Two for the Show

Yesterday was hard. There was a parade of friends and many tearful goodbyes. Lots of promises to keep in touch and reminders of plans already made for camping and Fogo and A&M at NE and piggybacking off of work trips; all of which better happen or I will be incredibly sad. When the day was done and night was starting to leave too, I finally lay down and slept.

I didn’t sleep well. Instead I dreamed of scenarios where I left the stroller in the car or got yelled at by TSA agents or overslept and missed my flight. When Gideon woke up at 2:30 I was sure that last one had come true, but I was fine, of course, and nodded back off until my phone buzzed at 4:30 on the nose.

By 6:30 we were out the door. Following a quick Starbucks run (we figured we’d better use that gift card while we were still in the Big D because Scooters holds our hearts in Omaha). I videoed us leaving and intended to video again once we got to the airport, but by then the stress of the day had woven knots into my belly and my temple was starting to pound. The two checked bags weighed in at 45lbs and 47lbs. (That was some killer packing, Kim!) Thank you.

Jud lugged them both over to the checked luggage area where they confirmed in record time that I did not have explosives, weapons, woodland creatures or a kidney stowed in either bag. Nope. Just the base of a car seat, the boppy, baby wipes, all of the clothes that currently fit me, all of the clothes that currently fit Gideon and toiletries that were destined to leak everywhere.

Off we went to the security line where Gideon was extracted from the car seat and inserted into the Hotsling. Jud kissed us both and sent us off to make it through the bizarre world where the TSA rule. Two fellow travelers helped me with the stroller and the car seat while I removed my shoes and grabbed the bag that held all of the gels, liquids and creams I remembered to remove from the diaper bag. One of the TSA/SS agents was all up in my grill about if I’d removed all of aforementioned potential contraband. I thought I had, but did you know that the baby’s butt cream should be included in that little ziploc? Yeah. I forgot.

Off to the secondary screening line, but at least allowed to wear my shoes, the new TSA agent did the worst possible bag examination I could imagine (possibly because he realizes that frazzled new moms don’t have time to think of terror plots, unless you count diaper eruptions at thirty thousand feet, colic in confined spaces or babies that refuse to eat while ascending and then have eardrums that split wide open. If that counts, than they’d better start stopping every woman with a diaper bag, for terror is all she knows).

Once all the way through security, following a short bathroom break, I stopped at the counter of gate 39 and asked for some help loading the car seat/stroller combo. They helped. Eventually, we boarded. All the while, Gideon slept (and I thanked God for all of your prayers on our behalf).

I sat down in my window seat right next to the engine and prayed that no one would sit next to me. They didn’t. As we pulled away from the gate, Gideon stirred, filled his diaper and ate. He ate until we reached altitude and slept the rest of the way. It’s a good thing he doesn’t care that much about poopy diapers because I waited until we’d landed in Omaha to change him.

Just as some sweet older ladies were helping me with the stroller, Poppi appeared and saved the day. Gideon was crying by this point and as soon as Poppi snuggled him, he was fine. Bags loaded in the car and the car seat securely fastened, we took off for Bellevue to see Grandma. She paraded the baby all around the bank (it’s not a bank! I know, but it’s just easier) and he got in a little snack there too.

Back to the house and more time to eat. We ate and then talked with Rebecca and Sarah. Poppi came home from work and we drove him back to Eppley. Now he’s in Dallas and we are here, relaxing in the central air, lounging in the leather chair and I’m propping my feet up on a dachshund. Gideon? He’s with Grandma.