Our First Trip!!

We took our first cross-country trip with M. We went to visit Grandma & Grandpa. We were gone for 5 days, although 2 days were travel days- so it felt like a much shorter visit (Aug 28-Sept 2). It was an exciting trip for so many reasons: it was M's 1st plane ride, and of course seeing the grandparents, and ALSO John's brother with his son were both there- so Maletch and I got to meet them for the first time (and John hadn't seen them in several years). So that was really AWESOME!
There is so much to tell about our adventure: with many high points and unfortunately some low ones too. It's hard to know where to even start?

I guess I'll start from the beginning: John and I were concerned about traveling with M. We worried since he bores so easily and always wants to spread out and play- that he would have a difficult time being confined and having to sit still so long- it was a 13 hour trip from door-to-door (not even counting the time change) this included driving to/from airports and a 3 hour layover in Atlanta. We also heard from EVERYBODY (lots of people that fly frequently) that babies this age either sleep the whole time or cry. Of course we were hoping he would sleep (although we doubted it since he doesn't take many long naps) so we feared/ expected the crying option. We were so delightfully surprised that he did NEITHER- he stayed awake nearly the entire trip and had the best time checking out everything and talking to everybody. That boy was NOT going to sleep because he was NOT going to miss A THING! It was a real pleasure! We found that he travels better than his mommy- HEHE! I just had a rough time with the uncomfortable seats and all the walking, etc- but I was entirely over-joyed with the experience!

We were invited into the cockpit and M got to wear the Captain's hat! The pilot actually took these pictures.

It was funny the number of faces you could see as we would board each flight with M- so many people looked upset that we were bringing a baby on board. In fact I even heard comments from some, "Oh great, we're stuck next to a baby!"
We were approached by so many people (after all 4 flights) that felt compelled to tell us how "good our baby is" many would go on and on about flights with other babies. Of course we were proud of M.

We brought his Pack and Play on the trip and set it up in the Airport during the layover- so he could have a chance to spread out and play. He loved it and everyone that walked by laughed or commented at the "playpen in the airport." Many people said either they wished that was available when their kids were younger and the ones that had small kids said they will be doing that next time- so we may have started a trend.

Maletch made many friends along the way!

Unfortunately Maletch got sick with stomach trouble the day before we left, so that made the trip a little more difficult. He needed his diaper changed very often- like every 15 minutes on the plane (we had a 5 hour flight, a 3 hour layover, then another 3 hour flight). Changing a baby on a plane is no easy task either- you all know how tiny the bathroom is to begin with- well the changing station (if you can call it that) is a flop down wooden shelf that is like 1 foot by 2 feet, and of course has no padding. So needless to say that is not enough room to work anyway- AND when you add in an upset baby (for having to lay on that)- you're in for a heck of a time. AND no sooner did we finish his diaper and get back to our seat- Maletch would "go again." Poor baby! Then his bottom started getting raw from it and it burned every time he went too! I felt so sorry- and I was worried about what the heck was wrong to begin with and that we were going far away from his doctor (without having been checked out first).

Maletch's illness persisted to get worse the entire trip although he remained a trooper. I was on the phone with his doctor the first night and we ended up having to take him to the Emergency Room while we were there. What really amazed and impressed John and I was that through all his discomfort- he still didn't cry or fuss on the trip- except for the wiping- because his bottom was so raw- but as soon as that part was over- he was so good! He never cried and behaved like his normal self with chronic diarrhea & a raw bottom, vomitting, a fever, and a very bad ear infection (which went undiagnosed and untreated until we got home- because the ER Dr. did not look in his ears). John and I suspected his ear was bothering him because he was constantly grabbing and rubbing it. The day we got home, his doctor looked in his ear and said, "Whoa- it's so infected and dark in his right ear I can't even see inside!" John and I felt terrible that we had took him on 4 planes with all the elevation changes and pressure on his ear drum- that must have been so painful.

Unfortunately worrying about him and taking care of his extra needs during that time- did have an impact on the visiting we got to do with everyone. Maletch was up all night during the travel night, then up all night the second night very sick, so he ended up getting his days and nights switched while we were there.

So, sadly we were up with him when everyone else was sleeping and we slept during the days. It felt like we didn't get to spend hardly any time with everyone (certainly, not nearly as much as we would have liked.)

Grandpa (known by EVERYONE as "Pops") comforted Maletch after they had to draw his blood. He was upset with Pops like- "Hey, how come you let that lady hurt me? You're supposed to protect me! I thought you had my back!" Maletch sobbed afterward and Pops said, "Aaww his feelings are hurt!" Then Pops soothed him and he was happy again!

Maletch sure gave the nurse (while trying to take his blood) a hard time too. He was wrestling and fighting her to get away. It took several of us to restrain him. Then Maletch turned around after she "stuck him" and gave the nurse the dirtiest look (with such a grown up expression). We all had a good laugh and I think we all felt a little worse for Maletch at the same time because he was very aware of what was happening. The funny part was he was very aware of who was doing it to him. The lady felt so bad she almost couldn't finish the job because of the way he was looking at her.

It was such a pleasure meeting them! His brother not only looks so much like J, but he is like him in so many ways too- so we really hit it off! I was most impressed with what a great father he is! It is obvious enough anyway, but it really shows in his son! His son is 9 years old and such a great kid- I told J, I wanted to take him home with us! M just loved his cousin too! What is crazy is that with all of the Aunts and Uncles- M met the one that lives the furthest away- first- go figure huh?

Maletch & Miguel

Cousins & buddies!

Chillin' with Grandma!

Cousins, Pops, & the "Dang Dog" haha- that toy drives John and I nuts! Maletch loves that thing- so we don't have the heart to get rid of it.

Grandma and Grandpa borrowed an awesome activity center for Maletch to play in while we were there.

Maletch's Milestones:

As many of you know- Maletch has been "mobile" or at least "semi-mobile" since he was only a few weeks old (and no I don't mean just rolling over). He could actually scoot to where ever he wanted to go (some might call it "creeping"). He just traveled slowly and he got faster as he got older. Just before he turned 4 months he had graduated to crawling like a "stink-bug" with his legs straight and his butt sticking up in the air. Just to give you an idea, he could get across a room (4-6 feet) in approx 1-2 minutes. Although many would probably say that he was actually "crawling" then- I'm so conservative, so I was reserving the term "crawling" for when he would learn to crawl "conventionally."

Once we got to their house (which is huge)- he had lots more room to explore- and he was determined to figure out a faster way to get places.

He figured out how to crawl (conventionally), but he started out only going in reverse. And for going forward he learned to leap like a frog (at first). It was so cute! So everyday while we were there I would spread out his toys in a large circle (of 5 feet in diameter or larger) and he would leap forward and grab a toy then crawl (holding his toy) in reverse and take it back to his starting point- it was very entertaining.

He had a few "first milestones" while we were there- he also mastered sitting up from a crawling position. By the end of the trip he was switching off between leaping and crawling for going forward. He was "officially" crawling just before his 6 month old birthday which was the day we left to come home- so that just made the trip so special (and what a treat for the Grandparents too!) Since we've been home he's hit the ground (and everything in sight) 100 mph!