One thing that helped (a lot) was packing light. Keeping in mind that we were four people traveling for a month, I knew that I wouldn't be able to fit everything in a carry-on. But careful planning I was able to get all of our clothes into a single suitcase.
I used some of the techniques from a NYT article I read this spring. I pared down the number of clothing items for everyone to the minimum and I rolled instead of folded. Here is what the suitcase looked like:
my clothes
Riley's clothes
Gavin's Clothes
Megan's clothes on the top
It fit very nicely in our big green suitcase and weighed in at 43lbs! (50lb is the maximum weigh for a free checked bag)
That left me the option of using two other suitcase for the various car seats that needed to be packed. Having the car seats packed makes it easier to check them and to transport them from the car to the ticket counter.
When Bryan had to unexpectedly dash off to pick up my forgotten backpack, I was able to rig up a system where I could hang a bag and the bucket seat off the handles of the stroller and wheel a suitcase. Megan took the other big suitcase and Riley rolled the small carry-on. I've alway found that people are very helpful to a mother traveling alone with children, but it is nice not to have to depend on the kindness of strangers.
Once we got the luggage checked, things were even easier. I minimized the carry-on items too. Normally each child gets their own backpack to fill as they like. This time we had a shared backpack with coloring supplies that was tucked away into Megan's small suitcase. Also in the suitcase were the dolls and stuffies deemed to important to risk on checked luggage. The backpack stayed in the suitcase through security, meaning that there was one less item to send through the scanner.
Gavin walking helped too. It meant that I could put him down and actually use two hands to do jobs that work better with two hands (collapsing the stroller, taking off shoes, etc.)
Another big help was having both and iPad and my iPhone. I stocked them with movies that the kids had never been seen. That kept them occupied during the flight for 182 whole minutes.
But the biggest help was Megan. She wheeled suitcases without complaint, held elevator doors open, and held even Gavin for me when I had to scoop a sleeping Riley off the floor* and put him back in his seat when the plane hit a patch of turbulence. And did all this when flying makes her nervous. She is an amazing kid.
Having done it once, I wouldn't hesitate to fly alone with the kids. I would prefer that were were in driving distance to those we love. But I think after three years, we have finally got the hang of flying.
*Riley can't fall asleep in his seat, so when he started to loose it three hours in, I moved him to the floor and he passed out within 20 minutes. And then didn't wake up again until we landed.
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And the pick up in Boston was relatively smooth. We were waiting in the cell phone lot for a phone call, but didn't know that Maura's phone was dead (all those movies!) After what seemed like a reasonable time, I told Paul we should just go. She was waiting with the kids and luggage on the curb.
Paul went to put the bags in his car and I started to put kids in mine. The Trooper decided Paul's car was unattended???? and had already sent for a tow truck when he noticed that we were all hurrying to get into the cars and out of there.
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