I just flew back from Miami and are my arms tired!!
Well we did it, survived a trip across country with an infant!
jweinberg, littledoodle and I flew on the red eye to Miami on the 15th. jweinberg had a work conference there. We were really nervous about flying with the baby, but Jet Blue was great. We lucked out and didn't have anybody sitting in our row, so they let us bring the car seat on (without having paid for the extra seat) and strap the little guy in by the window. Much better than having to hold him on our laps the entire flight! He was crying a bit when we left, but gave him a bottle and he was fine through take off. Then he slept the rest of the flight. I actually had to force in a bottle during landing (I was told by other mothers that if you give a bottle at take off and landing it helps with the air pressure).
Getting the rental car (er mini van) was no problem. The lady at National saw us coming and said "You must want a mini van!". I gotta say, I see why people with kids get those. It was so easy to just toss everything in the back. We flew into Ft. Lauderdale and then drove to our hotel, the Loewes Miami at South Beach. Everybody was so nice and friendly at the hotel. Check-in went quickly and we got a fridge delivered to keep doodle's formula cold. It took a while to get the crib (first they sent us a pack and play, but some of the support poles were missing, so finally about an hour later they got us a wooden crib). Our room was huge. It was on the older side of the hotel and had 2 double beds, but the hubby rearranged the room no problem.
Now, it should have been foreshadowing that the room came with a really big umbrella. After settling in, we decided to go out and grab a bite to eat. There was a light rain when we left, and we noticed the intersection across the street was already flooded. So we began walking with the stroller to find some little deli (we should have gone to Jerry's Famous Deli, but we walked a block to far up). The rain started picking up so we just finally stopped at this little sandwich shop. We figured the rain would let up. Ha! While we were there, the heavens opened (I can hear duckwhisperer laughing already!!). I'm talking torential downpour. We waded back to the hotel in ankle deep water. Every corner was flooded. By the time we got back to the hotel our clothing was sticking to us. Does South Beach not have drainage in it's streets??? Wound up ordering room service that night. When in Florida one must have Key Lime Pie, and I was really looking forward to that, but I was a bit let down with the hotel's pie. Not enough key limeiness. I guess they just didn't use Nellie & Joe's Key Lime Juice.
Wed. we decided to be touristy and we drove to the Seaquarium. No offense to Florida, but this was a poor man's Sea World. They said they were the only place in the world where dolphins and a killer whale interacted together. Ok, they were in the same pool, but the dolphins would do a trick, then the whale. And the tank was much to small for the poor thing. Free Willie (well, Lolita in this case). Next we walked through Crocodile Flats. We saw these beasts lounging about on this small island in the water. One guy had his mouth open as if waiting for a hand out (pun intended!). We were looking at this other section where there were turtles swimming about and another small island with many iguana milling about when we spotted a deer sitting there. Seemed an odd place for a deer (what with crocs right next door). Later we asked one of the workers about it and he said there were 2 and they were Key deer and used to that environment (um, guy you might want to check your numbers, we only saw 1). Had dinner at Bubba Gumps that night, very good service.
jweinberg began his conference on Thurs. and I just hung out with the doodle. Friday I took him on a nice stroll for about 2 hours in 95 degree heat. And that's not counting the humidity factor! Friday night we had dinner at the Hard Rock with hubby's co-worker and his family. It was nice.
Sat. we flew back. Again we got to take the car seat on no problem. Doodle was much fussier, but after a bottle and a changing he was fine (for those with kids, when on a flight and you don't feel like getting up to change a smelly diaper, Johnson & Johnson baby wipes do a great job of temporarily masking the odor!!). Again he slept through landing. The only bad spot was when we got back to Oakland, discovered they had sent one of our bags to Boston. On the plus side, they gave us a $30 voucher for our troubles and the bag did get to us by 1 the next day. Still, the same thing happened to my mom 2 weeks ago when she went home from visiting (they told her her bag went to JFK, when it never left Oakland). Jet Blue needs to make some improvements.
So anyway, in all it was a good trip and flying with an infant was not the scaring thing we thought it would be. The drivers in South Beach are crazy and it was quite crowded, but the hotel and the Art Deco buildings were nice. Now, let's just hope that client invites us to his meeting in November in the Bahamas!!!
