Don't Mess With Texas - Part I

We decided to kill two birds with one flight - take a little family vacation and get E on her first airplane ride. We were blessed to be able to get the rearmost seats on a semi-full flight to San Antonio. Before and during the flight we prayed not only for safe travel but also that the pressure inside the plane's cabin would not hurt Ellena's tiny ears (it didn't). In fact, she seemed to really enjoy the new surroundings inside the plane. Here is one way to know you have been bit by the wintertime cabin fever bug and just want to get out and go somewhere. You wake up and decide it might be a good idea to take your nine and a half month old for a three hour plane ride. Yea, if you happen to be feeling that cooped up it might be a good time to make yourself an appointment to see your doctor, or just pick up a big Slurpee from 7-11, pull the covers up to your neck and watch re-runs.

When you're pregnant (or a father-to-be), everyone just keeps giving you great advice like "Your whole LIFE is going to change". Naturally, that seems obvious, but I now understand the underlying implications. For context; in one flight we practically turned into "that family with the child". Even though Ellena was moderately good, we were still the only family with a baby, thereby making us "that family".

My advice to anyone who has never had this experience, but desires to know what it is like? Easy. It can be recreated at home! Just sit in your favorite living room chair with your child on your lap....for 3 hours! Don't let her (or him) crawl off your lap, scream, slide the window shade up and down repeatedly, destroy the coveted Sky Mall, kick the seat back, spill what little beverage you are lucky to be served, or pull the hair of the guy in front of you (who is trying to sleep, BTW).

I felt like we deserved to pose for a post-flight picture once we landed.

We were met by Grandma Gigi and Grandpa Jay and they had arranged for us to go to dinner with Jay's oldest son, Jason and his family (Wife Elsa and daughter Brisa). To kill time before the dinner (Jason needed to end his workday first), we were taken to one of San Antonio's secret spots, the Chinese Tea Garden. It was a beautifully well-kept sunken oasis with fish ponds and flowers galore. We were enjoying the quiet time and the weather, but as you can see, the heat was wearing Ellena out!

At the restaurant, we had authentic Mexican fare (thank heaven!) and Ellen took right to the ladies.

The guys were highly amused with the baby talk and hugs and kisses...

I have more in store for post II, but currently there is a request to shut down for the night. Who can deny such a request...More to come!