Arizona Trip 2011

Well, we had our first "family vacation" to somewhere other than to visit family.  It was actually a conference that G had to go to for work, but Jake and I got to tag along.  I have to be honest.... I was dreading it.  I wasn't looking forward to staying in a hotel room with a 16 month old boy. How would naps go?? How would night time go?? How would we be able to keep him on a schedule?? Would we all be miserably exhausted?? Well, it all worked out and we had a BLAST!! 
We flew out of Lubbock Sat morning laying over in Albuquerque. Jake did great on both flights. When we got to Phoenix he was one sleepy boy. By the time we got to the terminal to catch the bus to get to the rental car place, Jake-Man was out. So we were in no hurry and let him take a little cat-nap before heading out. 
The hotel we stayed at was AMAZING! The grounds were beautiful and we had a wonderful balcony to sit out on.  There were bunnies and quail running around everywhere you went.  We had humming birds off our balcony, and Jake's favorite, we were close enough to a small airport that there were always airplanes and helicopters for him to watch. We were a little sad because the two days that G had available for us to go to the zoo, it was TOO COLD... in ARIZONA! How often does that happen? Instead we went to the Phoenix Children's museum.  Jake had so much fun, he could climb and run all he wanted.  There was a lot for him to see and do. He was ready for a good nap after that day. His naps were taken in his crib... in the bathroom. He didn't seem to mind.  We would also put him down for the night in there and when G and I were ready for bed we would roll him out into the room.  He would snooze right through the transfer.  He was waking up a little early for AZ time, but not too bad if we stayed on TX time. Everyday was filled with running up and down the halls, running the grounds, playing with the rocks in the courtyard, playing on the balcony, and watching airplanes and helicopters. We had some YUMMY food and gelato.  We went to the mall a few times to play in their play area and that's where Jake got to ride a carousel for the first time. He didn't look thrilled, but enjoyed it b/c he asked to go again as soon as it was done.
Our last full day we went to The McCormick Train Park.  There was a huge playground to play on, a train to ride, another carousal, birds to chase and ICE CREAM! Jake had a great time running around. We always have so much fun just letting him run and explore.  It's impossible for him to run without smiling and laughing. It brings us such joy. All the fun we had made up for the lack of rest and sleep.  WORTH EVERY MINUTE!
Now the trip home was a little rough.  We were flying out of Phoenix at 9:40.  So we were up and at'em that morning thanks to J-Man who was up at 5:30.  We left the hotel at 7:30... PLENTY of time to drive to the rental car place, catch the bus to the airport, check bags, get through security and let Jake get in a quick nap in the stroller at the gate.  HA! Didn't quite go as we had planned. We made it to the airport and to the counter to check our bags by 8:20.  So far, so good. Well, little did we know we were sharing a kiosk with a family with four kids and 8 bags. The guy behind the counter had printed out 8 baggage claim tickets and kept telling the dad next to us that he was missing two bags b/c he had two claim tickets left.  The Dad kept explaining, "you put four on the conveyor belt already, there are two behind you, and two right here.. that's eight!" The guy continued to argue.. sir, you are missing 2 bags... on and on.  Meanwhile our kiosk keeps timing out, Jake is ready to be out of his stroller and we're all hungry. So finally the dad just says, you have checked our bags, we're done. Once he walks off the guy behind the counter realizes that he had put OUR two baggage claim tickets on two of his bags and that's why he had two left over.  Thank goodness they were two bags he hadn't put on the conveyor belt yet.  So FINALLY we got our bags checked and headed to security where we were placed in the family line that runs slower than the others b/c everyone in that line has kids.  So we get through security and they have to test J's milk, which by that time I kept telling them, just throw it out! But the lady was insistent on letting us keep it.  THEN I had forgotten to take a teething ring out of the diaper bag so they had to dig for that b/c it was filled with liquid.  I HAD the diaper bag packed so nicely.  So while I'm waiting for them to find the teether and check the milk Gerald has J who desperately wants out of the stroller, trying to get their shoes back on, the bags organized, then J OUT of the stroller, keep his eye on J so he can put the stroller in the gate check bag and keep up with the boarding passes.  Soooo by the time we make it to the gate they are already boarding and no time for breakfast or a nap for Jake.  So this flight is going from Phoenix to Austin, to Dallas, then to Lubbock.  LUCKILY this flight is pretty empty so we had a row to ourselves.  Jake did okay but was SOOOO tired and would NOT sleep. We tried every trick in the book to get him to sleep. So we land in Austin which was supposed to be a QUICK turn around.  We don't even have to get off the plane. HA! So we land, they get a count of the through passengers and then we hear the engine turn off.  "Sorry for the delay folks, but there is a ding on the door that's not suppose to be there.  They are on their way to check it out.  It shouldn't take long." By this time Jake is hungry for lunch and BEYOND exhausted. Fussy, squirmy, cranky OH MY! So we get up and let him run up and down the aisle, the flight attendant gave him a coloring page to color. About 25 mins. pass and they finally come back on and say, "folks, if you will, look out the windows to your left...there you will see your plane." UGH! So we gather up all our stuff and deboard. Of course this is the opportune time for Jake to poop.  So once off the plane we split up, Jake and I to the bathroom and Gerald to find us some lunch. This was the WORST baby changing station ever.  It was a counter with the sink at one end.  Barely room for Jake to fit.  What made it so bad was the ELECTRICAL OUTLET right at his head along with the motion sensored paper towel dispenser.  Needless to say, Jake still had the pencil that came with his coloring page that he continued to try and put in the outlet then discovered the paper towel dispenser.  All while I'm trying to keep him from sliding into the sink or rolling off the counter.  Have I mentioned we are ALL exhausted??  So we get back to the plane and this one is FULL!! The poor guy that sat with us was so nice and had 4 kids of his own, so he understood how it was traveling with kids.  LUCKILY, Jake DID fall asleep as soon as we took off and slept the entire flight to Dallas. YAY!! Once to Dallas, we stuck around to make sure G got another flight to Lubbock, he had missed his original flight thanks to the delay in Austin. Jake and I stayed in Dallas a few days to visit while G flew onto Lubbock to work Thurs. and Fri.  He then drove back to Dallas Sat morning to meet up with us and his family for his sister's birthday.  It was GREAT being with everyone, even if for just a short while.  We then got in the car Sun morning and started the 6 hr journey home.  Jake did great and we were ALL  soooo glad to be home again.  Though it was exhausting, and at times challenging, we really did have a GREAT time.  This definitely gave us the bug to want to take more family trips.  We made many memories that we will cherish for years to come.  (By the way, Jake is now SEVENTEEN MONTHS OLD... He's running everywhere, eating everything, climbing like a monkey, playing in dirt, throwing whatever he gets in his hands (not a fun stage),  starting to talk more and in constant motion.  I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) Thanks for reading about our journey, hope you enjoy the pictures!!