When we travel as a family, we often use frequent flyer miles, which doesn't always leave the best options as far as travel times. It's either the crack of dawn or late in the evening. I hate the crack of dawn...you're so tired the day you get there it's a complete waste. You can't sleep the night before you leave -anticipating the early morning departure...thinking about what you may be forgetting to pack. Then getting everyone up and to the airport on time. It's exhausting and stressful.
We take an evening flight this time, with a layover in Dallas. We are delayed leaving Austin and then rushed to the 2nd flight, eating fast food, or should I say gas food, along the way. Hurry up and wait! We get on the flight and start taxing out, only to return to the gate a few minutes later because of mechanical problems. Basically, we are being held hostage by the airline. Thank you very much!
We are already scheduled to arrive in D.C. at 1 a.m. Well..now that's been delayed till slightly after 2 a.m. Luckily, the flight is not full, so Blue and I have 3 seats to share. Red has 3 seats to himself in the same row across from us. Hubby...oh he's all alone in the emergency row behind us, totally oblivious to the cross talk and fighting that's been screamed across the isle between the two boys.
Hubby is alone that is until a boy, who I am sure has special needs (as he had little facial expression and was sitting there reading a book in German) moves up into one of the seats in Hubby's row just before take off. This kid (age 19) is farting up a storm...and this is before the air conditioner is cranked up to help circulate the air. My husband is sitting there discriminately covering his nose. I just laugh! Ha ha! That's what he gets for sticking me with the kids.
So the plane is about to land. We tell Red to put his shoes on. He refuses. He wants to watch the landing. Then he wants to watch all of the planes on the ground. When we park at the gate he is still sitting there looking at us with one shoe on. We get our things and leave him sitting there.
He yells, "So you guys don't care about me?" You're just going to leave me?"
"We care about you...that's why we told you to put your shoes on before we landed. You chose not to listen. See ya!"
A normal consequence for not listening when we tell you it's time to go, is that you get left behind. You're 15 years-old. I think it's about time you figure that out.
In the car on the way to the hotel, I have to play possum like I am asleep so that he will stop talking and asking questions. Everyone is completely tired and spent by this time. It's almost 3 a.m. (eastern).
We get to the hotel and then it's time for bed hopping. The plan is that Red is going to stay with his grandmother, who lives right down the street from where we are staying. But it's so late, that we can't take him over there. This means the boys will have to share space. This is not o.k. with Blue. He feels that he must sleep alone...in complete quiet and privacy at ALL times.
Blue would rather sleep in the bathroom on the floor than sleep next to his brother. He is ready to take couch cushions and blankets into the large bathroom to sleep. That is until his brother says, "Wait...I need to use the bathroom first."
"What number do you have to do?"
"Number 2."
OH NO! Now that's ruined. Blue is in tears. How can he sleep in a bathroom that his brother just used as a...well...bathroom?!
Hubby agrees to allow Blue to sleep in the king-size bed with me. He will share the part of the sectional couch while Red sleeps in the sleeper sofa. Even this is not o.k. with Blue. Mom may snore...or breathe too loud. Heaven forbid! I give him melatonin and a relaxation vitamin supplement. I rub his back gently through his tears and basically tell him he doesn't have much of a choice in the matter. We have to be flexible. Flexible??? What's that???
I tried to sleep as quietly as I could. Which means, I didn't sleep much at all. We have yet to leave this hotel room. The boys are still sleeping. Thank God!!!
As my friend says...Waaitresssss! Can you get me some Bailey's with that coffee?
Feel my pain??? Click the little TopMOMMY lady before you go!
We take an evening flight this time, with a layover in Dallas. We are delayed leaving Austin and then rushed to the 2nd flight, eating fast food, or should I say gas food, along the way. Hurry up and wait! We get on the flight and start taxing out, only to return to the gate a few minutes later because of mechanical problems. Basically, we are being held hostage by the airline. Thank you very much!
We are already scheduled to arrive in D.C. at 1 a.m. Well..now that's been delayed till slightly after 2 a.m. Luckily, the flight is not full, so Blue and I have 3 seats to share. Red has 3 seats to himself in the same row across from us. Hubby...oh he's all alone in the emergency row behind us, totally oblivious to the cross talk and fighting that's been screamed across the isle between the two boys.
Hubby is alone that is until a boy, who I am sure has special needs (as he had little facial expression and was sitting there reading a book in German) moves up into one of the seats in Hubby's row just before take off. This kid (age 19) is farting up a storm...and this is before the air conditioner is cranked up to help circulate the air. My husband is sitting there discriminately covering his nose. I just laugh! Ha ha! That's what he gets for sticking me with the kids.
So the plane is about to land. We tell Red to put his shoes on. He refuses. He wants to watch the landing. Then he wants to watch all of the planes on the ground. When we park at the gate he is still sitting there looking at us with one shoe on. We get our things and leave him sitting there.
He yells, "So you guys don't care about me?" You're just going to leave me?"
"We care about you...that's why we told you to put your shoes on before we landed. You chose not to listen. See ya!"
A normal consequence for not listening when we tell you it's time to go, is that you get left behind. You're 15 years-old. I think it's about time you figure that out.
In the car on the way to the hotel, I have to play possum like I am asleep so that he will stop talking and asking questions. Everyone is completely tired and spent by this time. It's almost 3 a.m. (eastern).
We get to the hotel and then it's time for bed hopping. The plan is that Red is going to stay with his grandmother, who lives right down the street from where we are staying. But it's so late, that we can't take him over there. This means the boys will have to share space. This is not o.k. with Blue. He feels that he must sleep alone...in complete quiet and privacy at ALL times.
Blue would rather sleep in the bathroom on the floor than sleep next to his brother. He is ready to take couch cushions and blankets into the large bathroom to sleep. That is until his brother says, "Wait...I need to use the bathroom first."
"What number do you have to do?"
"Number 2."
OH NO! Now that's ruined. Blue is in tears. How can he sleep in a bathroom that his brother just used as a...well...bathroom?!
Hubby agrees to allow Blue to sleep in the king-size bed with me. He will share the part of the sectional couch while Red sleeps in the sleeper sofa. Even this is not o.k. with Blue. Mom may snore...or breathe too loud. Heaven forbid! I give him melatonin and a relaxation vitamin supplement. I rub his back gently through his tears and basically tell him he doesn't have much of a choice in the matter. We have to be flexible. Flexible??? What's that???
I tried to sleep as quietly as I could. Which means, I didn't sleep much at all. We have yet to leave this hotel room. The boys are still sleeping. Thank God!!!
As my friend says...Waaitresssss! Can you get me some Bailey's with that coffee?
Feel my pain??? Click the little TopMOMMY lady before you go!