PS...if you like this lj icon, check out www.greatcosmichappyass.com
jweinberg, littledoodle and I flew on the red eye to Miami on the 15th. jweinberg had a work conference there. We were really nervous about flying with the baby, but Jet Blue was great. We lucked out and didn't have anybody sitting in our row, so they let us bring the car seat on (without having paid for the extra seat) and strap the little guy in by the window. Much better than having to hold him on our laps the entire flight! He was crying a bit when we left, but gave him a bottle and he was fine through take off. Then he slept the rest of the flight. I actually had to force in a bottle during landing (I was told by other mothers that if you give a bottle at take off and landing it helps with the air pressure).
Getting the rental car (er mini van) was no problem. The lady at National saw us coming and said "You must want a mini van!". I gotta say, I see why people with kids get those. It was so easy to just toss everything in the back. We flew into Ft. Lauderdale and then drove to our hotel, the Loewes Miami at South Beach. Everybody was so nice and friendly at the hotel. Check-in went quickly and we got a fridge delivered to keep doodle's formula cold. It took a while to get the crib (first they sent us a pack and play, but some of the support poles were missing, so finally about an hour later they got us a wooden crib). Our room was huge. It was on the older side of the hotel and had 2 double beds, but the hubby rearranged the room no problem.
Now, it should have been foreshadowing that the room came with a really big umbrella. After settling in, we decided to go out and grab a bite to eat. There was a light rain when we left, and we noticed the intersection across the street was already flooded. So we began walking with the stroller to find some little deli (we should have gone to Jerry's Famous Deli, but we walked a block to far up). The rain started picking up so we just finally stopped at this little sandwich shop. We figured the rain would let up. Ha! While we were there, the heavens opened (I can hear duckwhisperer laughing already!!). I'm talking torential downpour. We waded back to the hotel in ankle deep water. Every corner was flooded. By the time we got back to the hotel our clothing was sticking to us. Does South Beach not have drainage in it's streets??? Wound up ordering room service that night. When in Florida one must have Key Lime Pie, and I was really looking forward to that, but I was a bit let down with the hotel's pie. Not enough key limeiness. I guess they just didn't use Nellie & Joe's Key Lime Juice.
Wed. we decided to be touristy and we drove to the Seaquarium. No offense to Florida, but this was a poor man's Sea World. They said they were the only place in the world where dolphins and a killer whale interacted together. Ok, they were in the same pool, but the dolphins would do a trick, then the whale. And the tank was much to small for the poor thing. Free Willie (well, Lolita in this case). Next we walked through Crocodile Flats. We saw these beasts lounging about on this small island in the water. One guy had his mouth open as if waiting for a hand out (pun intended!). We were looking at this other section where there were turtles swimming about and another small island with many iguana milling about when we spotted a deer sitting there. Seemed an odd place for a deer (what with crocs right next door). Later we asked one of the workers about it and he said there were 2 and they were Key deer and used to that environment (um, guy you might want to check your numbers, we only saw 1). Had dinner at Bubba Gumps that night, very good service.
jweinberg began his conference on Thurs. and I just hung out with the doodle. Friday I took him on a nice stroll for about 2 hours in 95 degree heat. And that's not counting the humidity factor! Friday night we had dinner at the Hard Rock with hubby's co-worker and his family. It was nice.
Sat. we flew back. Again we got to take the car seat on no problem. Doodle was much fussier, but after a bottle and a changing he was fine (for those with kids, when on a flight and you don't feel like getting up to change a smelly diaper, Johnson & Johnson baby wipes do a great job of temporarily masking the odor!!). Again he slept through landing. The only bad spot was when we got back to Oakland, discovered they had sent one of our bags to Boston. On the plus side, they gave us a $30 voucher for our troubles and the bag did get to us by 1 the next day. Still, the same thing happened to my mom 2 weeks ago when she went home from visiting (they told her her bag went to JFK, when it never left Oakland). Jet Blue needs to make some improvements.
So anyway, in all it was a good trip and flying with an infant was not the scaring thing we thought it would be. The drivers in South Beach are crazy and it was quite crowded, but the hotel and the Art Deco buildings were nice. Now, let's just hope that client invites us to his meeting in November in the Bahamas!!!
PS...if you like this lj icon, check out www.greatcosmichappyass.com