Caleb's first flight and meeting Baby Deacon

Yesterday was Caleb's first time on an airplane, and what a cool experience he had!  Mommy was unsure of what to expect with such an active baby having to sit still during the flight (albeit short), but there was so much to look at that he was totally enthralled (Yay!)

Our morning started off with Nonna walking Caleb around as mommy checked us in.  We made it through security without much trouble.  I had an 8oz bottle of milk for Caleb that I knew was well over the limit for liquids, but I was going to just take it and see what happened.  They actually just pulled me aside nicely, and did a test on the bottle's contents: special paper stick held above open container, then distilled water dropped onto it.  (I guess if its something dangerous it is assumed to emit a gas maybe??)  If clear, that the liquid is deemed "safe" and they let you take it on.

Once through security we headed to the gate where the guy gave me a special pre-boarding pass for being "temporarily disabled" due to my pregnancy.  That was nice, because otherwise southwest apparently doesn't have a special boarding time for families only.  While waiting for boarding and looking at the airplanes out the windows I asked a pilot who was sitting near us to take a picture of Caleb and I.   I told him it was his first time flying, and he suggested that we peek our heads into the cockpit once on the plane.  I was excited that they still let kids do that!

With our disability pass we were the second ones on the airplane (although it turned out the flight was only about a third full, so it wouldn't have been a big deal).  We said hi to the pilot and he invited Caleb to sit in the other pilot's chair next to him so I could take a picture.  Then the pilot asked if I wanted to sit in the other seat with Caleb, he took some more pictures, talked to Caleb a little, and even let him play with the steering wheel and accelerator thing (I have no idea what it is called) until it made some beeping noises.  Caleb was totally in awe of all the lights and buttons, I don't think he quite knew what to think of it all...   Meanwhile I'm thinking 'this is totally cool that he's letting us do all this', and enjoying what was my first time in a cockpit, too.   After a good five or ten minutes, I thanked the pilot, he asked Caleb's name, and we headed back to find seats.   A few minutes later the captain's voice comes on to give his usual spiel, and at the end of it says, "...and we'd like to welcome Caleb for his first time flying" !  Of course Caleb had no idea what was going on, but I thought that was pretty cool and thoughtful of the captain to do!

Caleb ate a snack during takeoff as we looked out the window, then had his bottle once we were in the air, and to my very pleasant surprise about 25-30 minutes in to the flight he found a comfy position in my lap and actually fell asleep :)  By the end of the flight my whole left side was completely without sensation, but the flight had been relaxing and he was at least getting a part of his morning nap, so I was happy.  He slept right up until when the wheels (not so smoothly) touched down on the ground.  I can only hope the flight home goes as smoothly for us...

The second half of our day was when we got to go see David and Dana and meet Baby Deacon Gianni, who was born on Tuesday.  What a beautiful baby!!  He was 7lbs, 7oz at birth, with quite a head of hair, and eating and sleeping like a champ already. Caleb is very into babies right now - If asked where mommy's baby is he will sometimes point to my belly, and other times he has begun to point to his own belly); When I show him pictures of Baby Tessa or Baby Deacon on my phone he kisses the phone.  It was also a fun day for David and Dana because neither they nor Joey have seen Caleb since they were last home in January, when Caleb was only 7 months old, and SO much has changed with him since then.

Vacation is off to a great start, and we're headed to the beach now :)