First Family Vacation!

Linda & I took Evan on our first vacation as a family last Thursday! This was Evan's first time on a plane. I worried for weeks how he would do...whether he would cry and scream, or just chill out and relax. And wouldn't you know it...a few days before we were to leave, he comes down with his first cold...lots of coughing and sneezing...so that added to my worries. Thankfully, he was a trooper and did remarkably well. Here's a run down of what we did:

In preparation -

Linda and I (mostly Linda) got everything ready the night before; Truman dropped off at her sister's house, bags packed, diaper bag stocked, formula, toys, etc. This is our first rodeo, so we weren't sure what and how much to bring. We included an entire sleeve of diapers, three wet wipe travel containers (which wasn't enough...we had to buy more), a whole can of his formula, clothes and PJs and backups, some toys...and of course our crap. What was a great idea was bringing the Mommy Hook. We had got this as a shower present from one of Linda's coworkers and this was a huge help! We just clipped it on the stroller, attached our bags to it (and later as we were playing tourists, hooked Evan's diaper bag and even Linda's purse to it)...this took a lot of stress out of getting around with all these things through the airports. Before Evan, we both would scramble the morning of our flight to get everything ready and just dump clothes (hardly folding them) into two bags we could carryon. Those days are long gone... We now were having to check two bags (something I hate to do...but no way around it now)...but thankfully we flew Southwest where they don't charge for checked bags. Linda and I also disagreed on how we could get from the airport to the hotel and back. We flew into Baltimore, but were staying in Alexandria, Virginia. Before Evan, we would just grab our carryon bags, head down to the shuttle pick-up for the train station at BWI, grab the Amtrak or MARC to Washington DC's Union Station, then hop on the Metro to our destination. I figured with the checked bags, our carryons, Evan, his diaper bag, stroller and car seat...all of it would be too much. I begged Linda to consider an easier alternative. We finally agreed on the Super Shuttle. I'm so glad we did, Evan did great on the shuttle to the hotel...but coming back on Monday, he fussed and cried most of the way... I'd do it again though.

Thursday, September 16th -

Our flight left at 10:00am. Not knowing how much time we needed, we left for the airport at 8:30. We live about 30 minutes from KCI. Linda dropped me off at the curb with Evan, his stroller, car seat, diaper bag, a carryon bag and the two bags we were gonna check. This is were the Mommy Hook came in really handy. Got everything checked in, our boarding passes issued...I took Evan around to see some of my coworkers. Lots of them haven't seen him before except in pictures and on Facebook...and they all ogled over him. It's funny what one person sees, another person doesn't. I had one coworker comment that Evan definitely has Linda's eyes...then a few minutes later another coworker who wasn't present earlier commented that Evan definitely had my eyes.

We got through security...through the family lane... It wasn't as arduous as I thought. We just had to collapse the stroller, take out his bottles and all the liquids, take off our shoes, and proceed through. Quick and painless.

Evan was booked as our lap child, so we didn't have to buy him a ticket, and thankfully there were enough open seats that we could carryon his car seat and strap him into the window seat next to us. Therefore, between the three of us, we took up an entire row. When we finally got on the plane, and took off, we gave him a bottle to help with him equalize his ears. We timed his feedings around the time the plane would be in the air...and he did great! He slept on Linda's shoulder for about an hour, then woke up and I played with him to keep him occupied for the rest of the flight.

We landed in Baltimore 35 minutes earlier than scheduled and had to wait for a gate to open up for us to pull in...and not a peep out of Evan! As we waited in the jetway for our gate-checked stroller, we had several passengers who were on our plane comment on how well he did... Even better than the dog a few rows back from us that wouldn't stop yipping. When I got the stroller, Evan was needing a new diaper...so I took him to the restroom, and changed him...and yet another passenger from our flight told me that he was impressed at how well Evan did.

Got checked in for the Super Shuttle... An hour ride to our hotel with a few other drop offs for other passengers added in and we finally arrived at the Sheraton in Old Town.

