Lessons learned...

...while flying with a 14-month-old

• If you ask nicely, the airline folks will seat you at the front of the plane so you can get off faster, and they will also give you a seat without neighbors
• the waiting time in the airport, and before the plane takes off are FAR harder than the time actually spent in the air
• toddlers make friends with almost anyone, and most anyone will "play" with a baby contentedly - READ: no need to shuffle him away from strangers who only want to dote
• *new* toys (never before seen by said toddler) are a LIFESAVER
• battery operated toothbrushes are amazing teething toys
• you don't have to hide if/whenyou give your kid benedryl - every mother within 10 feet has done the same thing at one time or another
• Don't show a toddler that the window shade goes up and down, unless you desire for him to be fascinated with it
• Ditto with the arm rest
• Know that Benadryl takes 30 minutes to kick in. Time that with the plane's actual departure and subsequent nursing/feeding of said toddler. out-like-a-light
• Expect that although you may have been able to keep said toddler totally asleep while strapping him into your Becco, he will wake up, and stay awake, for the duration of any layover you may have.
• When space is tight (flight two) expect that a toddler who is in the 97th percentile for length will have his little feet laying on (and in our case, kneading like a cat) the lap of the person next to you. Pray you get a neighbor like we did.
• If said toddler still nurses, FOR PETE SAKE don't let him nurse (at a precariously squashed angle) the entirety of both flights. You'll know why in the morning.
• "no-spill" sippy cups are NOT no-spill under cabin pressure.
• ALWAYS get a window seat - unless you want said sleeping toddler to have his cute little toes hit by the drink cart. Note: NOT an experience we had. Just an observation.
• Do not expect that a toddler who may have slept on two flights to sleep AT ALL on the 45 minute drive home from the airport. On the contrary, expect him to have quite a bit of trouble settling down and going back to sleep.
• drinking water = having to get out of seat = waking toddler. no water = no bathroom trip
• Let the drink cart pass you by. There isn't enough room to put the tray table down anyway.
• DO NOT bring a carry on. bring only what will fit under the seat in front of you. You know you aren't going to get up mid-flight and get into that carry-on anyway. Heck, you aren't even going to get into the back-pack you brought. less is more.
• Have I mentioned the benedryl yet? Have I spelled it enough different ways. Probably

Likely more to come as I continue to process what was a much easier trip than I had anticipated. I'm glad it was at night (although I was rediculously tired) We'll see how the return trip goes --> leaving at 6:00am from Sea Tac.