meeting the great-grandparents
We finally flew to Pennsylvania to introduce Z to his great-grandparents, two great-aunts, and a great-uncle. Mission accomplished - and then some. Set of photos from Erie, PA.
Long ago in a galaxy far, far away, I went on a business trip. On the flight were screaming children and I wrote a science fiction story about an airplane that had a sound proof playroom. Parent Me thinks that it would be cool to have a playroom on the plane, but knows that Non-parent Me was annoyed.
Couple the thoughts that run through the mind of a childless road warrior with Z's determination to walk, talk, and climb when and where he wants, I was so nervous to travel with a 16-month-old that I almost didn't make the trip. Armed with advice from the Berkley Parents Network (BPN), I purchased 3 round trip tickets, booked a car, and reserved a dvd player with 5 children's movies....and we were off.
We left our house at 7 pm PDT to catch a red-eye to Detroit. Soon after we were in the air, Z was drifting to sleep as one of the other children on the flight started crying. The man sitting behind me griped, "I hope we don't have to listen to that for the next 4 hours." (If only the baby were in a sound proof chamber! :)
As predicted by the BPN, Z slept for the four hour flight. He woke when we landed in Detroit at 5 am EDT and happily played in the children's area during the layover. We landed in Erie around 11 am EDT where we were greeted by Z's great-grandma, great-grandpa, and Auntie M. They escorted us to Auntie M's B&B which was complete with a basket of toys and a high chair. We quickly settled into our downstairs apartment. J and Z took a nap then we headed over to the G's for an amazing dinner of roast, potatoes, and corn cooked in a tomato sauce canned from their garden. Despite the lack of sleep, Z stayed up until midnight.
We were moving slowly on Friday, so we didn't do too much - a trip to WalMart and playing/working in Auntie M's yard. We picked asparagus from the G's garden and ate it for dinner. I cooked risotto. Aunt D and Uncle B joined us. We took some photos.
Saturday we were a bit more adventurous, we met Auntie M at the Edinboro Highland Games. Z danced to the Celtic music played by a group of college-age kids from Michigan. During nap time, Auntie M and I headed over to the G's for happy hour. Grandma walked me around the yard retelling the history of each plant - the lilacs that came from the farm she grew up on, the pine that came from a friend who survived cancer, the walnut tree that they started from seed, the highbush cranberries that were "this high" five year ago. It's no wonder I'm a master gardener, yet I know nothing compared to these two who have been growing vegetables, trees, and flowers longer than I've been alive.
After happy hour (a glass of wine and some chips), the four of us played euchre - grandma and grandpa against me and Auntie M. I was intimidated! Grandma took two hands on her own. G&G won the first game and were winning the second when we called it to eat dinner.
Sunday grandpa fixed pancakes for breakfast then gave us a tractor ride around the property - and we were having so much fun that we went around a second time. Z enjoyed "driving" the tractor, the lawnmower, and our rental car. He splashed in rain puddles. It was the first time I had seen him do that - I don't know if he learned about it at daycare or figured it out right then. Regardless, he stomped in every puddle on the driveway. He gave grandpa several high fives - we all giggled.
We headed back to Auntie M's for naptime. Soon after, folks showed up for happy hour and dominoes, then ate the pizza I'd made, then finished up the game of dominoes.
Our trip home is a sidenote to the whole experience - the lasting impression is the time spent with family - but I tell it at length because it makes me laugh.
Monday, we were up at 4:30 am, checked out of the B&B by 5, and to the airport by 5:30. We boarded the plane at 6 then promptly deplaned around 6:30...still in Erie. We finally left Erie around 10:30 and should have been getting off of the plane around 11:15, but sat in the plane a few feet away from the gate while they prepared it.
At 11:50, we were at the far end of concourse C and were booked on a 12:20 flight leaving from the far end of the concourse A. We started talking about a hotel room in Detroit, but since it seemed like it was everyone's first day at NorthWorst airlines, figured the flight was probably delayed.
And, it was. One of my conditions for this trip was that J fly with us to provide backup and moral support. Plus, I spent the extra money to buy a seat for Z. I made sure that our seats were nicely lined up in a row for every single one of our flights....but that was when I made the reservations several weeks ago.
We arrived at the gate after seats have been assigned and first class has boarded. One of the flight attendants negotiated 2 seats together then strapped Z's car seat into the window seat. A grandfatherly type was sitting in the aisle seat refusing to budge. J asked him, "you'd rather sit by my 16 month old?" The man said, "yes." So, I put said-16 month old screaming into his car seat and hoped the volume would make the middle seat the more attractive option. He didn't budge.
Z settled into his carseat with a cookie and I heard J - two rows back - tell our sad tale. Moments later he was letting us know that the rows behind him offered to switch.
I felt a little spoiled as Z fell asleep and J and I relaxed with a snack, a beer, and a movie on the portable dvd player - but you get what you paid for, right?
Z's demeanor continues to amaze me. For the most part, we saw a curious kid who rolls with the punches. I was disappointed that he was crabby the first couple of nights we hung out with the family, but he needed time to catch up on sleep and give his first molars a chance to break through the gums (ya - great timing!).
