Well, we made it back in one piece…that much I can say. We attempted a second trip home with Rome, including our second round of flights. We went home to attend one of Travis’ friend’s weddings and also to let the rest of Travis’ side of the family to meet Rome. We also, especially after our flight there, broke the news that we would not be coming home for Christmas this year. I know, I know…we say that every year, but this year we are standing strong. Come one, come all to Colorado! We’d love to have you! But alas, Rome’s 1st Christmas will be spent in our cozy little home as a family. For as much as this child has traveled in his first 3 months of life (and one more trip home planned this month), I’m afraid our dreams of him someday loving to travel might be warped by the continual packing/unpacking, loading/unloading that we have already subjected him to. Orrrr, maybe it’s just that I’m the one that’s tired, but that’s OK because now I have the power to say: “because I’m the Mom and I say so”.
Now that the bad news is out of the way, on to…well, more bad news. Our second set of flights with Rome was less than par. It’s okay though, because I learned a valuable lesson to laugh things off instead of possibly acting a fool in public. Travis always said that having Rome would teach me patience, a virtue that God simply forgot to stick in my basket. Well, he was right. I do feel much more calm and rational in hectic situations, even though I might be crying inside. Before I get to the actual flight story, though, I must mention that we have already apologized to Rome for the fact that his wellbeing might someday be compromised due to our inability to pay full price for…anything! So, as we were booking these flights on thrifty Southwest Airlines, we of course had to choose the “wanna get away” steal-of-a-deal for a 6AM flight (that’s right, with an infant) on the way there and a 6PM layover flight (that’s right, with an infant) on the way back. I mean, what other choice was there?
[Enter 4AM scene, set at home, alarm going off]. I had just fallen back asleep from my middle-of-the-night feeding (yeah, the sleeping through the night thing went away). The alarm clock goes off and I go into “day of flight” mode. I jump out of bed, get myself ready, wake Travis up, gather all of our bags and do a double and triple check. I tried my best to not wake Rome up. Instead, I kept him in his PJ’s and his arms swaddled and slipped him into the car seat. So far, so good. Around 4:20 or so, we load up and get on the road. After much debate, we decided that just in case the airport is busy, the most efficient way to do things was to have Travis drive up and drop Rome and me with bags at the curbside check and he go park the car and then meet us at security. So, we did just that. I was feeling good and all I could think about now was that latte I was going to treat myself to before we got on the plane. Then...I walked inside the airport.
You would have thought that President Obama, Big Foot and the Rolling Stones (credit Andrew Voris) had flown in. There were people everywhere! Who the heck flies at 5AM?!? Apparently I’m missing something. At least we didn’t have to check luggage inside. The line was epic. I trot on down to security to find just as long of a line there. By now, it’s a bit after 5AM. I ask the security guard how long he thinks it would take to get through the line and he said about 25 minutes. That would put me through just about the time they would start boarding, but I still have to take a train to the concourse. I was supposed to wait on Travis, but I just couldn’t. I hopped in line and called Travis to tell him he’d have to butt in line when he got there, of which did not amuse him. I said I didn’t care and I would be the crazy lady with a baby that threatened people if they didn’t let him through. Anywho, he was almost there and I was at the end of the line…big deal! So, I wait about 3 minutes and call him again (I swear, I’ve learned patience).
“Where are you”?
“In line”.
“Which line, I can’t find you”?
“Security line, what stores are by you”?
“I don’t know, an ice cream store, a bar, souvenirs”.
“Uhhhhhhh”.
Um yeah, we were in separate security lines! So, there goes any of my reasoning for flying this early. I had said that I didn’t care what time he booked it because I would have help this time. Wrong again. Oh well, moving on. So, we go through separate security lines, involving me having to take off the baby carrier, thus having a stranger hold my baby...TWICE, and did I mention that Travis had my breast milk in his carry on? Ha! I thought there was no way they would let a man (seemingly) traveling alone to go through security with breast milk! I wish I could have taped that conversation. Anyway, he ended up getting through with it and I had a very nice stranger hold my baby.
So, I get on the train and call Travis. He was already through and at the terminal. I told him to pick me up a latte and meet me at the gate. He obliged. As I get to the top of the escalator, they are calling our flight number over the intercom for last chance to board. We made it…barely. I get on and save Travis a seat across the aisle from me. Aaaaahhhhhh! Sitting down has never felt so good. I closed my eyes and relished in my newfound comfort. And after about 5 seconds of feeling good, I felt something hot all over my stomach. I look down at Rome and he had the same feeling of euphoria that I just described on his face.
