Sunday, August 19, 2007

And the vacation ends with a bang

We decided when we booked our trip that the red eye would be best for our 2 girls. Really, we were trying to time it so Lindsay just slept the 4 1/2 hour flight from San Diego to Newark. Lindsay has never been a co-sleeper. At 2 months, when we moved her into a crib in her own room, she instantly preferred sleeping in her crib, and would just grab her knit blanket, insert her thumb, and go right to sleep.

Alec and Lauren's seats were in the first row of first class, and my seat was directly behind Alec. He was managing the luggage, so I brought Lindsay onto the plane, where I sat next to a panicked-looking woman in her twenties.

"He'd better sleep!" she said tersely.

"She...and she is very tired." I replied without looking at her.

"I bought a first class ticket so I wouldn't have to sit next to a baby..."

I didn't acknowledge her.

A woman sitting in the same row across the aisle from Lauren graciously offered to switch seats so that "our family could all be in the same row".

Before we took off, Alec scooped up Lindsay, who fussed as we ascended, for about a half hour, and then her whines became quieter. I awoke as the flight attendant was checking if anyone wanted a meal, and Lindsay was in the final throes before settling to sleep while Alec was arguing with the woman behind him. Lindsay didn't wake until about 20 minutes before we landed, sleeping on Alec.

As we deplaned, Lauren said that her tummy hurt, and I replied we were all overtired and would go home to sleep. "Okay," she said weakly.

We took the courtesy bus to the car, buckled in headed for home. About 2 exits from home I heard that horrible wretching sound and realized that Lindsay had gotten sick all over herself. I touched her bare foot, "It's okay, baby. We're almost home..."

"Should I pull over?"

"No, we should just get home. It looks pretty contained to her seat..." I started to say as she threw up a second and then a third time.

"Daddy, you really need to look at this..." Lauren started to say, and then she too began wretching, and vomited all over herself, her seat, and her new flamingo she'd picked out at the San Diego Zoo.

I opened my car window.

Alec opened his.

Lindsay threw up a fourth time, and Lauren a second, and then third. We were still about 2 miles away from home.

"At least we weren't on the plane," Alec said flatly.

I looked back at sad eyes, they were both absolutely covered. Instead of everyone snuggling into our warm beds we were looking forward to bathing them, re-jammy-ing them up, and cleaning out the car. I began to laugh softly.

Alec laughed too.

"Why are you laughing," Lauren asked weakly.

"I'm just tired, sweetie. I'm sorry you're feeling sick..."

6 comments:

LMP said...

That little 20-year-old wench is doing some serious damage to her future mommy karma. I know, I know, it's the puke that was most awful, but I can't let it go. I'd have said "I booked a first class seat so I wouldn't have to sit next to a whiney 20-year-old beeyatch, maybe we can both get our money back".

The Plaid Sheep said...

I agree with the above though I think she's messed up her flying karma. For the next several flights she will end up in front of that kid that kicks the seat or next to the one that drools when he's fallen asleep on her shoulder.

As for WME points you may get one for letting your kids sit in puke but it's taken away because you had to clean it all up. Now if you'd made them do it...

Lady Epiphany said...

@Lisa: I was sad I didn't say something like that.

@Sybil: She actually kicked Alec's seat for a while, and when he told her to cut it out, she said, "Well, you shouldn't have brought a baby on the plane!" At the end of the flight, she smiled at him and said, "Wow, she really slept for most of the flight. What a good baby!" and he said something choice.

Does it help that I stripped both of them naked in the driveway and then hosed them off before bringing them in for a bath? They were screaming.

FlapScrap said...

I say First Class = 0 WME points.

Now, if they'd chooked all over the 20-year-old I'd say 100 WME points because this site doesn't offer cash payouts.

Anonymous said...

i was thinking exactly what kicking n. screaming said! only i wouldn't have even been that nice!

Anonymous said...

btw, are you sure you weren't sitting next to someone like paris hilton?