Alex and I just returned from a trip to Toronto. I won't call it a vacation; traveling alone with a 4.5 month old is FAR from a vacation.
I woke up on the morning of our flight out of Vancouver with major butterflies. I remembered flying with Owen at the same age and it was no picnic, and that was with Nick.
The well-planned car nap on the way to the airport did not happen - not a good start to the trip. Things just got worse from there...
Nick and Owen got us and our luggage checked-in and left us at security. Alex was in her stroller, which I would be checking at the gate. They made me fold it to go through the x-ray machine and somehow it came out the other side squished up in a way that made it impossible to open. The security woman was holding Alex while I desperately tried to open the damn thing. No luck. I had 3 security men try to help. No luck. I asked if Nick could come in and do it since he and Owen were still in the airport. They wouldn't let him through security, but they did bring the stroller out to him and he successfully opened it.
When we arrived in Hamilton it is such a small airport that you exit right onto the tarmac. So, I have Alex in one arm and 2 pieces of carry-on in the other, trying to climb down that narrow flight of stairs. The man behind me took pity on me (or was in a hurry) and carried down my bags. The stroller was waiting on the tarmac - squished.
With Alex in my arms, I kicked it and fought with it. Some other man took pity on me and helped me to finally get it open.
So I'm pushing the stroller with the carry-on bags inside, Alex in my arms, contemplating how I will also get the two large bags I have checked. Plus, I need to get the rental car.
Planning ahead, I had rented a car seat so I have one less thing to carry. But of course, they won't install it - liability issues. So, I've got Alex in the Trekker as I try to install a rear facing car seat into a PT Cruiser!! I won't even begin to describe how clean (not) the car seat is.
Finally, I've got all the bags and the baby in the car. I've managed to get the stroller in without fully folding it so I can open it again. I've got my map to the hotel in Hamilton. We're on our way.
Phew!! I'm exhausted already and the trip has just begun!!
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Tara, what kind of stroller do you have???
ReplyDeleteHad.... I ditched it in Toronto. I bought it from Nancy - it never really opened and closed well to begin with...
ReplyDeleteI have to say Tara, you are lucky you GOT the car seat at all. I reserved a car seat (two, actually) for when we went to Niagara Falls. When we got there, they didnt have the car seat for Abby- only the one for Danny. They said the car seats were "first come, first serve." There we were, sitting in a rent-a-car place with two kids and one car seat; to make matters worse, we stayed at a hotel farther away from the falls because we knew we were renting a car......
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