We have a lot of family down there and I'm happy to say we were able to spend some time with all of them, though not as much time as we would have liked!
This is by no means representative of our entire trip but here are a few photos from my camera. The rest are in our Photo Album.
At the Tampa Aquarium, Chase got up close and personal with the fish:
...and made use of a park there:
Jen and Ryan had a lot of fun together on the swings:
We also were able to introduce Chase to his only living great-grandparent, Great-Grandma Paine:
We also spent time with Brian's Uncle Carl & Aunt Elaine, cousin Jason and his wife Glenne (and their adorable son, Smith) and his Uncle Rodney & Aunt Carol. Unfortunately I don't have photos with them but I'm hoping they share some of the ones they took (and if/when they do, I'll add them to our Photo Album).
Chase and I had an OK trip back. It's hard traveling with a kid by yourself! I missed the extra set of hands, definitely. We had a connecting flight and the first flight was a tough one. You know, I love that people love my son, but when you're trying to get your kid to sleep it's the most frustrating thing in the world to have people come up and try to play with him.
He fell in love with a flight attendant on the first flight. I mean, he fell in LOVE. She came up and said hi to him when we first boarded the plane and the minute she walked away he started to cry. So as I tried to get him to sleep the entire flight I constantly prayed she wouldn't walk by. But of course every time he started to get comfortable on my shoulder, there she was.... "Hi, cutie!" His head would pop up and he would smile and lo and behold, she would walk away (because I guess they have other things to do than entertain my son), and he would cry and crane his entire body around to try to see her. So then I would calm him down and get him relaxed, almost ready to drift off to sleep again, and then BAM! She was back. We went through that cycle over and over and over again the entire flight. Needless to say on the 2nd flight he was passed out before we even left the ground. PHEW.
When we got back to Chicago we dug our coats and hats out of our suitcase and started the trek to my car. Let me tell you, carrying a 23 pound child on your hip while pulling a 50 pound suitcase with a diaper bag over your shoulder that feels like you filled it with rocks is NOT an easy task... especially when you didn't plan your son's outfit very well and dressed him in a slippery jogging pants outfit. I have no idea how I did it. Seriously.
Anyway, it was so nice to get out of the cold Chicago weather, if only for a few days. Next time we need to go for a longer period of time!
2 comments:
I so don't envy lugging all that out of the airport! And I totally know what you mean about the nylon pants...everytime I put my 28 lb Jacob in them, I think "never again" as he slides off my hip. yet, I never learn. ha!
I have to laugh because I've recently done the flying alone with a kid thing - it's just stressful! I'm trying to find a sitter for Liam my next long girls' weekend just because of the long flight.
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