Airplane Trip

When we pulled our our luggage for our trip too Alaska (6 weeks ago, I'm just a little late here) Jason saw Jonathan's backpack and asked "Mine?" Now of course we weren't going to give Jason Jonathan's backpack, that would have gone over like a lead balloon, so Jason and I headed out to find a backpack more his size. What we found was a super cute, appropriately sized Lightening McQueen backpack just big enough for diapers, wipes and a book. Ok, it actually would have held more but when we put more in it the weight pulled Jason over backward.
Jason was very happy to parade around the Spokane Airport with his backpack on his back. I love his puffed out chest and mischievous expression. I'm sure this was just before he bolted away from me! I envisioned him walking along with the rest of us through the Seattle Airport carrying his backpack and having a great time. Never mind that someone would have to carry his gigantic carseat since he had his own ticket, it was going to be a picture perfect trip. Of course we decided he was old enough that we didn't need a stroller. And he wouldn't have needed a stroller if all had gone to plan. I could end my story now. But things didn't go according to plan and I if I stop now y'all would miss out on a rather epic trip.

~We can laugh about this now but believe me, when this all went down NO ONE was laughing!~

The trip started out normally enough. We headed up to Spokane early enough to have a nice sit-down lunch with one of my best friends. The boys had HUGE helping of Macaroni and Cheese. After killing some time at the airport, because I'm my mother's daughter and arrived way to early, we got on our plane. We were traveling on a small jet that had a two seat on either side of the aisle configuration. So we were sitting two and two. Dan had made Jonathan mad going though security, and Jonathan is one to hold a grudge, so he asked to sit next to me. We sat down and Dan and Jason took their seats in the row behind us. I've never been so glad that Jonathan was mad at Dad! You see just as they began pushing the plane back, you know when its too late to get out of your seat for ANYTHING, I hear Jason throw-up. Remember that HUGE lunch he ate. Yeah it was all over him, his car seat, his backpack, Dan's backpack, and Dan's shoes. Of course I couldn't get up to help him, and I don't do puke anyway, and Dan couldn't take Jason out to clean him up because we were taxiing to take off. All we could do was clean up the best we could with wipes and try to ignore the smell. Jason preceded to throw-up three more times before we landed in Seattle. And of course this was the first time EVER since Jonathan was born that I haven't traveled with at least one set of extra clothes. Thank you Murphy and your laws!

Once we deplaned in Seattle Dan started cleaning Jason, the carseat, and himself as best he could while Jonathan and I searched the airport for some sort of change for Jason. There were plenty of shirts in the airport; Seattle shirts, Boeing shirts, Mariners shirts, generic Washington shirts, but absolutely NO pants to be found. We needed pants. The only pair of pants we found, in Jason's size, was part of a $40 pajama+socks set. I practically cried as I spent $40 on something we already had in our luggage. By the time we got all cleaned up we had just enough time to scarf some dinner and race to our gate. But remember now we have a sick kid who isn't strong enough to walk, a 4-year-old who doesn't want to run to our gate and isn't getting the concept that the plane actually WILL leave without us, a huge carseat, and NO stroller. So Dan carried Jason and ran ahead so they would know we were coming while I carried the carseat and dragged Jonathan along. We were quite the sight racing through the D concourse of the Seattle Airport. The whole time we were walking Jonathan was talking about how excited he was to watch Bolt on the airplane. Some sweet passerby, must have been a mom, told Jonathan "Ya know Bolt runs really fast. Can you run fast like Bolt?" I wish I could find her and thank her because that got him moving and we FINALLY made it to our gate.

Needless to say we were very tired and worn out by the time we got to Fairbanks, but we will NEVER forget this trip!