Trip to Maryland

Hey friends!  I didn't post yesterday because I was having the best time traveling with a toddler.  HAHA.  JOKE!  Actually she was pretty good but travel has changed since the last time we flew in September.  

Last Monday I decided to book us a flight to head to Maryland and visit with my parents for the weekend!  So Friday morning we headed out on the 9:45am flight to Baltimore.  My parents were up there for the day and it's a lot easier to travel on a large plane instead of the tiny propeller planes.  Plus, the flight time is half when you're on a jet.  

Poor Millsy knows when that suitcase comes out it means someone is leaving him.  

All of our bags were carefully planned out because I only have two hands.  I always park at Business Valet when I travel by myself with Molly Anne because I need the extra hands for getting on and off the bus.  Technically I think I can do it by myself while holding Molly Anne and loading each of our things individually onto the bus but Biz Valet makes life a lot easier.  I always pack our stuff in one big suitcase and check that bag.  Then we go through security with only the stroller, her diaper bag and my big navy longchamp bag.  I stuffed her backpack that had a few toys and books in it and my purse in the longchamp, along with baby duck (prized possession!), the monitor and my makeup bag.  I can push her in the stroller and carry both bags on my shoulder through the airport.  Thankfully we don't have to bring a car seat to Maryland because my parents bought the same one we have.  LIFESAVER!    

She caused chaos in the Admirals Club and probably bugged a bunch of business travelers haha!  It was a good place to go so she could have a little breakfast and there is an easy and clean place to change her diaper before we jumped on the flight.  Plus, I know everyone that works there and they love seeing her!

We headed down to the gate and I threw the stroller in the gate check bag and got a tag from the gate agent so the folks in Baltimore would bring it back to the jet bridge for me.  I learned that lesson one time.  Just because you have it in a huge red bag that has large letters that say GATE CHECK, doesn't mean they will bring it back to you.  You have to put a tiny tag on it that tells them to bring it up.  ;)

From this point, Molly Anne held my hand until we boarded then we carried everything down the jet bridge.  Thankfully she could walk.  Last time we traveled she couldn't walk so I would have to sit her down on the tarmac (when we went on the small plane) while I put the stroller in the bag.  Ahhh the joys!  

I bought these Lil Gadget headphones per the recommendation from my friend Kristen!  She used them for about 10 minutes then they were off.  I think she may be a tad young to keep them on for long periods.  She watched the ipad more without them and no sound.  I don't let her have sound blaring for all of the other passengers to hear.  I know, I'm crazy.  

I had booked us the bulkhead window seat in hopes of looking out the window would entertain her and we'd have a bit more room in front of us.  I also picked that row because no one else was sitting in the other two seats.  One guy ended up in the aisle so I sat in the middle and Molly Anne got the window seat to herself.  I didn't buy her a seat but since one was open, I plopped her right in it!  Also, you can see in the below picture that she got some wings from the pilot!  How cute right?!!

We landed in Baltimore and it was pretty uneventful on the flight.  She wasn't thrilled to be sitting in her seat when we were landing but I told her she had no choice haha!

First stop after Nannie and Poppa picked us up - Fisherman's Inn in Kent Narrows on the water!

These two watched the train go around and around!  Dad watched the same train when he was a little boy in the same restaurant!

She crashed the rest of the way home!

That afternoon, we didn't do much.  Just hung around the house.  Molly Anne LOVED playing the piano the whole time she was home!

Saturday morning Poppa showed her the busy board he made her!  It's sooo cool! 

Then we went to a jump place in Delmar that my friend's sister told us about!  Thank you Holly and Ashley!  It was so fun and I ended up seeing a couple people I knew from High School there!

Riding on Nannie's chair lift!

And building towers with Poppa!  Of course my parents went to Toys R Us the week before to get her some new toys.  SPOILED!!!!

Our neighbors came over to visit!  Twenty months!

Mrs. B. has lived next door to my parents for YEARS.  Like 30+ years.  Molly Anne calls her Mimi!  She kept going up to her saying, "Hey Mimi!"  It was so cute!

She looks so long and big!  Not much longer until she's out of the pack n play!

Poppa's breakfast.  He makes the best cheesy eggs and scrapple!  Donuts too of course! 

There was a 10 mile run that was going on Sunday that came down our street so we played outside in the freezing weather and cheered them on!  I taught Molly Anne about field hockey!  I hope she plays!

On Sunday afternoon she just stood there and stared at all of her toys and just smiled so big!  It was adorable!

Nannie was standing over by the door and Molly Anne just went and stood next to her.  So cute.  They are twins!

Aunt Jenni came to see us too!  Molly Anne had a little run in with the piano bench and got a black eye while Jenni was there.  Yikes.

I also let her play with the dollhouse in my bedroom.  Very special.  I want to do a whole post about this soon!

Sunday night dinner at Evo!

Back on the plane to come back to Charlotte yesterday morning.  I had to wake Molly Anne up at 5am for the flight and she did really well despite being super tired.  Here she is feeding pancakes to her cat haha!  A guy was very kind and moved seats so Molly Anne could have her own seat on this plane ride too.  I really lucked out with all of that.  Holding a toddler in a tiny confined space for 2 hours is not fun so I told the guy after we landed that he basically saved my life haha which was a little dramatic but I just really appreciated his kindness!

Back home!

And she fells asleep on our way to Ms. Becky's!  Tired baby!  PS - she does not keep her shoes and socks on when we drive.  Ha!  I think she wants to be like her mama - barefoot and flops all the time!

I worked yesterday and then before I picked Molly Anne up, I went home and unpacked everything.  I felt like a new person and everything was back in order.  Such a fun trip to see my parents.  They always go so out of their way to have us and they really make it easy for us to travel up there.  There will be more trips between now and when Molly Anne turns 2 and we have to buy a seat for her! ;)  

Thankful for the special memories made with Nannie and Poppa!  xoxo