How would you like to be left alone with a 3 1/2 month old baby and 2 year old toddler for a week? Rob informed me that there was a good chance that he "needed" to go to Puerto Rico for a week, to check out a bridge the Federal Highway Administration was building in one of the national parks down there. I know many mothers have lasted a week, and much longer, but I wasn't mentally sure I could handle it, especially knowing that Rob was going somewhere warm and tropical! Whenever Rob is gone I tend to go to bed at 1 in the morning the first nights, midnight the second night, and so on. The result is that I am tired and a bit cranky. Throw in two kids and you don't have a very good recipe.
My parents were kind enough to offer to pay for one ticket, my brother and sister in law helped out with a companion ticket for half price through a credit card certificate, and we were set!
Asher had his own backpack of treat and entertainment items he was excited to carry around.
The whole trip went pretty smoothly. The only minor upset was a delay. A one and a half hour delay seems like nothing when flying by yourself, but with an active toddler it's a bit more challenging. But, overall Asher (and Jacqueline) were excellent flyers. While waiting Asher entertained the people around him, and kept asking one man in particular where his airplane was, and then would point out HIS airplane. When Asher started getting antsy we decided to talk a walk around the airport and miraculously stumbled upon a mini playground.
Asher was enthralled with the fountain at the Detroit airport.
By this point Asher was pretty tired and could barely walk (we had woken him up at 5 in the morning, he'd been walking on his own all day except for the 2 hour plane ride, and he hadn't had a nap). So, inspiration came and I took Jacqueline out of her car seat and strapped her onto me using a baby carrier and placed Asher in her car seat. I felt very confident in my ability to travel with two kids at this point. But, I sure was glad to see my mom a few minutes later and get them settled in the car for the drive to her house.
We loved the week we spent with my parents! Asher played with new toys, cousin Molly, Aunt Cayla, and Grandma and Grandpa. Grandma and Grandpa helped hold Jacqueline, who went through a growth spurt that week (i.e. woke up every two or so hours to feed every night).
Playing the drum with Jacqueline watching big brother.
It was a very relaxing trip. One of the evenings I was able to catch up on the regional Young Single Adults church group that I used to be a part of while living there when my sister had a few friends over to play games, and that group happened to include friend Julie Perry.
Grandma and Grandpa treated everyone to ice cream for family home evening. Asher loved it, of course.
The flower Asher picked from my Mom's front yard for me.
The flight back was perfectly smooth. Would I do it again? OH YEAH!
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