Planes, Trains, and Automobiles: Traveling to Texas

A fully solo adventure in flying with baby!  After our last trip I made a few minor modifications to my system and I was prepared as I could be.

Still, it was a rough journey.  Much like every thing so far with parenting, it seemed impossible to survive another second during the trip, and in retrospect doesn't seem that bad.  I suppose that explains why after landing in DFW and swearing to Gavin there was NO way I was getting back on a plane with Colin, I flew home 10 days later!

To be fair, it wasn't horrible.  Colin didn't scream the entire trip or have ear pain, or any of the things that probably immediately come to your head when I talk about a difficult flight with a baby, but it was exhausting.  Keeping him entertained and happy in the 2 square feet assigned to each coach passanger was one of the most tiring things I've ever done.  I think my mistake was spending so much time and energy trying to get the child to sleep.  Colin loves action and he won't close his eyes and risk missing it.  I think it may have been easier for both of us if I'd given up on the sleep route and focused more on playing and entertaining him.

On our flight there, I was in a middle seat.  It.Was.Miserable.  I was sandwhiched between two other solo flying passengers.  Colin thought kicking, poking and prodding said passangers was a good pass time.  So I had to keep him primarily upright for the entire flight.  Nursing was nearly impossible and he gulped down all of the emergency forumla in about 15 minutes...I did pay to guarantee an aisle seat for my return flight which was still not ideal, but much better.  I was also seated with a father and his son (about 4) which was much easier.

Colin kicking back at the airport 'bar'

I thought the airport naviagation would be the difficult part, but that was simple.  I had a good system for getting all of the stuff loaded, unloaded, through security and onto the plane.

Once we arrived, Colin was a trooper about his lack of routine. We didn't have much a schedule to adhere to, so I just feed him when he was hungry and put him down when he seemed tired.  For the most part it worked out well.  Nights were a bit more difficult than at home, especially at my sister's house where Daddy had to walk him around in the stroller for a while each night, but overall, he did really well.

We spent the first part of our trip in the dorm.  We then spent a few days at a Homewood Suites (which was awesome!) before heading down to my sister's house.  The homewood suites was similar to the dorm in layout but without the walk in closet (aka baby bedroom).  It was also slightly less convienet because the bathroom was in the bedroom.  After baby went to sleep, we ended up using the lobby bathroom rather than risking waking him.

The trip to New Braunfels went fairly well.  The car was completely loaded down, but Colin slept most of the trip (a little over 3 and a half hours).  I did have to wedge myself into the backseat for the last half hour of our journey to keep the melting down to a minimum.

Auntie Cheryl's house

A very special thanks to Auntie Cheryl for opening her house for us.  I know from experience going from your normal routine to having kids around can be quite overwhelming.  Thank you so much for sharing your home and showing us your world!  It was so much fun getting to hang out with Auntie Cheryl and meet her doggie Ani.  We miss you already!

By the way, if you are wondering where the train from the title fits in, it was a short jaunt between terminals as bustling DFW airport. :)

Overall, we had a survivable travel expereince, but there is no place like home!