"I am never flying again!"

On my way home from Utah, almost two weeks ago, I had a very humbling experience.  It has to do with Millie, the flight home...I'll stop there.

Now, before I begin let me give you a little background.  Millie has been and continues to be a fairly easy baby.  She has slept through the night (majority of the time) since 3 1/2 months, she has always been a good eater, she's not fussy...you get the picture.  I can count on one hand how many times I haven't known what is wrong with her.  Usually something fixes whatever problem she is having-whether it be a pacifier, food, a blanket, toys, kisses, etc.

Well this particular day was going well.  Millie took a nap on the way to the airport, which I was planning on her doing.  When we got to the airport, she was happy and content.  Checked through security, and ran into another mom with a newborn baby who was only 11 weeks old.  We got to talking and she said it was only her third flight with her baby.  She said that her baby had done pretty well on each flight, but she was nervous.  As I was too, but I was feeling pretty confident.  I have flown multiple times with Millie, and EVERY flight had been great. (key word. Had.)

We boarded the plane to Denver, and we sat by these two cute moms who were going to a graduation.  Millie played with toys, we enjoyed cookies, read books, talked with the ladies next to us, watched Backyardigans...ya know the usual.  We landed, and exited the plane.  It was about a two hour flight and Millie did great!

For the next flight, I planned ahead and asked one of the coffee shops for some warm water for her bottle.  I mixed the formula and water together so that it'd be ready for when we boarded the next plane.  Things were going well at this point.  Millie was getting a little fussy because it was bedtime, but once again, I had planned it this way.  I thought to myself, perfect she'll drink her bottle and fall asleep right when the plane takes off and sleep the whole way (or at least an hour) and be happy and great the whole time.

We boarded the aircraft, and watched as everyone piled in.  I was hoping there would be an empty seat next to me, as I'm sure most people hope for, but unfortunately there wasn't.  A young man sat next to me, who told the girl next to him that he was visiting family from Utah.  Hallelujah!  He knows what big families are like, babies, crazy houses, etc.  So I didn't worry too much.

The flight took off and as planned, I held Millie, put her blanket by her face, and gave her a bottle...

she pushed the bottle away.  No big deal.  Maybe she wasn't tired or hungry yet (although it was the right time for her to have the bottle and go to sleep).  We read a few books and then she got pretty fussy.  Annoying I know.  She was tired. Hungry. Sick of being on airplanes. And just wanted her own bed with her comfy jammies on and a warm bottle.

Still fussy.  I tried to give her the bottle again...but she didn't want it.  I pulled out toys, books, movies, food, etc...but each of these things only lasted ten minutes max and she'd be fussy again wanting something else.  I changed her diaper...fixed the problem for five minutes...still fussy.  We played with ice...again fixed the problem for seven minutes and she was soaked and still fussy.

Yes, I was the annoying mother who didn't know how to calm her baby.  I was the mom who everyone hates to sit by.  I was the mom whose baby fussed/cried pretty much the whole flight...and there was nothing I could do about it.

We stood in the back and I forced her to lay down in my arms.  Tried to give her the bottle and rock her to sleep, all while everyone towards the back end of the plane turned around and gave me looks.  Nothing worked.  I started to get teary eyed...What has happened to my baby??

Finally after those two and half hours were up trying to wrestle a tired, grumpy, hungry, fussy, baby, the pilot said his usual decent prompt and I sat in my seat.  Millie started crying...hard.  I was frantic and pulled out everything I had to try to calm her.  I am sure I looked like a mess.  Was it her ears?  I gave her a sippy cup, but she wouldn't suck.  Her paci?  Didn't work either.

So...I just let her cry.

Then, all my emotions let loose.  The lady next to me said that it happens to everyone (yah right!).  I told her that I was never flying again and how sorry I was, all while crying.

Crying mom.  Crying baby.  Bugged passengers.  Flight attendants who had parenting comments to say.
Not a good picture.

Right when we landed, of course, Millie falls asleep.  Figures.

The lights turn on, Millie wakes up from her 10 minute nap, and is all smiles and babbling.

I was humiliated!!  All my confidence from earlier on in the day was shot.

I walked straight out to Cason waiting at the curb, sobbing.  No baggage claim, bathroom stop, or anything.  I was so embarrassed that I asked him to go get my bag for me.

On the ride home, Millie went right to sleep.

Lessons learned that day:  Rarely anything goes as planned with a baby.  So, next time just go with the flow.  Don't be so confident.  And don't judge someone for not being able to calm their baby...it might just happen to you!

Ps. What would you have done??