Thanks, United

Just as I had finished complaining about the mediocre experience we had with United, who doesn't have pre boarding for families with young children and seems riddled with overzealous, bordering on obnoxious, gate agents, our pilot popped out of the cockpit upon hearing Freddie's polite request for wings fall on deaf ears with the flight attendant.  

I'm sure the folks behind us waiting to deplane weren't too pleased with this type of costumer service that had two little boys and the bags blocking the aisle, but maybe one day when they have their little boys they'll get it.

Sitting in the cockpit soothed the whining brought on by predawn departures and long plane rides.  I have two happy little boys who would love to fly United again.

Down the Cape

Jessica is wearing a pair of my sunglasses, and people noticed.  And asked.

• Catching up
• Child free weekend
• Shopping
• Chats over coffee
• Chats over cocktails
• Beach margaritas 
• Scheming
• Sandy toes
• Chow-dah
• Sunshine
• Sleeping in
• Laughing
• Long uninterrupted meals
• Trashy television
• Late bedtimes
• Ice cream cones 
• People watching
• Planning

Niagara Falls

Gammie and Pudge were in town last week.  They rented a van to experience a road trip with this krewe!

Niagara Falls is one of those things I've always wanted to see, and living so close it felt like it had to be on the list of things we do while we're here.

The car ride was long, but painless.  It made us want a minivan more than ever.  It just feels as though there's ample air for everyone to breath in there, which is much needed as when Freddie's talking a mile a minute in our sedan it feels as though he's using up all of the oxygen!

The stops along the way were nice.  Freddie gets excited over picnic lunches and there was a kite to fly.

Niagara Falls was an interesting place, with lots of interesting people watching.  The number of international tourists there was astounding.  The falls are amazingly beautiful and powerful.  But after looking at the falls and riding The Maid of the Mist to get an idea of just how powerful they are, there's not much else to do, but the town has been built up to look something like a carnival. 

We enjoyed the sunshine and meals together and the hotel swimming pool.

And it wouldn't be a vacation for Freddie if he didn't have a Shirley Temple with every meal.  He's quite the connoisseur. 

Traveling with the boys

What could be worse than a teething stuffy nosed baby waking every two hours throughout the night and starting the day at 4.30 am because his bowels and biorhythms are stuck in the eastern time zone?

Doing that seven days in a row?  Yep, that's worse all right.

And now for the second straight night I have not one, but two, children screaming in the room next to me at 3.01am.  It can always be worse.

I can't wait to see what happens tomorrow night.

Travelling Man

Charlie made the last minute decision to bring the potty seat with us in his carry on. 

Denver International Airport, Concourse B

Thank goodness for family bathrooms in the airports...and hand sanitizer.  Freddie made it through the morning and the first 2.5 hour flight with a dry diaper, and Charlie was very impressed with the family bathrooms in O'Hare.  

He visited the family bathroom once arriving to the Denver airport as well and whooped it up in there as well.  Although not completely dry, he did pretty well for another long flight.  It probably had something to do with the fact that he slept for 2 hours on the plane.

That hasn't happened since he was an infant.  I was so thankful he recognized his sleepiness and took it upon himself to lie down and drift off to sleep.  It sure made that flight a lot easier.

Side note:  He wore a diaper today, all day, BUT the diaper remained dry all day long.  All deposits were made in the potty.  I sure hope this means he's making the transition to being able to wear clothing on his bottom half.

On the Road, Again

We were in Oklahoma for the weekend, visiting Charlie grandmother and Aunt Mary. Bug's a great traveller if you don't take into account the fact that the child does not sleep away from Bordeaux Street. He's got people to meet, places to go, and there is no time for sleep. Who are these kids I see sleeping in airports in their parents arms or lounged in their car seats in restaurants?

Charlie's grandmother talks to Bug
photo courtesy of Charlie's iphone

So needless to say, we are worn out...and I didn't take any pictures. Sigh. Bad mama.

Getting indoctrinated, Boomer Sooner
And loving GG's wooden spoon

But it was fun to spend some time hanging out in Oklahoma City, enjoying the cooler temperatures, sharing yummy meals, and watching football.

We are grounded until December, no flights, but we are cooking up a few road trips. Hours and hours in the car with the Bug shall be interesting!

On the road with Science Guy

We're in a teeny, tiny town in Vermont. Charlie's got a meeting of the minds to attend and I am tagging along. He's pretty involved talking shop, so I am out and about on my own for the most part.

What am I doing?

• Being thankful Charlie allows me to dress him. People watching around the conference is pretty darn good, but that's largely due to the fact that scientists are prime candidates for the TLC's What Not to Wear.
  
• Taking walks through the neighborhood, looking at flowers, finding four leafed clovers
  
• Avoiding conversations at the B&B and sitting on the porch reading The Kite Runner
• Meeting Charlie for meals
• Napping
• Wondering how on Earth I am ever going to be able to stick to this Weight Watchers thing
• Practicing map reading and planning excursions beyond the village