don't judge

My magical post about going to Lake Burton for our last week of vacation will come this week full of a million pictures I took but first....

You know that feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when you lose your keys or you cannot find your check card?  Well magnify those feelings by 10 and that is how I felt as joined a handful of people at the Houston International Airport who became Olympic sprinters to make our connecting flight. 

Our day started at 4AM east coast time... we left for the Atlanta airport, said our good-byes, got through security without having to strip naked, arrived at our gate in decent time, boarded the plane where we had an entire row to ourselves so Izzy could crawl around as she please..... this is where our story turns sour.  Just as I think we are about to take off we are delayed on the runway because of storms just outside of Houston. 30 minutes pass and we finally lift off into the big blue sky heading home. 

 This little nap lasted only 20 minutes after take off.  :(

Just as we are about to land the pilot explains that we will fly around Houston and enter in from the west side. Well this is when Izzy's beef taco decides to tear up her stomach and make a run for it out the back door.  As the stench fills the back of the plane I am wondering if we will land soon.  ONE HOUR later Izzy is still in her dirty diaper, the seat belt light is STILL on, and we are thinking about landing.  The flight attendant assures those who are making connecting flights will have no trouble since those flights have been delayed as well. 

She was WRONG.  As I sprinted to our next gate after being the last ones off the first flight and waiting for my stroller, we made it just in time.  Well actually the lady said they already closed the gate but would allow me to go in.  Do you see my child?!? Can't you smell her?!?  You better let me on that plane or this is not going to go over well.  As I walk on the plane, people are staring, they can smell my child as I pass each row, they can see I'm one sweaty mess because I dressed for 60 degree weather in Monterey instead of 100 degree weather in Texas and I am frazzled.  Don't judge.  As I make my way to the back of the plane, again, I realize the window seat that I chose in a timely manner online when I checked in has turned into a middle seat with people on either side of me.  This will be fun.  With my head held high I swiped my credit card to pay the $7.99 price to watch unlimited TV Nick Jr. the entire flight.  Don't judge, you will thank me later when my kid is quite.  So there Izzy and I sat sandwiched between a teenager and a very tall lady for another hour and half before the seatbelt sign turned off so that I could FINALLY change my daughter's poopy diaper.  The rest of the flight was good then by the grace of God, Izzy fell asleep in my arms.  I enjoyed a little guilty pleasure, 16 and Pregnant, thank you MTV.  Don't judge.  Then The Beast woke up.  Boy was she pissed when she realized she was STILL on a plane.  I got the stares as my child release the inner demon for all to hear.  Then I did what any great mom would do... I fed her mini M&M's.  Again, don't judge.  The evil spirit left her little body and she was once again my sweet, sticky, girl. 

We are finally home with Chris.  We all took a very long and deserved nap.  It's good to be home but, once again, I cannot feel my feet. 

So if you are in the airport and you see a mother traveling alone with her infant.  Don't judge.  You have no idea what her story is and how it will go.