This past December we decided to take JJ to Florida to meet his GG for the first time. Well this trip was also a first of MANY things. I might as well start from the very beginning, so my parents wanted to do a whole family trip to Florida to see my grandmother. My parents, my sister, brother-in-law, nephew, us, all of us. Now, before we had our little boy Jay and I used to drive to Florida. Only reason being is I am TERRIFIED of flying. Last time I flew had to be about.....maybe 10 years ago. So naturally, I look at my husband thinking he'd have sympathy for me and asked if we could drive. That didn't go over so well, mind you he drives for a living sooo I kind of expected it. And also driving with a 2 year old is not ideal in our case. So, I put my big girl pants on and bought the plane tickets. While crying of course (not really). I was so excited that JJ was going to meet my grandmother for the first time, then came a couple days before the flight....
So, we took off on Thursday and the Monday before our flight comes and I am in full blown panic mode. I'm crying, I'm psyching myself out, I'm making every excuse not to go. I tell my husband I'm most nervous about JJ on the plane. Mind you this is his first time ever on a plane, and you ALWAYS hear those horror stories about how people feel when a baby cries the entire flight...yeah, I was terrified that kid was going to be my kid. The entire week before our trip I was engulfed with anxiety. Barely ate, always crying, a wreck really. So the night before I was packing JJ's diaper bag and I literally put anything and everything I could possibly think of to keep this kid occupied. My husband even bought Youtube premium for his iPad so he didn't have a heart attack when the commercials came on. The morning of came, 3 am is not ideal to wake up a 2 year old. Just in case you were wondering.
We get to the airport, oh did we get to the airport...So my husband, me & my son drove our own car and my parents and my sister's family went in my parents car. We get there and the guy's let the girls out (and the babies) to get checked in while they park the car. My mother and my son are very close, he adores his grandmother. So i'm taking JJ out and he sees her and starts having a break down because she went inside to get in line. Now not only do I have a screaming baby, I have his diaper bag, our luggage, stroller AND I have to check in on this stupid kiosk thing. Thank goodness my sister was there because I was about to have a break down myself. So FINALLY JJ gets to his grandmother, the guys get in and we're all checked in. Let me tell you, you'd think this kid had bipolar because after that...HE WAS FINE! I wasn't but he was, and that's all that mattered.
*Just an fyi we used the gb Pockit+ All-Terrain Travel Stroller and that thing was a lifesaver, I'll post the link below.
So, we get on the plane. My mom, myself, my husband and JJ go on first because we have to get the car seat in. Bringing the carseat was probably the best thing we did. Everyone told us not to, that it's not worth it or it's ridiculous to lug around the airport. Well, we know our son and if he didn't have that seat he would of been up and down the aisle. In his carseat he knows he can't move and usually doesn't make a fuss. Before we got there we all agreed it would be best for JJ to sit next to my mom. 1. I'll be having my own anxiety attack and I didn't want that to rub off on him 2. He adores my mom and always wants to be next to her if she's around 3. I needed to be next to my husband to keep myself calm. This was also our first time flying together in 10 years we've been together. So I remember when being little take off and landing was the worst because my ears would hurt so bad. Before this trip we just had tubes put in JJ's ears so we were nervous about the pain for him. (Before you come for me we got the approval from his doctors to fly)
Our kid took this flight like a CHAMP! I was shocked! After take off, he literally just went to sleep for almost the whole flight! That was such a proud mom moment, no pain on take off or landing. Nothing. When we woke up my mom gave him one of his magic coloring books and he just chilled until we landed. He did way better than his own mother did. I was more than relieved when we landed. We spent the next couple days just relaxing and letting JJ meet some of his Florida family.
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Our flight home was a little different, we took a later flight so JJ was wide awake. He was still great on take off, he just loved looking out the window seeing what was outside. He spent most of the time on his iPad so I was thankful my husband downloaded Youtube premium. I however still was no better, but I do feel more comfortable to get back on a plane. And now I know what to expect with JJ on the plane, not saying every time he gets on a plane it may be as smooth as this trip but at least I know the take off and landing doesn't bother him.
*This is the stroller that we used, it was honestly a lifesaver. The gb Pockit+ stroller folds from a full sized umbrella stroller to a 13 x 16 square. It fit perfectly in the overhead compartment on the plane and it folds super easily. They even sell a cover that's a backpack!
Click on the picture to open the link <<
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