We really enjoyed our trip to Palm Desert to visit my parents and family this year. We look forward to the break every year – only wish we could stay down there longer and enjoy it.
Getting ready to leave – she loved looking out the window
The flight down was great, besides being an early morning flight. This was Liv’s third flight, all have which been in first class. We have had the luck to upgrade with her. It was so nice because she had room to stand up and even sit and play during the flight down to Southern Cal. It is also very nice getting special attention from the stewardess – she would refill her sippy cup whenever and asked about snacks she would like, is was so very sweet of them. We even had people tell us how well she did when we were getting our luggage. If only we could have had the same experience on the way home. Sigh.
A little snooze before we landed
I will say that traveling with a one year old (almost 16 months to be exact) is challenging because you can’t reason with them yet. You just have to keep them entertained, moving and occupied. We had all sorts of things to entertain her; snacks galore, iPad loaded with games and a full season of Mickey Mouse Playhouse, new toys, stuffed animals and some of her books. They can only last so long when they are antsy though and cranky.
We were “those parents” on the way home. Livie had decided to wake up every morning in the desert at about 5:00 AM. She also decided it was best to wake up all through the night – so mom and dad, sleeping in the same room, didn’t get much sleep. It had caught up with all of us on the day we were heading home – we were all cranky, tired and in need of a full, normal night of sleep.
Little miss before the long flight home 
Jeff and the car seat strapped to his back – hehe
Matching comfy shoe attire!
We were in coach for the first time with her too, with no room. The people in front of us also reclined their seats, ugh. It was tight! This child can no longer be a lap child; good thing we will not be flying with her for quite some time and the next time she will be two so we will have to have her in her own seat.
She was just antsy and wanted to walk around and not be confined which just doesn’t work on a flight. For the first hour and 15 minutes we were sweating going back and forth with her trying to amuse her – we had three breakdowns of tantrums – completely horrifying for parents. I was just about to ask the gentleman next to me to let us out so I could walk the aisle with her and she finally fell asleep on me and slept for the remainder of the flight! We had to wake her up to get off the plane – Halleluiah!
Moral of the story, it is just a difficult age to fly if you don’t have room to move around! We made it and were thankful to be back in Seattle and close to being in our own beds that night and finally getting some much-needed sleep!
To be continued…post of the trip up next!
Traveling with a little one has got to be tough but it seems like you guys have it down.
oh my gosh…know how that goes girlfriend! I am NOT flying with Ellie as a lap child ever again. They are just way too big now. I try to fly southwest (because if there is an empty seat, you know it’s gonna be by the baby) or Alaska airlines (because those service reps are so darn nice to always hold an extra seat when they see a window and an aisle seat booked with the same last name and a lap child!) I’m glad you got some delicious sun while down there though!!!