First Plane Ride

Last Friday morning we embarked on our first airplane adventure as a family. WC had highly anticipated this day for the two weeks he'd known about it. A few months back he'd asked me if he could go on an airplane and I assured him that one day we would. Little did I know how soon that day would really be.

Getting through the security checkpoint was my main concern. In true, CJ, fashion he simply refused to cooperate with standing in line. He was all over the place, tried to swing from the "ropes" meant to keep the cattle in line. Somewhere, people in TSA jackets were watching and radioing to each other. I just knew that one of them would do something crazy in the middle of security and we'd end up locked down and masses of people around would be pissed. The last time I'd been searched in an airport was when I was 7 months pregnant with WC...so it only stood to reason it was time for another search. With all of our bags stuffed to the brim...I just knew it. Luckily It didn't come to fruition and we made it through security at BNA with as much ease as you can with pulling shoes & coats off of two children and ripping the security blanket away from the two year old, making them walk through a metal detector. The woman told CJ, his blanket would be waiting for him on the other side & he screamed his way through until it was returned. Why a blanket can't walk through the metal detector too, I don't know but it had to go through x-ray. 

WC & I had a conversation the night before regarding airport security and what to expect before we could get on the plane & a little reason why. The child wasn't alive for 9-11, so I didn't get into that part of it. Just a simple explanation that since a bunch of people have to sit in a confined space, up the air together, they make sure no one can carry anything on that will hurt anyone else. There simply are bad people out there. Not many...but there are. It seemed reasonable to him and he cooperated wonderfully.  

We enjoyed a nice breakfast at one of the restaurants afterwards. The excitement began to really build for the children when they saw airplanes sitting right outside the restaurant window.

After eating, we made our way the departure gate & found a nice little soft play area for small children. WC was too tall and he seemed bummed about it- but nothing in it looked like it would interest him for long. So Jay took him around and he watched some planes take off & land.

We were called to line up and board the plane. After we were seated, I took a picture of their first plane ride. Unfortunately it was cloudy when we took off, so WC didn't get the great view. But it didn't damper his excitement. And let me say that loading a Phinneas & Ferb episode & a childs movie on my ipod was one of (if not the) best idea(s) that Jay has ever had. They each took a headphone & watched. They were well occupied for the rest of ride until we had to put away the electronics.

I must admit, I was about as excited as they were. Not over going in a plane but what I knew would be waiting when we landed in PA.

 

                                                     To Be Continued...