Why do people travel with kids????

We had a fabulous trip to Oaxaca, Mexico. Please note the use of the word trip..., because it was very much that rather than a vacation, but we enjoyed it all the same. Travel is so hard on the little ones. It throws their complete schedules into disarray. Naps are missed, meals are forgotten and candy is used as a bribe for them to follow you in crowded places. These things and others combine to allow for huge melt downs at random times and in random places. It's a wonder that children ever travel. It was, however, so good to see Grandma and Grandpa O. Mason and Maya LOVED spending time with them and getting lots of hugs, kisses and snuggles from them.Mason was enthralled with the planes. He sat here in the Salt lake airport completely still for what seemed like ever just watching the planes. The kids over all did well on the flight down. We flew from Salt Lake to Houston. Then Houston to Oaxaca. We about missed our connecting flight in Houston due to a late departure in Salt Lake. We had 20 minutes upon landing to take a train.., get across the entire airport and get to our departure gate.., we made it in 18 minutes flat. I believe that could be a record with 2 kids under 2. Maya's little ears hurt on the final decent into Oaxaca.., but besides that.., it was fairly smooth.

I should have know the return flight would not go so smoothly when our day started out with the security guard in Oaxaca yelling at me not to take pictures. Really??? The Oaxacan Airport is that worried about photos? Dan is amongst the people if you can't tell.
Our flight from Oaxaca to Mexico City was HORRIBLE..., due to a HORRIBLE flight attendant. The plane was arranged with 2 seats on one side, an aisle and then 3 seats on the other side. We were given the 2 seats on the one side and then the aisle seat on the 3 seat side. We didn't think much about it and switched with a couple sitting in the 3 seat side so we could all be next to each other. Within minutes of doing so, the flight attendant tells us we're in the wrong seats.., we explain to her we switched with the couple and she says we couldn't do that because the baby cannot be seated on that side of the plane because it was a safety violation. I thought for sure she was joking. One side of the plane is safer than the other??? Are you kidding me??? The man that was sitting in the middle seat of the 3 seat side was rather large.., thus not allowing my broad shouldered husband to sit by him. So, I had to sit on the side with 3 seats and then Dan sits with the kids on the 2 seat side.., because we all now know it's the safer side. Mason was having a hard time settling down since this is all taking place during his nap time and his is still awake. I pull him across the aisle and put him on my lap to help him calm down while we are waiting to take off. The flight attendant comes through the cabin for one last check and once again tells me that my baby cannot sit on that side. I then get up, cross the aisle and sit next to Dan with Mason on my lap. The flight attendant comes back yet again and tells us we can't do that either because there's only 2 oxygen masks? That doesn't make sense? What about Maya who's already sitting on her dad's lap? She's okay with out an oxygen mask.., but Mason is a concern? I didn't get it. I put Mason in the sit next to his dad and sat across the aisle in my seat. Mason is seriously hysterical by now. I feel so bad for my over tired baby. I'm trying to hold his hand to help and sing to him.., but nothing is helping. Dan is at the same time trying to deal with Maya and get her situated. We take off.., Mason screaming at the top of his lungs and can barely breath because he's screaming so loudly. After having all I could of my baby boy screaming for his mom just inches from me and not being able to hold him.., I unbuckled him and put him on my lap.., and yes.., this was during the initial climb leaving the airport. He was asleep in under 5 minutes...., out cold! The flight attendant who was sitting in the jump seat facing the passengers became unglued and threw her hands up in the air in disgust. 'Once the fasten seat sign had been turned off and it was safe to move about the cabin, the flight attendant came to Dan.., not me..., but Dan..., and told him if I didn't put Mason back in his seat then we would have to return to Oaxaca because it was a safety violation. Never mind the fact that the flight to Mexico City was 45 minutes and we were already 30 minutes in to the flight. Go ahead.., turn around was my thought.., but my rational, level-headed husband obliged her repeated request for he did not want to visit me in a Mexican jail. Thankfully.., Mason stayed asleep. Seriously though.., the kid is 23 months. He could have flown for free and sat on my lap, then what would they have done..., but we decided to do the ticket for him for extra room. It shouldn't have been such a huge deal for a kid to sit on his mom's lap. I had to take a picture to remember this glorious event. What a joke! And..., the kicker is.., we never did find out why that 3 seat side of the plane was such a hazard to the babies.

The rest of the trip was filled with body fluids from both kids.., from both ends...., as well as trying to change Mason, who had blown out his diaper for the second time that day, in an airplane restroom with no changing table. It was interesting to say the least. We arrived to Salt Lake with Mason in just a diaper and Maya in just a onesie. It was true Mexican style.

Mason;s face pretty much says it all...., we were all very much done by midnight when Aunt Ruth and Ramsey picked us up a the airport.

So, we're back home..., safe and sound, but sick. The kids had doctor's appointments this afternoon. Mason is trying get over travels diarrhea and Maya has a 'horrible' double ear infection as her doctor put it. We do have lots of pictures and stories to post from our trip and are excited to share them with you all