Traveling with two kids

After two weeks traveling to France and visiting our families we are finally home.
 
Have you ever traveled by plane with two kids under 3 and your husband? I remember one of my friends telling me how he hates kids in plane. I always agreed with him ... until I became a mother. 
 
After this trip, I realized that we are THIS family. You know, the family that you try to avoid. In the plane, you wish you were seated far from them. At security check point, you make sure you use the other line. You watch them running across the airport with one baby in carrier, another one inside the cart trying to get to the next plane on time.
 
Yes, this is us. Noisy, moving around, going from loud cries to loud laughs, going back and forth, opening and closing the overhead compartment every five minutes. How do you like to have a three year old staring at you while you try to sleep? Just remember, that my kids are over-excited to fly in a plane that is not a Lego one ... while you just want peace.
 
The funny thing when we fly is that my husband never realizes that hell is to come. Before going to the plane, he always buys a magazine and thinks he will sleep or watch three movies in a row. The reality is different … way different. Margot, our 6 month old decided to poop 3 times within 7 hours whereas she usually does once a day. Then Lise, our 3 year old, who was obviously exhausted just did not want to sleep and was just a pain in the *ss. “Nemo, I want Nemo!”, “where is my blue car!”, “I want crackers!”. When she finally falls asleep, she can only do it in my arms and always in a weird position that is just uncomfortable for me. But I do not complain even if my back hurts because I know that if I wake her up too soon I will also wake up the demon inside her. No need to say that kids are very clever. They know that in public you will not shout or punish them, they have the power and use it … against you.
 
Another thing when you travel with kids is the place you get in the plane. Airline companies do not make your life easy. They place you in front of a wall so you can hang the bassinet – a kind of bed – to the wall and have your baby sleep. However, you are not allowed to put the baby when the belt sign is on (most of the time during our last flight) and the baby cannot sit, she has to lay down (so you cannot have her play inside, even if you stay with her).
Also, unlike the other seat of the plane, the armrest cannot be removed. So impossible to lay down or have you child laying on you. Basically, you are stuck in your narrow seat.
On top of that, this specific row is right in front of the … bathrooms. I need to tell something that I learn from this experience. People always go to the bathroom right after eating. So basically they prefer to queue for 20 minutes than wait a bit and not queue. After each meal, during 30 minutes, we had a long queue of travellers, parading in front of us and waiting to use the bathrooms. Then no people at all. I guess we are all formatted by Delta. We eat then poop then sleep.
 
So finally, at a point of time, you manage to get some sleep. Lise is quietly watching Nemo. Margot sleeps. The hubby gets to read his magazine. Suddenly, you feel spied, you open your eyes slowly and you see a middle age lady queuing to pee (right after snack time), staring at you and saying “what a cute baby, he is sleeping”. Really?! First it’s a GIRL. Second, STOP LOOKING AT US. I know SHE is sleeping and it is why I am (was) asleep to. Because, when people wait they just stare at us and feel the need interact. Leave us alone! I understand that you need to kill time while waiting for the bathroom but I do not want to socialise. Do not talk to me, smile or even look at me.

So yes, we were this family. Next time you see us, just understand that I spent the last 8 hours not sleeping, struggling to have my kids quiet so you can sleep. 

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