Pee. Everywhere. This is where instead of tears, I mustered up a big ‘ol laugh. And NO, I’m not finished.
Travis gets on finally and sits down. As soon as he does, I hand over Rome and ask him to change his diaper and clothes. He was sitting by a family with a small child, so I knew they would understand. He happily does so and I try my best to clean myself up. Now that Rome is awake, he’s hungry and he started to let everyone know. I get him back and start feeding him and as I do so, I feel yet another uncomfortable, wet feeling. Apparently in all the riff-raff my other boob pad had shifted and I was now leaking breast milk onto my shirt. Lots of it. My shirt is now a completely different color than what I started with. Oh well, I thought. I will be carrying a baby so no one will see it. Where the hell is my latte???
What shouldn’t come as a surprise at this point is that apparently McD’s was not serving lattes today! I learned to like black coffee. A LOT!
The rest of the flight was actually okay. After I fed Rome, I had Travis hold him and he slept almost the entire flight. He looked so precious and peaceful, I couldn’t help but forget about all the madness. I couldn’t wait for everyone to see him!
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| Sorry about the pee, Mom! |
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| Aaaaahhhhh.... |
The rest of the trip home was great as well. We had lunch with Travis’ aunt and uncle and visited with Rome’s Great Grandma Dunbar and Great Grandpa Bostic. Then we went to meet Aunt Kadi and Cousin Niema. We had a BBQ at Dodd’s house and met up with some of Travis’ friends and their kids. I must say, the parties are different now that we are all having kids!
Saturday was Aaron’s (Travis’ high school friend) wedding. The wedding was great. We decided to take Rome so Travis’ friends could see him. Afterwards, we got a photo shoot in with Rome’s two new friends, Cash and Jorja. We headed back to Waverly to drop Rome off for the night. I still get anxious thinking about it. We left Rome (in good hands, of course) for the whole night so we could have a night out by ourselves. We don't get the luxury of taking our kids to Grandma and Grandpa's house, and they were happy to have him to themselves for once, of course! All said and done, it went fine. I woke up with a hop in my step ready to get back and see my son. I’ve never kissed him so much! I missed him dearly, and I probably won’t try that again for a while L.
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| The Happy Couple: Aaron and Katie Williams |
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| Miss Jorja and her boys! |
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| Mine! |
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| Me and Rome; Jannelle (minus Kalvin); Jannette and Jorja; and Mila and Cash |
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| Dressed up for the wedding |
On Sunday we had a BBQ at the Bostic’s. Rome met the rest of his first cousins: Zarius, Niema, Carter, Collin and Cayden and his second cousin, Nolan. Everyone had a blast. The “big” kids all played on the slip ‘n slide. It was HOT…again! We were lazy on Monday until we left to drive back to St. Louis. Getting on the plane this time was a breeze. It was the actual flying that didn’t go so hot. Because we had a layover, Rome’s ears had to adjust twice…something we obviously didn’t think of because we were too busy being cheap. That, and the fact that we were flying during his fussy time, right before bed, resulted in the loudest screaming I’ve ever heard come out of this kid. He was NOT happy. I felt terrible…for Rome and for the people around us. I found a way to muster up another laugh though. It was good birth control for the young chap sitting next to us!
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| Michelle, Nolan and Rome |
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| Rasta Grandma being funny |
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| Slip 'n Slide!!!! |
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| Grandpa Bostic and Rome |
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| Travis and Cayden |
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| Collin and Rome |
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| Nolan and Rome |
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| Great Grandma Dunbar |
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| Great Grandpa Bostic (we finally figured out where Rome gets his ears ;) |
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| Rome and Carter |
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| COUSINS! |
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| The Whole Clan |
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| All the Bostic Boys |
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| Nate, Kadi and Travis |
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| Michelle and Gabe with Nolan and Rome |
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| Ring Around the Rosy |
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| Cayden...AKA "mini-Nate" |
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| Zarius and Rome |
We made it into Denver and couldn’t wait to get home. It was almost 10PM by the time we were getting all of our luggage. Mom calls me and asks if Markus, our old exchange student from Switzerland, had called me yet. I said that no he hadn’t and I wasn’t expecting him until tomorrow anyway (he was traveling and stopping through Denver). She apologized and said that in fact they were planning on stopping by TONIGHT. Instead of a latte this time, all I could think about was my bed! I immediately picture my house a wreck and not ready for guests. Oh boy. Sure enough, they were waiting for us when we got home. They had traveled all day too, so needless to say, we were all exhausted! We had a nice visit with Markus and his friend Caroline while they were here. And even though I often say "I just want a boring day", I can't help but love my not-so-boring life!
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| At last...my bed! |
