The Trip (the truth)

I posted a few pictures from our trip earlier. I've been working for a week to finish this post. I decided I needed to get some of the realities of the trip off my chest and out into the open in case you are caught envying our seemingly perfect vacation (Does such a thing exist when traveling with a one-year old?)!

First, let me make it clear...WE HAD A GREAT TIME AND I'M GLAD WE WENT! Even with all you're about to read (if you're persistent enough to make it through), there was more good than bad.

Warning: This next paragraph is a jump into my stream of consciousness!
I also need to express my gratitude for the prayers that were answered all along the way. I felt like I was literally praying my way across the country and across the state as we traveled. Praying that Ethan would sleep in a strange bed...praying for safety...praying that Ethan would sleep...praying that I would have the emotional stamina not to burst into tears in front of people...praying that Ethan would sleep...praying that my loved ones wouldn't be offended that Ethan only wanted me to hold him...praying that since Ethan wasn't sleeping we wouldn't wake the rest of the house up at 5:00am...praying that Ethan would stay asleep while I went out for dinner...praying that they would finally de-ice the plane...you get the point.
Like I said, many of these prayers were answered. People kept telling me that Ethan was doing so well. Of course, I who see him at home, knew that he was WAY off "normal". I also know that I was feeling a horribly large amount of pressure for him to be good...pressure from myself. WHY?!...Why do we do this to ourselves?!

Okay...now to go back to organized writing!
Traveling to Utah:
* We had a whole row of seats to ourselves and somehow we made it with very little troubles through the 5 hour plane ride! Hooray! Of course Ethan didn't sleep; I never really expected it.
* I was so ecstatic from making it through the plane ride I went straight to the car rental counter without picking up my luggage. Woops! :) I walked all the way back through the airport (talking to myself/Ethan the entire time and getting very funny looks and not caring one bit...so happy to be off the plane!), got my suitcase, rolled it and the stroller back through the airport, got the rental car.
* We picked up my dad (whose flight was just a bit after mine) and headed down to my grandparents' house (3 1/2 hour drive). Ethan fell asleep so easily. Hooray! Just when I'm feeling so good about life, he wakes up after only 40 minutes of sleep. We stop and get milkshakes. I (being the good mom that I am) keep my child happy by feeding him milkshake for the next half hour of the trip. :)

In Utah:
* We start to deal with the two-hour time change. Ethan keeps waking up before 5 am. My child has the loudest voice and NEVER stops talking!
* I try taking a nap and then can't sleep at night, but can't move in the bed because it's ages old and has real springs and squeaks and creaks like CRAZY and I'd risk waking up the entire house.
* We adjust to the time change and then Daylight Savings strikes.
* Grandma lets me wear one of her necklaces to church. Ethan breaks it in the first 5 minutes of church.
* It's very hard to keep in good contact with Alan due to his busy work schedule and the time difference.
* I'm so emotionally exhausted I had to get it out so I end up crying myself to sleep one night.
* Weather turns nasty and we don't make it to see everyone I wanted to.
* Nap Schedule: schedule?

Leaving Utah:
* It starts to snow and we have to wait 45 minutes for them to de-ice the plane. The flight attendant was trying to be really nice to us and filled Ethan's sippy cup with water for me and gave him a snack before we even took off. I have to ask for more water (Did I mention Ethan's a camel?) and she just gives me the whole huge bottle! :)
* They tell us we'll be able to make most of the time up in flight. Why do they get our hopes up?
* After a whole week of sleep deprivation, it takes everything in me to keep from crying again while we circle the airport for an hour in Newark waiting for a spot to land. Again, Ethan wouldn't even think of sleeping while on the plane even though he'd been up for 12 hours straight. The flight attendant keeps handing us cookies and Ethan keeps throwing them on the floor. What a fun game! :)
* We finally land and try to get down to baggage claim. Newark has the MOST RIDICULOUS elevator system I've EVER seen! They're always full...the doors open but there's no room to get in...it happened 3 times...how does this happen?

Home:
* We made it home! I have since spent many free moments thinking of how much fun it was to be with friends and family...let me say again, it was so great to be there! I hope you got some laughs out of my story. Much of it was intended to be funny, though it was true. I just didn't want anyone thinking..."Why can't my traveling stories go as smoothly?" If anyone is thinking this, I feel terribly sorry for you! :)