Make no bones about it, traveling with a tot is hard work and while you were an absolute trouper on our trip, I was a mess!
I had a melt down at LAX before even boarding the plane. I discovered that I only had five, count ’em, FIVE diapers for the entire trip to Italy. I hadn’t taken into account our two hour lay over in Paris followed by our 90 minute flight to Florence. I had planned to take an additional five out of the suitcase before checking it and then promptly completely forgot. After checking one sundries store with no luck, I began to cry. Of course, why on earth would diapers be available for sale at the airport? There are too many sizes and not enough shelf space to hold them all and what kind of mother wouldn’t pack enough for an international flight? It’s not like forgetting your toothbrush. This ding bat, that’s who! Mercifully, we found a package of 10 at a cart vendor, of all places by our gate. Whew! That was a close one. What’s so funny now, is that you didn’t need more than the original five I had. Oh well, better safe than sorry.
You were great on the flight after you finally settled down. You recently discovered that you can scream, so you did that for about an hour making your dad and I both want to pull our hair out and then crashed and slept the rest of the way, waking up once to eat and then playing for the last 45 minutes or so.
It took you two nightmarish nights to get on the right time zone, but that was to be expected. You were resilient each day, as we bundled you up in your stroller and walked the bumpy cobble-stoned streets of Florence. You’d sleep a little, take in the sights, pose and smile sweetly for photos and flirt shamelessly with anyone that paid any sort of attention to you.
Half way though our trip, the cold that I had been trying to fight off for a week prior to our trip finally got the best of me and landed me in bed for a day and a half. This provided some great bonding time for you and your dad, but nothing but pure misery for me. One does not go to Europe to be sick in a hotel room should be one of the Ten Commandments.
I powered through on our last day and we had a great time taking the train to visit Pisa and the leaning tower and to Lucca, famous for its intact Renaissance-era city walls and home of your great, great grandparents.
The flight home was especially hard on me. Nasal congestion, sinus pressure and body aches don’t mix well with altitude and cramped seating. I was in tears as we landed in Paris and then again in LA. My ears still haven’t popped. You, on the other hand, aside from the brief screaming outbursts, were once again awesome!
You really were the perfect traveling companion and your dad and I are so grateful. We loved having you in Italy with us. I am also so thankful for your dad’s help because without it, I don’t know how I would have been able to care for you on my own feeling as crummy as I do. You will be accompanying me to the doctor’s office today because my over-the-counter remedies just aren’t cutting it.
The best is yet to be and I’m looking forward to feeling better soon.
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I am so sorry the traveling part of the trip was so miserable for you. And the diaper fiasco!? Damn! Thats awful Tonya! You seriously need to give yourself a break! That was a harmless mistake. Mothers forget important things like diapers all the time! It will get easier. I know that it will.
Lucas has definitely been experiencing all the time zones, huh? All he needs now is to go to the east coast! Haha! JK! Leave that big trip for awhile! Haha
Love u lots and I hope to perhaps be apart of Lucas' next big trip! : )