fun by yourself. Not to mention it was a 20 minute drive to get to Kristin's house and Kaelyn complained the whole time while we were in the car. Nothing satisfied her and she wouldn't go to sleep! Finally we got where we stayed for 2 days and in no time Kaelyn was in bed and conked out for the night. This day I will never forget. I feel for the moms or dads who have to fly by yourself with a lay over because its cheaper. Oh and don't forget the carseat...haha! To be continued...