We are blessed - with a beautiful child, wonderful family, the opportunity to travel.
Long ago in a galaxy far, far away, I went on a business trip. On the flight were screaming children and I wrote a science fiction story about an airplane that had a sound proof playroom. Parent Me thinks that it would be cool to have a playroom on the plane, but knows that Non-parent Me was annoyed.
Couple the thoughts that run through the mind of a childless road warrior with Z's determination to walk, talk, and climb when and where he wants, I was so nervous to travel with a 16-month-old that I almost didn't make the trip. Armed with advice from the Berkley Parents Network (BPN), I purchased 3 round trip tickets, booked a car, and reserved a dvd player with 5 children's movies....and we were off.
We left our house at 7 pm PDT to catch a red-eye to Detroit. Soon after we were in the air, Z was drifting to sleep as one of the other children on the flight started crying. The man sitting behind me griped, "I hope we don't have to listen to that for the next 4 hours." (If only the baby were in a sound proof chamber! :)
As predicted by the BPN, Z slept for the four hour flight. He woke when we landed in Detroit at 5 am EDT and happily played in the children's area during the layover. We landed in Erie around 11 am EDT where we were greeted by Z's great-grandma, great-grandpa, and Auntie M. They escorted us to Auntie M's B&B which was complete with a basket of toys and a high chair. We quickly settled into our downstairs apartment. J and Z took a nap then we headed over to the G's for an amazing dinner of roast, potatoes, and corn cooked in a tomato sauce canned from their garden. Despite the lack of sleep, Z stayed up until midnight.
We were moving slowly on Friday, so we didn't do too much - a trip to WalMart and playing/working in Auntie M's yard. We picked asparagus from the G's garden and ate it for dinner. I cooked risotto. Aunt D and Uncle B joined us. We took some photos.
Saturday we were a bit more adventurous, we met Auntie M at the Edinboro Highland Games. Z danced to the Celtic music played by a group of college-age kids from Michigan. During nap time, Auntie M and I headed over to the G's for happy hour. Grandma walked me around the yard retelling the history of each plant - the lilacs that came from the farm she grew up on, the pine that came from a friend who survived cancer, the walnut tree that they started from seed, the highbush cranberries that were "this high" five year ago. It's no wonder I'm a master gardener, yet I know nothing compared to these two who have been growing vegetables, trees, and flowers longer than I've been alive.
After happy hour (a glass of wine and some chips), the four of us played euchre - grandma and grandpa against me and Auntie M. I was intimidated! Grandma took two hands on her own. G&G won the first game and were winning the second when we called it to eat dinner.
Sunday grandpa fixed pancakes for breakfast then gave us a tractor ride around the property - and we were having so much fun that we went around a second time. Z enjoyed "driving" the tractor, the lawnmower, and our rental car. He splashed in rain puddles. It was the first time I had seen him do that - I don't know if he learned about it at daycare or figured it out right then. Regardless, he stomped in every puddle on the driveway. He gave grandpa several high fives - we all giggled.
We headed back to Auntie M's for naptime. Soon after, folks showed up for happy hour and dominoes, then ate the pizza I'd made, then finished up the game of dominoes.
Our trip home is a sidenote to the whole experience - the lasting impression is the time spent with family - but I tell it at length because it makes me laugh.
Monday, we were up at 4:30 am, checked out of the B&B by 5, and to the airport by 5:30. We boarded the plane at 6 then promptly deplaned around 6:30...still in Erie. We finally left Erie around 10:30 and should have been getting off of the plane around 11:15, but sat in the plane a few feet away from the gate while they prepared it.
At 11:50, we were at the far end of concourse C and were booked on a 12:20 flight leaving from the far end of the concourse A. We started talking about a hotel room in Detroit, but since it seemed like it was everyone's first day at NorthWorst airlines, figured the flight was probably delayed.
And, it was. One of my conditions for this trip was that J fly with us to provide backup and moral support. Plus, I spent the extra money to buy a seat for Z. I made sure that our seats were nicely lined up in a row for every single one of our flights....but that was when I made the reservations several weeks ago.
We arrived at the gate after seats have been assigned and first class has boarded. One of the flight attendants negotiated 2 seats together then strapped Z's car seat into the window seat. A grandfatherly type was sitting in the aisle seat refusing to budge. J asked him, "you'd rather sit by my 16 month old?" The man said, "yes." So, I put said-16 month old screaming into his car seat and hoped the volume would make the middle seat the more attractive option. He didn't budge.
Z settled into his carseat with a cookie and I heard J - two rows back - tell our sad tale. Moments later he was letting us know that the rows behind him offered to switch.
I felt a little spoiled as Z fell asleep and J and I relaxed with a snack, a beer, and a movie on the portable dvd player - but you get what you paid for, right?
Z's demeanor continues to amaze me. For the most part, we saw a curious kid who rolls with the punches. I was disappointed that he was crabby the first couple of nights we hung out with the family, but he needed time to catch up on sleep and give his first molars a chance to break through the gums (ya - great timing!).
We are blessed - with a beautiful child, wonderful family, the opportunity to travel.
Labels: family, great-grandparents, traveling
posted by sp1ral at 9:57 PM
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