Travel day!

Travel day!

What a whirlwind. The last 24 hours of preparation felt like a week! 

All of our possessions were crammed into 14 double walled cardboard boxes, each balanced to get as close to the weight limit as possible. The rest of our possessions are in a storage unit, or with friends and family to whom we are eternally grateful!

We spent our last night in Brookfield in the Sheraton, which was packed with children for a dance competition. Thankfully, we were at the end of the hall and away from the chatty teenagers. Between the loud A/C and our white noise machine, baby Soren slept like a champion in his pack and play. 

(Cannot praise the Guava Family’s Lotus Pack and Play enough, for both ease of use and brilliant backpack design. Perfection for the sleep deprived parents)

The last morning we were still finishing packing until the last hour, and I cannot thank enough everyone who helped us out. 

By 1:30, we were loading in to our airport shuttle van with 8 boxes, 1 large suitcase, 3 carry-one, 3 personal items, 2 cats in carriers, a car seat and a stroller. Goodbye traveling light!

Security was much smoother, and more normal than expected. One we asked that the cats be screened in a private room, a TSA agent held them to the side while we did security as normal. Everything through the scanner, holding the baby through the metal detector.

Even the cats were better than expected, though I suspect that was because they we go scared to put up much of a fight. Aaron held the baby and all our possessions while I went into the tiny TSA office. Each cat was removed from its carrier, and I held them as the carriers were run through the x-ray. After each cat was restored to its carrier (which they were grateful to do) I was swabbed for explosive cats, and we were done! 

We had just enough time before the flight to feed the baby and get him into a fresh diaper and warmer onesie. We quickly became very familiar with our flight crew as the helped us board the plane, secure the car seat, and stow our stroller. 

The flight was long, but miraculously well behaved. The cats meowed pretty close to the whole trip, but you couldn’t hear them over the rumble of the plane. We hit one patch of bad turbulence towards the beginning (20 minutes long ugh), and somehow it rocked Soren to sleep. He slept for all but one hour of the flight! 

We learned a few things pretty quickly. The in-lap child seat belt is precarious at best, and should be avoided. The car seat was best, but when we don’t have an extra seat I will definitely be using a carrier. 

Similarly, the changing table in the bathroom is as small as you would imagine. We found it easier to stuff his car seat with blankets until we could lay him across sideways. I’m not sure what we’re gonna do when he gets bigger!

Honestly, I think I was the most trouble during the flight. Due to Soren’s food allergies (dairy, eggs, soy) I couldn’t eat most of what was available. Thankfully, I had some food packed, and the flight attendants were kind enough to supply extra salads for my dinner and all the extra fruit for my breakfast. I supplemented with a venison bar (surprisingly tasty), pretzels and peanut butter.

After landing, customs was surprisingly easy. They pretty much just checked the paperwork and let us through. 

Thankfully, Aaron’s company paid for a van to pick us up from the airport and haul all of our stuff. Our temporary apartment is furnished, but on the third floor with no elevator! We also arrived during a record setting heat wave, and A/C is rare around here. It was a sweaty and exhausting move. 

Next update on settling in!