Up In The Air

On Tuesday this week, I did the unthinkable.  Nolin and I took our jet setting lifestyles on the road for a 28 hour 1600 mile overnighter.  What?!  Who in their right mind could think this would work out well?  We decided to surprise his uncle and show up for his birthday party.

I got the bags packed.  I timed Nolin’s feedings perfect, so that I could feed him just before we got on the airplane and finish up as the plane was taking off.  I had mentally prepared for anything and everything that we may encounter before we left.  This was going to be a perfect trip.

What I didn’t plan on was the reaction that I would receive from people as a “single” parent travelling with a baby.  I quickly learned that women don’t think a single father has any clue as to what he is doing when it comes to taking care of a child.  Most women I encountered felt a sort of pity for me, and wanted to help however they could.  They wanted to help with my bags, they offered advice on how to travel with an infant and how to carry a car seat, etc. Others questioned why his mother wouldn’t want to come on the trip with us.

 While I found most of it amusing and in good nature, I wanted to let them know that this wasn’t Nolin & I’s first rodeo when it came to flying.  I guess the only helpful advice I received was from the security screener as we walked through the scanner.  He told me that when I had a chance, I may want to check my zipper…awesome couldn’t one of the 20 other people before him have told me that? I had now been walking around the airport like an idiot for 30 minutes.  So maybe in my haste, I did forget a few things, but when it came to Nolin I was pretty set.

We made it to Virginia Beach with no problems (minus my attempt to air out).  As it turns out Nolin is an awesome travel companion (at least for now).  Grandma & Grandpa were definitely excited to see him.  I have learned that at this point, I am pretty much a second-rate citizen when Nolin is around because he gets all the attention, which is fine with me.

We made our way around Virginia Beach incognito, and finally made it to the party that evening.  I can honestly say that Uncle Hap was beyond shocked that we flew up for the party.  Nolin was a hit as I displayed the fact that I am not a very good bowler. 

We made our way home and after a day of flying and a night of partying, Nolin was a little off his schedule.  He didn’t fall asleep that night until 12:30, but then at 6:45 he was ready to party again.  I woke up to laughing and feet kicking, so I guess it wasn’t all bad, but as I got out of bed I thought seriously how do single parents do it?

We spent Wednesday hanging out with family and visiting a few people that we could squeeze in on our way to the airport before we flew back home.  Once again it was an easy flight, but this time I didn’t seem to get as much helpful advice as I made my way through the airport.

Nolin and I arrived back home around 9:30 that evening to a mom who had desperately missed her baby and was ecstatic to see him (apparently I was just the chauffeur).