Who says you can't go home?

Last weekend, we went home to visit my family in TN.  We took Holt on his first plane ride.  Aside from a 10 minute meltdown on the return flight, he did pretty darn good.  I was pleasantly surprised at how nice and accomodating the people at the airport (and I'm talking employees, not other travelers!) were.  I was even able to wear him in the Baby K'Tan through security!  At the end of the post, I'll give you my tips for flying with an infant.

In the mean time, put your seat backs and tray tables in the upright position and enjoy the flight through the pictures that I'll let do most of the talking! (wow, that was a really bad attempt at a pun, or whatever...)



 

H is sitting in his seat like a big boy!  He really didn't sit there.  We held him.  We just put him here while we put our stuff in the overhead bin and got settled.

We timed his bottles to where he'd be eating upon take off.  Then, he fell sound asleep after.  I'm talking about the baby, not the husband...

 

 

 

Sweet baby cousins!! Unfortunately this cousin was more interested in hitting H than loving on him.  LOL  He was also fascinated with his hair.  My other nephew LOVES H.  My brother and the boys were meeting us for lunch and he got in the car and asked my nephew M was he was doing and he said "going to see Hote!" (pronounced like tote with an H)  And all weekend, he'd follow us around wanting to see what "Hote" was doing.  He'd even steal toys from his brother to give to H.  So stinkin sweet! 

 

 

 

As you can see from the above pictures, his hair was a bit of a hot mess.  So, since my SIL is a hair dresser, we asked her to cut it for us.  Since the only hair long enough is right on top of his head, he now has a natural mohawk thing happening...  You can see M's little leg in the bottom of the left picture, always interested in what Hote is doing!

 

 

Me and sweet nephew M.  I just love that little nugget!  He is so sweet and so funny.  I miss those nephews like crazy and hate that I live so far away from them!

 

 

Tips and tricks for traveling with an infant:

 

First of all, the most freaked out people about an infant on a plane are the infant's parents.  Rarely do people care as much as you think they will.  In fact, on the flight to TN a nice lady offered to have us sit in her row (we flew Southwest, where boarding is similar to The Hunger Games).

 

Get to the airport early.  We got there with about an hour and a half to spare.  We checked our suitcase (I got all 3 of us packed in one suitcase.  I am awesome!) and our car seat and base.

 

Be ready to put your stroller through the security belt thing.  We have a Britax B-Agile and it's insanely easy to fold.  That's why we brought our full size stroller.

 

Don't sit in the front row.  We did this since the nice lady asked.  But, we couldn't have any bags with us, so I was left to awkwardly hold his bottle, our water bottle, his toys, his burp cloth, and a blanket, plus my phone and Nook.  It was less than comfortable.

 

Feed during take off.  I read this helps with the ears during pressure changes.  However, he did fine during landings without even a paci, so perhaps this is best determined on a kid by kid basis.

 

Don't freak out!  We were far more worried about it that necessary.  It was so much easier than I thought it would be.  Granted, we had a domestic flight with no layovers and the flight itself was just over an hour.  I'll check back if I ever fly cross country with a 30 min layover....





6 months

Holy crap, how on earth is my little nugget already half a year old?!  Where on earth has the time gone?  It's the strangest thing, it seems like just yesterday he was born but at the same time I can't remember my life without him in it.  Very strange stuff.

brand new to 5 months

 

He has such a fun personality.  He is all smiley and happy.  When I pick him up from the sitter's he grins and grins at me then buries his face in my neck.  He talks and talks and talks some more.  He's started to say dadadadada which my husband loves.  I just keep telling him that the da is easier to say than the ma.  Not to mention he has no idea what that means!  Perhaps I'm just jealous...

He's finally gaining some weight.  He's up 4 lbs since his 4 month check up.  He's at 17 lbs 14 oz (56%) and 27 inches long (69%).  His head is finally evening out.  He's still in the 90's percentile wise (93%) but the rate at wich it's growing has slowed.  Looks like he's just going to have a big noggin.  It's cause he's so smart!



Loves

His bouncy.  This kid loves that thing.  He jumps so high and just squeals while he's in there.
His highchair.  After dinner, I wheel him into the living room and he just hangs out in there.  And he loves the rolling to the living room part.  He thinks its hilarious

Being tickled.  He giggles the sweetest little giggles when I tickle him

His momma.  He's becoming a bit of a mommas boy and I kind of love it

 

Doesn't Love

Still getting lotioned after a bath.  He hasn't quite realized that lotion does not equal hot acid

Being on his back.  He is constantly trying to roll over on his belly!

 

 









 

 

 

He sits up on his own regularly and does it well.  He's up on all fours and rocking, but still hasn't crawled just yet.  He's still going strong on foods.  He's quite the little piggy and I love it.  I gave him mashed potatoes last weekend and he made the cutest little digusted face.  He's so funny.

Sweet little boo,

How has time gone by so fast?  I fall more and more in love with you every day.  I love watching your little personality develop and see who you're becoming.  You make us laugh all the time with your huge smile.  You talk and talk to us and will respond if we ask you questions.  You let us know when you love or hate something.  Very opinionated, just like your momma.  You're quite the little goof, just like your daddy.  And you've developed into quite the little flirt.  Also just like your daddy!  We are having so much fun with you and love you so much we can't stand it!

Love, Momma

Today I am thankful

This week, a dear friend of mine had to deliver her baby at 16 weeks.  She is very obviously devastated at the loss of their sweet boy.  After hearing her news, I immediately had the primal physical urge to hold and squeeze my sweet boy.

I started to do some self reflection.  It's so easy to get caught up in the day to day frustrations and complications of life.  For me, a huge part of that for so long was struggling to become a mother.  It was a huge part of my life for so long.  And, one that I still struggle to come to terms with each day.  I tend to let myself think that I don't take motherhood for granted after that struggle.  But, on the hard days, when H just won't quit fussing or I'm cleaning spit up off myself for the millionth time, it's so easy to give into the frustration.  But, this week, I have been very aware of just how lucky I am.

 



 

 



I am so lucky that I got to have my baby.  So many women still struggle to have their child.  Some, like my friend, don't get to take their baby home.  Sure, I had to work really hard and go through more than I would have liked to have him.  But, I did.  And he's perfect and smart and healthy and funny and pretty much the cutest thing I have ever seen in my entire life.  I am lucky that I have a husband who I love and who loves me.  He is an amazing father to our son.  Do we have our issues?  Sure.  Who doesn't?  But, we're happy. We have a good, no great, life together.  Sure, we could have more money or a bigger house or better cars or whatever.  But, we have a good life.

 

 

 



 



So, today I am thankful for all that I have.  I will try to remember my thankfulness when I get frustrated that H won't stop crying or when B leaves his shoes laying around.  I will try to hold onto it when I feel stressed about money or the house or my job.  I will remember that I am so incredibly blessed.