Linda lived in Alexandria for 2 years before we were married...so this was her old stomping grounds. In Old Town, there is a great Irish pub called Pat Troy's. Best Irish food in the DC area...so we made a beeline for that since we both were starving. Linda had the Pot Pie...and I had the Shepherd's Pie (pictured).

We got back to the hotel and Linda invited a few of her old coworkers to meet us. They were excited to see Evan and brought us some great gifts from the House gift shop, including a sippy cup, "Future Member" onesie, pewter keepsake rattle and a Sophie teether. I never heard of the Sophie teether, but apparently it's some huge must-have!

Linda's coworkers were starving, so we headed down to the hotel restaurant and chatted... Linda and I had dessert, and her friends ordered real food. After a glass of wine, I called it a night and put Baby Boy to bed...Linda stayed down to catch up with her friends...

Friday, September 17th -

Linda & I wanted to take Little Man into Washington DC to get some pictures. We thought it would be fun to make Evan our "Roaming Gnome", similar to Travelocity's Roaming Gnome commercials. We hopped on the Metro with Evan for his first subway ride, got into DC, had coffee with Linda's old roommate, Ellen and her sister Rachel, then walked the National Mall towards the Capitol. I strapped Evan into the BabyBjorn, which he loves! Grabbed a picture of Evan as the Roaming Gnome in front of the Capitol...

We were interested in seeing the new Capitol Visitor's Center so we ventured over that way. While it's very impressive, we didn't have much time to see all they had to offer due to us meeting up with another one of Linda's old coworkers, Matt, for lunch at Union Station. The Roaming Gnome was spotted in front of the Supreme Court...then we walked to Union Station. Grabbed lunch with Matt at B. Smith...Linda and I had a great crab burger, then walked back over to the Capitol with Matt. Went to see Linda's friends again at her old office, chatted a bit... Linda had worn her flip flops and they had begun to cut into the top of her feet...so more sightseeing was out of the question... We headed back to the hotel to relax a bit and get ready for dinner with Ellen & Chad.

Ellen picked us up at our hotel and we headed back to her house. Her sister, Rachel, and brother-in-law, Paul, offered to watch Evan for a few hours while Ellen, Chad, Linda & I had a nice dinner. We dropped Evan off at Rachel & Paul's, had a few drinks, then over to Carlyle in Shirlington for dinner. Great company, great conversation, great food, and a bottle of wine all made for a good time. Went back to Rachel & Paul's to get Evan. They each must have the patience of a saint...apparently as soon as we walked out the door, Evan erupted. He was still congested from his cold, was so exhausted from the past couple days, and on top of all this he got the hiccups and couldn't fall asleep, which pissed him off more. Rachel said when we got there he had been asleep for about an hour... We had been gone for about three hours though. Poor Evan...and poor Rachel and Paul! But a huge thank you goes out to them!!

Saturday, September 18th -

Having had to cut our Roaming Gnome picture shoot with Evan short due to Linda's flip flop misfortune, we wanted to venture back into DC to grab some more pics of him in front of all the major landmarks. Linda did not pack any tennis shoes...and not wanting to make the top of her feet any worse, she wore the heels she wore out to dinner with Ellen & Chad. After relaxing in the hotel room a bit Saturday morning, we hopped on the Metro again and got off near the Jefferson Memorial. The Roaming Gnome was spotted on the steps out front.

Evan went back into the Baby Bjorn and off we went, walking along the Tidal Basin, where the Gnome was spotted again, and through the FDR Memorial. Got to the Lincoln Memorial, the Gnome was spotted again, and once more in front of the Reflecting Pool and Washington Monument.

By this time, Linda's feet were turning into bloody stumps...she got a few blisters from these other shoes...and we decided to make a path for the White House. By this time, Evan had fallen asleep in the Bjorn... A grumpy Gnome was spotted in front of the White House. Maybe it was the Obamas?

Linda & I hadn't eaten anything all day and were starving. She loves Baja Fresh and every time we go to DC, she must stop to fill her Baja Fresh fix since KC doesn't have them anymore. We got back on the Metro and found a Baja Fresh over in Arlington.

