Thanksgiving Trip...

  
We headed to Nana and Papa's house in South Carolina again for Thanksgiving this year. We had to catch an early 7:30 flight this time, so that meant a very early start to our journey. When I woke up Riley she popped straight up from a hard sleep and said "is it time to go get on our airplane now!?". For Jackson, there was soon to be something that was going to fascinate him greatly. Seeing and riding in an airplane? Nope. Seeing and riding in a bus from the parking lot to the airport. He was looking around, wide-eyed, saying "bus", "bus" the whole ride. Once there we got off to a good start with a fairly manageable security check-in line, though Jackson was already starting to get a bit restless trying to get out of his stroller. At one point he looked up at me with a helpless look and said "Daddy......help."

On the plane all was well for most of the trip there. Jackson was definitely restless and a little cranky as we waited to take off and then again as we were descending to land, but for the rest of the flight he was occupied by games, Monsters Inc, and plenty of snacks. Riley did great, mostly hanging out playing various games as well. The nice part was that our plane had a lot of empty seats, so that gave us plenty of options to change seats several times throughout the flight. I ended up sitting with Riley, sitting with Riley and Jackson, and then sitting alone. After landing in Charlotte and picking up Riley's favorite car again...Charger... it was off to Nana and Papa's house.

Turkey day was a good one, with myself and Papa cooking up a perfect golden fried turkey if I may say so :) We had no major melt downs on Thanksgiving Day this time, unlike last year where the better part of the Thanksgiving meal was spent battling Riley's bad mood and taking her to her room to cool off. This time around it was all smiles and happy faces, so that's definitely a good thing. It only took four years, but she finally enjoyed a real Thanksgiving meal...even if she didn't eat all that much. Jackson wasn't in much of an eating mood for most of the entire trip, so he didn't get to enjoy much turkey or dressing or anything else except mostly waffles and oatmeal while we were there. For me, one of my highlights was a ham biscuit from Hardee's, which I can't get in Texas. Unfortunately though we missed delicious South Carolina pulled pork on this trip.

Riley and Jackson spent plenty of time playing in the rocks, looking for pine cones, and playing hide and seek. We also spent more than our fair share of time at the pond at Presbyterian College feeding the ducks and Canadian geese, and at the park of course. Those were some of the most friendly (aggressive?) ducks/geese we have ever been around. They didn't just come near you, they basically bump into you coming after the bread. After three consecutive days of going to feed them, it is possible that they will miss us as much as anyone. Beside the duck pond there was a small outdoor chapel, but to Riley it was her stage. So we all got treated to performances of dancing and a little singing by the two of them.

Performing on "stage" for their audience

A pleasant surprise while we were there was the chance to visit with a lot of extended family who for the most part has only seen Jackson and Riley through facebook for the past few years. Was good to see everyone...Bonnie and Chic, Robbie and Joan, Donna, Mike and Kim, Annette, and Susan and Maxie again. Also had a random reunion with my cousins Susie and Carly while picking up a few last minute items for the big meal. Miss all of you and look forward to seeing you again soon we hope. In order to get a picture with Michael, he gave Riley her first dollar, which I don't think she really knew what to think of considering she has only had coins up until that point. I think she got the idea that a dollar is a good thing though. Heck I want a dollar to get mine taken with Michael next time. Another surprise was the chance to push my cousin Donna out of the ditch she backed into while leaving. Nice job! :)

Jackson is actually in the picture...but behind the bench hiding.

Sadly it was time to say goodbye and head back home. We were hoping for a repeat of our flight to Charlotte, however that was not to be. Same seating arrangement as the flight there...Riley and I in row 30, Melissa and Jackson in 31. Except this time we had a completely full flight, so there was no flexible seating arrangement...and a lot more people to witness any potential melt downs. And what a melt down they witnessed. All started off innocently enough, with Riley settling in and Jackson just being restless until we got into the air. Once in flight, he was content watching Monsters Inc, playing games, and eating snacks.

Around mid-flight I looked back and he was asleep with his head in Melissa's lap. It looked like we just might make it back with our sanity intact. But the sleeping dragon awoke, and everyone was about to feel the effects of a perfect storm:  not sleeping well, teeth coming in, sinus issues, and an (almost) two year old who, once he gets worked up and angry, is almost impossible to calm down. So for the last 45 minutes of the flight, it was pure hell. He kicked...and screamed...and cried...and flailed around...and got into the floor...and under the seats. That last part was actually not a bad thing, because by burying himself under the seat, it helped to muffle most of the screaming. "Daddeeeeeeeeeee" and "uh uh" (when offering him anything) over and over and over and over for 45 minutes. I took him at one point and that didn't change a thing so I gave him back to Melissa.

Pretending she's "grandma"

With "Sally Pickle"

When we finally landed he stopped. Naturally. We thought it was all over at that point, and I am sure everyone around us was praying for the same. The nice part about sitting at the very back of the plane is that when/if a meltdown happens, at least it only affects a small segment of the passengers around us. The bad part is that it takes forever to de-plane. And so it was that during what felt like the longest de-planing process ever, he started back up. This time I took him. So what does he do after screaming "Daddeeee" for 45 minutes and he finally gets me? "Mommeeeeeeee!" Everyone around us actually started laughing at that point, with the lady behind their seat saying "He screamed for his daddy and now he has him and screams for mommy". Unbelievable. Was definitely the longest 45 minutes of our life.

(Riley snapped this one of the crazy goose)

(And this one as well)

We were the last ones off the plane, and as we were leaving I asked the flight attendants where this one ranked in the all-time meltdown list they had surely experienced. "This was mild" she said. I don't know if she was being nice or being honest.  Melissa thinks she was just being nice.  If she was being honest, then I really can not begin to imagine how it could have been much worse than what it was. Yikes. But at last we were off the plane and back on the ground. On the bus ride back to the parking lot and on the ride home he was as quiet as a mouse. Hard to believe it was the same child who, just a short time earlier, made sure that all those around him wouldn't forget him for a while. Thankfully there shouldn't be any more flights for a while. By the time we fly again the potential for melt downs should hopefully be a thing of the past. If not, then there is only one possible alternative: Let the kids sit at the back and we sit in first class.

Not proud of this.  :)