Toddler on a Plane

We had quite the adventure flying to Utah for Landon's blessing. It was Weston's sixth trip taking an airplane and not once have we had a problem with him. Since he's an old pro at flying I wasn't one bit worried about the flight. But I should have been afraid, very afraid!

There was a huge debacle in regards to our seating arrangements on the plane but we thought it had worked out in our favor when we had the entire back row, window to window, to ourselves. The first half of the plane ride was great, West spent the time playing on the two empty seats next to Devon, while Landon laid sleeping on the empty seat next to me. West soon wanted to cross over the aisle to see me. He figured out very quickly that access to the aisle meant access to the entire plane. Not wanting to be 'those parents' with a child running up and down the aisle, I made West go back and sit with dad. He did not want to do that, so Devon and I switched, he sat with Landon and I sat with West. When West refused to stay in the row with me he started to meltdown. I took him into the bathroom with the hopes of calming him down, but the minute we stepped into the lavatory, he threw up all over both of us. The smell was so horrible, it just about caused me to throw up!At this point West was mine to handle the rest of the flight. I was pretty sure the throw up was a result of either motion sickness or being worked up, but in he event he was really sick I didn't want to get near the baby and I didn't want Devon to touch West and have the chance of two parents being covered in barf. When it came time for landing, West threw an absolute fit! It took every ounce of strength for me to keep him on my lap. While I could keep him contained I could not keep him quiet! Everyone started looking back toward us, my embarrassment was at an all time high! Devon made a suggestion and I promptly yelled at him to 'shut up.' Which, understandably, caused him to get upset with me. There's nothing like a scramming toddler to turn your only ally into your enemy. When it came time to get off the plane I was in tears. Weston was so worked up that he couldn't calm down! I walked through the airport in tears pushing a screaming little boy in his stroller. I had lots of older ladies stop to tell me that they had all been there and understood what I was going through, their empathy, while VERY much appreciated, only made me cry more. Soon we got our baggage, Devon and I made up and the buses outside the airport calmed Weston down. 

We learned our lesson and on the return flight West was not allowed off Devon's lap and he did really well. Luckily, now this is just a story to tell. I look forward to the time, 20 years from now, when I'm the older lady seeing the throw-up covered young mom walking through the airport with a screaming toddler. I will truly be able to offer my empathetic condolences.