Linda was hobbling along, and we decided that once we got back to our Metro stop, she would cab it back to the hotel (about 6 or 7 blocks) and I would walk with Evan in his stroller since we didn't bring the car seat with us. Next time we travel where we are gonna do the touristy-pedestrian walking thing...I will throw in her tennis shoes and socks.

That night, Ellen was having a get together at her house with some more of Linda's network of friends. Lots of them have kids of their own now, and it turned into what looked like a daycare center/maternity ward very quickly. Including Evan, there were 5 kids and two pregnant women. It was great to see everyone again and meet some new little ones! We ended the night, a late night at 1:00am, on Ellen & Chad's new backyard patio around their fire pit. Good times.

Sunday, September 19th -

We made it a lazy day. We met Ellen, Chad, April & Braden for brunch at the Royal Restaurant, then headed over to Ellen & Chad's to watch football and just chill. Sadly, Linda did not get a chance to see her beloved Chiefs win yet another game playing the Browns... Instead we watched the Bears win playing the Cowboys.

That night we met my cousin (my 1st cousin, once removed...Evan's 2nd cousin) Jordan at Chipotle in Old Town. Jordan is training to be one of the Guards of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. Jordan is also one of my cousins that I hadn't met yet...his dad (my cousin) and his wife divorced and they moved to Washington state before he was born. So it was great to finally meet him!

Monday, September 20th -

That morning we had wanted to take Evan down to the hotel pool for a swim...but unfortunately the pool was closed on the weekdays til 4:00pm, well after our flight left for back home and much to Evan's disappointment. So we took a leisurely stroll around Old Town and down to the Potomac River Waterfront. The Gnome was spotted again at the riverfront...

Our shuttle came around noon...we were the first pick up. Evan did great at first, but after the 3rd stop to pick up another passenger, he turned grumpy. I think he was still miffed at the pool being closed since he likes to swim. Once we got to BWI, he calmed down.

We got to the airport 3 hours early and had lots of time to spare. So I strapped Evan in the Bjorn once again and strolled around the entire airport. I have been to BWI several times in the past, but never there for an extended amount of time. Well, I take that back...back in 2001 I got stranded there for 8 hours once with friends since we were flying on employee standby passes coming back from a company Spirit Party in Albany, NY...but we spent most of that in the bar... But Evan and I walked around, saw some kinda museum enticer...John Dillinger's car and the really cool kids area/observation deck/museum of flight area.

We ventured through security, grabbed a bite to eat at Phillips Famous Seafood and then headed over to our gate for boarding. While we were waiting, Linda spotted Danny Manning in the boarding area for our flight and became starstruck. She approached him and got a picture snapped with him and Evan.

As we were waiting...they made an announcement that they had to take our plane out of service due to an unforeseen maintenance issue...and they had to figure out if they could fix it or swap aircrafts. Not knowing how long the delay would be, we went ahead and fed Evan since he was getting a burr in his saddle. We had wanted to wait til we got on the plane and after we took off for this...and wouldn't you figure, as soon as we got the bottle in his mouth, the pilot made an announcement in the gate area that they were commandeering the aircraft that had just arrived at the next gate to take out our plane to KC. I worried that Evan would have problems with take off and equalizing his ears. A friend showed me a trick...she said if he starts to fuss at the altitude change, gently tug up on his ear lobe...this seemed to help.

A stroke of luck, when we were boarding the flight, I recognized the flight attendant in our section. She commutes out of KCI all the time and I've chatted with her whenever she does... She told me that anything we wanted to drink, let her know, and it was on her... Linda and I both thought a drink was well deserved while Evan napped in his car seat... After he woke up, I kept him occupied with his toys and my phone. I downloaded an app a while back that he is mesmerized by, called "PhonyPhone". On our descent into KC, I let Evan suck on my pinky, which helped his ears equalize.

Linda's brother-in-law was waiting for us with Truman at our condo when we got home. Evan was being a grumpus and we got a bottle in him and off to bed. He was just so exhausted from the past couple days, but he did so great on this trip. I just hope future vacations go as well for him (and us) as this one!