On the Road Again

Maybe the only time I jog with my fancy sports utility stroller is when I’m trying to cross the street before the light turns red. But who cares: I get my workouts on the plane. I am starting to view airplanes as my private flying gyms. The last flight, from Tel Aviv to Baltimore, we were airborne for 13 hours. Of which my daughter slept 2. Eleven hours of an awake toddler.

She spent about 5 hours of the flight running up and down the aisles of the plane, from the cockpit to the rear kitchen in economy class. She read the paper over the shoulders of the elite of the flying world in first class, and would have sipped their champagne with them, had any been in reach. She sat on the floor of business class and talked about sports with the patrons there. She boogied in the kitchen area, while trying to open and close all the cabinets. And exchanged toys with all the kids in economy.

She feel asleep while I was waiting in baggage claim. Every person on our flight came up to me at that point and said, “I’ll bet you’re tired.”

Yes, I’m thrilled to be seeing my family again after six months (and, in the case of some of my siblings, a year). They live in a place with open fields and forests nearby, outdoor swimming, kitty cats and puppy dogs—my girl is going to have a terrific time.

But after three long international flights with an 18-month-old over the last month, not to mention two 6-hour bus rides in Israel, I can’t bear the idea of another flight. No matter how many free toys the flight attendants give out. Nevertheless, Amtrack to Texas just isn't an option.

I won’t lie, I was hoping to set my daughter down at Grandma Boot Camp and pick her up 2 days later, weaned, potty trained and able to spell her name (my mother is insanely efficient). But Grandma nixed that plan with a simple: “How fantastic that you are still breast feeding! Oh, don’t stop! Until she’s at least two! It’s sooooo good for you both!!!”

But it's going to be so good for all of us to be together again...and I'm going to be sad it's just a week (especially because that means I'll have to make another flight).