Posting has been light this week--the kids and I are in New Jersey! Its not a vacation without a medical emergency; this vacation so far we have had two allergic reactions and an asthma attack. As I was dealing with allergic reaction number two, Greg walked in to Grandma's house and said "Ahhhh...home sweet home."
Yes, agreed, New Jersey is home sweet home. If only home sweet home were not 3000 miles from where my medical insurance considers providers in-network. (And yes, I find it funny that my oldest child considers North Jersey to be home sweet home.)
In any event, we are having a lovely time, even though we miss the Mister. I know I have said this before recently, but I am really enjoying having "older" children...or at least children who are no longer in diapers and don't nap. No, really. I find it so much easier to do fun stuff with this crowd, as opposed to last year, when I was carrying four hundred pounds of stuff while traveling and rushing to be home at the appropriate nap time. My aching back also likes these older children.
For this trip, I was able to leave all the car seats home. My inlaws have a set of car seats, so there was no need for me to carry three car seats plus our luggage plus my kids plus entertainment backpacks plus a million other things in the airport. I checked our suitcase, and each child had a small backpack packed with entertainment and food for the plane. That was it--one small bag per person. It was so much easier.
We had a connection, and on the second flight, the kids played video games and watched the ipad for the first hour, then slept the rest of the flight. It was--and I do not want to jinx myself for the flight home--the easiest trip I have taken with the kids so far. As we got off the plane, a woman in the row next to us stopped me and said "I just want to let you know you are doing a wonderful job--your kids are so well behaved!"
This has never happened to me before. I assure you that no one has ever complimented me on my parenting, especially not on airplanes. I have, on previous airplane travels, been subjected to the stink-eye, stares of pity, and have been on the receiving end of unsolicited parenting advice.
I refrained from pointing out that my kids slept for 75% of the flight, and accepted the compliment with a hearty "THANK YOU" and told the kids "did you hear that? That lady said you had great behavior! This means you were using your good manners! Excellent job!"
If you have young children, let me assure you that traveling with them will be much easier when they are old enough to watch videos and play videogames for four hours straight.
Please, universe, do not make the trip home horrendous to punish me for my hubris in accepting compliments on my parenting.
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I leave you with a small project I did right before we left. I bought a plain white tailored bedskirt and some gold and white greek key trim that I attached with hemming tape.
I hope you all had a lovely Fourth of July. I'll be back to posting next Wednesday when we get home.
Yes, agreed, New Jersey is home sweet home. If only home sweet home were not 3000 miles from where my medical insurance considers providers in-network. (And yes, I find it funny that my oldest child considers North Jersey to be home sweet home.)
In any event, we are having a lovely time, even though we miss the Mister. I know I have said this before recently, but I am really enjoying having "older" children...or at least children who are no longer in diapers and don't nap. No, really. I find it so much easier to do fun stuff with this crowd, as opposed to last year, when I was carrying four hundred pounds of stuff while traveling and rushing to be home at the appropriate nap time. My aching back also likes these older children.
For this trip, I was able to leave all the car seats home. My inlaws have a set of car seats, so there was no need for me to carry three car seats plus our luggage plus my kids plus entertainment backpacks plus a million other things in the airport. I checked our suitcase, and each child had a small backpack packed with entertainment and food for the plane. That was it--one small bag per person. It was so much easier.
We had a connection, and on the second flight, the kids played video games and watched the ipad for the first hour, then slept the rest of the flight. It was--and I do not want to jinx myself for the flight home--the easiest trip I have taken with the kids so far. As we got off the plane, a woman in the row next to us stopped me and said "I just want to let you know you are doing a wonderful job--your kids are so well behaved!"
This has never happened to me before. I assure you that no one has ever complimented me on my parenting, especially not on airplanes. I have, on previous airplane travels, been subjected to the stink-eye, stares of pity, and have been on the receiving end of unsolicited parenting advice.
I refrained from pointing out that my kids slept for 75% of the flight, and accepted the compliment with a hearty "THANK YOU" and told the kids "did you hear that? That lady said you had great behavior! This means you were using your good manners! Excellent job!"
If you have young children, let me assure you that traveling with them will be much easier when they are old enough to watch videos and play videogames for four hours straight.
Please, universe, do not make the trip home horrendous to punish me for my hubris in accepting compliments on my parenting.
************
I leave you with a small project I did right before we left. I bought a plain white tailored bedskirt and some gold and white greek key trim that I attached with hemming tape.
I hope you all had a lovely Fourth of July. I'll be back to posting next Wednesday when we get home.
Cute! Such a lovely, subtle accent!
ReplyDeleteThis is the first summer that I am not a slave to naptime. My youngest naps when he needs it at this point, but he can certainly go without it and man does it make a day at the beach easier!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the rest of your trip and good luck on the flight home. The bedskirt is great.
Hubris? Hardly! You are doing a great job and smart to reinforce to your kids that they are doing a good job using their manners. We need more parents doing this--I am usually the one on a plane with the kid kicking my seat and a parent who does nothing to stop such poor behavior. Enjoy your time in New Jersey; my husband is from Englewood, so I spent many weekends out that way. A great day trip is NYBG if you haven't been - lots of activities for kids.
ReplyDeleteYay for smooth plane rides with children! It is so strange that people expect and believe parents can "control" their very young children (under age 3) at all times. As if we carry magic wands. I wish! We can try our best, but there is no guarantee our methods will work. Duh.
ReplyDeleteI had an unsolicited, negative flight comment experience recently with some rude woman (wearing a fugly bracelet that 1997 called and wanted back) lecturing me because my 2.5 year old cried on the descent because her ears hurt. Luckily, a very kind woman in the row behind me came to my defense and told the rude woman to STFU and said "It's not this lady's fault you forgot to bring earplugs and did ask to be reseated when you saw you were seated by a toddler." Amen! ;)
gah, I mean 'did NOT ask to be reseated.' Sorry the memory of her fugly bracelet and muffin top is hampering my ability to communicate!
ReplyDeleteI ant that greek key trim! Seriously, I have been dreaming about it. My mom had that exact trim on a lamp she made in the mid-sixties. I love how it coordinates ith the malm dresser trim too. Make me giddy.
ReplyDeleteHere's crossing my fingers you haven't jinxed the flight home! Funny how people forget that a kid's behaviour is not merely the reflection of one's parenting skills! But I'd happily take the compliment too. It was kind.
The trim is from JoAnn's, in their ribbon aisle. (Do they have JoAnn's in Canada?)
ReplyDeleteOh yes, the bedskirt trim is fab! I dread my first flight with the baby. I don't know if it will ever happen, honestly. So stressful!
ReplyDeleteThe bedskirt re-do is fabulous! and enjoy those babies! They do grow up fast ...
ReplyDelete