The Family Vacation - Part 1

We made it back. The Alexanders packed up our goods and went up to the Wisconsin side of Lake Michigan (Door County) via Chicago for a 4th of July extravaganza. This was the 5th time we had gone up there with Emily's extended family for a week of amazing weather, Americana celebration and family fun.

So naturally I expected all the fun of year's past PLUS the additional fun of having our own child there to join in the memory making. At least that's how the brochure read inside my head. But there was an X factor that I hadn't banked on or even considered as I planned our Normandy-like travel plan - Benjamin getting sick (a whole nuther entry).

This quickly shifted the event from "Family Vacation" to family trip. The distinction I make is that a "vacation" is where your fun quotient meets or exceeds 75% of your time. You are able to relax, live more care-free and your only real concerns are tan lines. A "trip" is not void of fun, but it is no longer your main or only goal. Your time is occupied with near constant resource management (time, fuel, foodstuffs, etc.) and your head is on a swivel so everyone in your party survives. It's the difference between going to Mexico versus discovering Mexico.

In my previous post I cited that when I travel by myself I am like a machine, tuned with German precision. So I had to deal with self-inflicted worry trying to manage myself along with wife and child. And my temper did flare up once, no one's fault but my own (sorry). And looking back, the airline flight was THE smoothest part of the entire process.

Sidenote - flying is on the verge of getting really pricey. We traveled on my miles and I have status so all of the nickel and dime charges don't apply to us, but it would have been an additional $100 each way just to get our bags there. I'm surprised they don't charge you for the little paper bag tags. Hear that? That's the sound of a guy at American Airlines emailing his manager with a new "profit center" idea.

Benjamin was PERFECT on the flights. He proved my patent pending adage - everyone loves a baby who isn't crying. It was interesting for me to look at people's reactions on the plane as we walked down the aisle carrying a baby. They see the baby and then casually look away, but their body language reads "please don't sit by me, please don't sit by me, please don't sit by me..."

It's like those scenes in WWII movies, where a German officer is walking through a train car and people don't want to make eye contact, but they also don't want to look away like they have something to hide.

But when it looks like they are in the clear they get all cutesy with your baby, because they know some other sucker will have to deal with in-flight crying/pooping/spitting up.

One final thing for this installment that stuck out to me: Typical flight by myself - flight attendants speak less than 12 words to me - "Hi..." "Ice?" "Bub-bye..." Fly with a baby - they will practically let you fly the plane.

This guy (TJ) was our first flight attendant. He was a very nice friendly guy, but he mistook the in-flight PA system for an AM radio talk show mic. He started with some DFW airport trivia (it's grounds are bigger than Long Island) followed by how he had overcome various illnesses (ahem...) and ultimately how he had to move home (bing-bong, turn up air, fan self with magazine). We thought it would make his day to take a picture with him, so this one's for you Teej!

More to come soon, toodles.