Travel Woes

In America there are two classes of travel - first class, and with children.  ~Robert Benchley

Oh my was today exhausting.  Let me just say, I'm praying for grace and patience on Thursday on our return trip home. 

I should start out by saying... my kids are not bad travelers.  I had not a fear in my mind of traveling with them alone today and honestly I was really looking forward to it.  I feel like I've really strengthened some of my skills for dealing with the boys and the thought of taking the two of them on a plane (two, at that) alone didn't scare me a bit.  

However. 


I'm really not sure what the deal was, but today was bad.  Just really really bad.  


It could be that the boys didn't fall asleep the night before until nearly 11 (and only then did they cry themselves to sleep listening to jack johnson and other lullabies on my phone). 


Maybe it was that we were up at 5:20am (after a restless night of sleep).


It might have been that I overpacked our carry-on's, anticipating lots of patience to do learning activities. 


My doctor just switched my meds last week so I'm still kind of regulating to a new antidepressant/anxiety med.  I think this was a large part of my problem.


Regardless, today was bad.  I want a do-over.  I KNEW we were in for a long day of traveling... visiting my mom always ends up being a good half day travel at the least.  The closest airport is OAJ (Jacksonville) and it literally has one plane.  So tiny. So there is always a layover in Charlotte.  And Charlotte is notorious for having delays.  Always. 


Our day started out with Porter having to poop and throwing a fit in the men's bathroom because he couldn't poop.  And then me running into the mens' bathroom to haul him off the toilet and into the ladies room... leaving Hudson and our 50 million bags in the hallway outside the bathroom.  GAH!  


And then Porter puked in the bathroom.  UGH. 

We got on our first flight and Porter wouldn't leave the damn window shade alone.  And the boys wouldn't leave the trays alone.  And Hudson was tired and antsy and super sassy and naughty.  They kept kicking (not so much kicking as putting their feet on) the seat in front of us.  

We did survive our first flight and then made our way to get lunch ($7 for a personal pizza at Papa Johns OUCH x's 3!).  The boys whined and whined about carrying their backpacks (I'm totally taking out 3/4 of the crap we packed on our way home) which left me carrying my camera bag (5d mark II + 24=70 + 50mm + camcorder + netbook + chargers = HEAVY) and my purse (with a bottle of water and gum and random stuff in it and a book... a hardcover book.... how completely dilerious was I to think I'd be able to read on the plane?  Completely.) and both of the boys' backpacks and a personal pizza.  


Did I mention the walk from one terminal to the other is So. freaking. far. away?  And Hudson whined the whole way for me to carry him? 


Note to self:  no child is too young to have an umbrella stroller for them to sit in. 
Another note to self:  You bought a rolling luggage cart.... use it next time. 


Our flight from Charlotte to Jacksonville was delayed an hour.  This left us at Charlotte for 3 hours.  Which wouldn't have been too bad if those 3 hours hadn't been filled with whining and me yelling and frustration and grumpiness and restless children.  Children who took their shoes off and threw them and refused to pick up their toys and who climbed over the seats at the airport gates and made weird noises in other travelers ears.  Yes, those were my restless, over-tired children.  With an over-tired, stressed out mama who lost all sight of patience and grace.  

The boys didn't want to sit and wait... they were all over the floor and SO restless because of their lack of sleep (my kids don't wind down... they wind UP).  But they also didn't want to walk around the airport because they were "too tired" to carry their bags.  And I was too grumpy to carry all 50 bazillion pounds of bags.  

Our 2nd flight was quick, thank god.  An hour.  Hudson and I sat on one side of the aisle and Porter sat on the other side with a younger woman.  Hudson crashed even before we got off  the runway.  Such a sweet sight and I know the poor bubba was so so tired.  Porter was great most of the flight.  He listened to Bubble Toes on my ipod (with earbuds) and sang so loud it cracked me up.  But once we landed and he knew we were landing (you know how it takes like another half hour after they announce to put seatbelts on and prepare for landing?) he was antsy and annoying and talking baby talk and sassing me and rawrrring at the lady next to him.  Just acting completely obnoxious and unlike himself (and I know it was because he was tired). 

I had never been so happy to be on land and to see my mom.  


Porter crashed in the car and then when we got to her house we headed right to the beach for an hour or so.  I actually swam in the ocean (I rarely get in oceans or lakes... I am always a bystander).  It was hot and the water felt nice.  Hudson sat on a raft and he and I rode the waves in for quite awhile.  

Porter, however, refused to go into the water.  I guess I shouldn't have let him watch all those shark documentaries and shows on Netflix and Discovery channel?  HAHA!  He's so into all these animal shows and I really enjoy them too so we end up watching the most random things about Super Croc and ancient wild cats and sharks etc.  Oops!

Anyhow, it was great to get here and relax and the beach is gorgeous.  Its hot but it is a different hot than at home.  I could get used to this.