The Flight.

So we have been here a few days now, and I can already tell you that our time is going to go by too fast.  I can already say, I wish we had more time.  I mean when you go three years between visits that’s bound to be the case.  There are people that want to see you and family that wants to spend time with you…and let’s be honest they also want to meet the newest addition to the family.

Even when we booked the flights I don’t think we realized just how fast our time would go.  And when we were on the plane enroute to Dublin, I was wishing the hours and minutes away. So ready to get off the plane! 

Traveling with a baby isn’t terrible, it’s just extremely different than flying without one and a little more interesting.   First you have security, which I already slightly despise to begin with. You have to take off all your clothes – well your shoes, your sweater, jacket, etc, your watch, your scarf, your belt.  And add a baby to the mix, and all of that is just a bit more complicated. 

I had brought magazines and my kindle, and I had hopes of watching movies and closing my eyes.  Think again right?  This little man loves to grab everything….he was grabbing my magazines, my kindle, my food, my coffee, my hair, my scarf, etc…I think you get the point.

The first flight was only 3.5 hours – a breeze if you ask me.  We let him sit on the floor and play with toys – ew germs right?  To be honest, I didn’t care at that point, I just wanted my lap back. 

And the layover in Chicago was an hour or so, which was just fine.  It was the flight from Chicago to Dublin that I was really nervous about as that flight was 6.5 hours.  And I don't know about you all, but I have been on flights where babies have been wailing the majority of the flight, and that my friends was my worst nightmare.  I mean I know Jack is a fairly sensible child and rather calm, but throw extreme exhaustion into the mix with a confined space and a limited play area, and you just may have a recipe for disaster.

If I'm  honest, he did just fine.  He fussed a little, which was expected, but what wasn't expected was the fact that he didn't sleep at all.  And I spent the entire time - at least 2/3 of our flight trying to get him to sleep.  Waste of time? Probably?  

We had a little bed for him that was basically a cardboard box hanging off the bulkhead, but we didn't get much use out of it.  However, it was nice to have a place to put him that was somewhere other than my lap seeing as that little bundle tucked up next to me, as fantastic as it was, just made me sticky and sweaty.  But the bed did make watching movies and eating meals a little tricky seeing as my meal tray only unfolded halfway and our little screens came up from our seats, which were blocked by the bed. I did manage to watch one movie as I was rather determined to at least watch one.

Anyhow, we finally arrived in Dublin, and we were greeted by Jack's grandparents (the in-laws) and so began our journey up north to Belfast!

All in all it wasn't a disastrous experience, not necessarily one I will look forward to with great anticipation, but not one I will necessarily dread, which is good right?  Just realizing that the whole travel experience is extremely different with a baby and not quite as relaxing as it is when you travel without one.  And I also realized that he doesn't need all the extra things I packed for him - like extra clothes, and all the toys - so my carry on bag for the both of us will be a little lighter on our journey home.

Greetings from Belfast,

Malia