Life as MommyMo

Sunday, July 30, 2006

Adventures in transcontinental travel

Well, we're home! And we're all still one big happy family...

Sam was one fantastic traveler, I am proud to report. I was actually musing on our return flight that it's nice to know I am raising a seasoned traveler considering how much time I spend airborne myself.

Seriously, he slept a good portion of both nearly-six-hour flights, then played and watched Thomas DVDs fairly happily the rest of the time. I don't think he was any more restless as we started to get close to home than many of the adults on our flights. He was also the "Welcome to Philadelphia" entertainment when we landed at home. He is not old enough to realize that planes, trucks, trains, helicopters, etc. are not all paying personal visits to him from his favorite Noggin or Sprout shows. He screamed that the "Troublesome Trucks" and "Big Jake" were outside our plane when we landed. He yelled hello and waved excitedly for a full 10 minutes or so. Once we convinced him that we could get off the plane to get another look, he waited in our row of seats and served as a deputy flight attendant, waving and saying "Buh-bye" to everyone we was deplaning before us.

I wish I'd had a video camera handy, too, to capture the moment when he decided that the little aerodynamic tip to each wing on the aircraft was actually Eeyore perched out there, following us to "See-Adam," his name for Seattle.

Our time in Canada was a lot of fun, but quite hot. So much for escaping the 100-degree New Jersey heat. We did lots of the touristy stuff that Victoria has to offer that you just don't do as a childless couple. I think one of the highlights was visiting Butterfly World. We got some great pictures and one Sam decided not to be terrified of the butterflies, he had a blast chasing them around and splashing in the puddles of the simulated rainforest.




I think that this is one of the vacations that will forever live in my memory. I originally thought it would be all about our first family vacation, which it was, but it was also about spending really quality time with Rob's aunt, who's just really wonderful to be around. Given her age and how rarely we're able to make it out to Victoria, I was conscious the whole time we were with her how special it was to spend that time with her. She took the week off from work to be with us, and we did everything from playing solitaire side-by-side while the boys napped to feeding seals at Oak Bay Marina to hosting a family BBQ at her house. I certainly hope that we'll be out there again while she still feels up to touring with a toddler, but I'm really glad to have lived in the moment while we were there. I just wished we lived closer to her so that we had more time together. She got such a kick out of Sam and he was totally bonded to her by the time we left. I saw the joy in her face when he'd run up to give her random hugs and said "I love you, Auntie Barbara" as we had to say goodbye.





Now that (I hope) I have the hang of the picture posting thing, I'll include a few other great pics from our first official Becker family vacation. These are the photos that I always daydreamed of having while trying to have kids, and now they're real!




1 comments:

The Yanceys said...

Congratulations Karen.

Though I only know you through email and phone conversations, it is obvious, that you deserve this wonderful family and vacation.

Hearing you talk about even the smallest of things, really puts in perspective, lifes littlest joys.