7 Months, Big Trip, an Averted Crisis

Ian hit the 7 month mark. (Pictures will be added later. Due to the Big Trip I am not at home and don't have access to my pictures.) He weighs over 21 lbs now. While it can strain just one arm it is a good kind of armful. In fact, that has been my favorite development this past month! He has started resting his head on my shoulder and snuggling in. Noah never did that and I missed it. Ian doesn't tend to stay down for long but I treasure each snuggly moment I get.

The whole family is also on a big trip! We aren't all going to the same place but it is a big undertaking for all of us. Chris is off to exotic realms in England and Japan (passing through Hawaii on his way home, of course) while the boys and I are here in TX at Grandma and Grandpa's house. We will be making a brief foray down to Katy to see my sister and her family as well. Our two week hiatus from our normal routine will be documented here, including highlights from Chris' travels that he will post himself.

The Big Trip started yesterday for me and the boys. I made a packing list and was very impressed with myself when I got everything we needed into one big bag and a carry on. Two weeks, three people, one bag...like I said, I was pretty impressed with myself. (A challenge for me as an admitted over-packer. Since they started charging to check bags one must pack light!)
So, I was packed with every item on my carefully crafted list accounted for and we were out the door on time!

So, what was the crisis you ask? Well, upon arrival at the airport (gotta have an airport story to call it a trip, don't you?) I realized that my purse was not in the carry on bag. I had NO ID! (or money or anything else useful!) We decided to go in and see what needed to happen. I was really surprised when they told me I could fly without it! Extra special treatment would be necessary but still! So now you are wondering what is extra special treatment. I know I was. I was only hoping I could handle it since I was holding a heavy, napless baby and had a two year old who had just said goodbye to daddy (his favorite person in the world) and was short on nap-time as well.

I was told to stand 'right here'. After a few minutes I asked if I could move to a bench about 5 ft. away (still within the security area) and sit to wait (you remember that I have a heavy baby but I forgot to mention that my carry on probably exceeded 20 lbs too!). He said no. I got the impression that he was sure, kids or not, that anyone trying to get through without ID had to be up to no good. So a nice TSA lady comes and leaves and then finally comes back with a Certificate of Identity that I am to fill out and sign. It just asks for my name and address. She lets me sit down to do this. And I couldn't help but wonder if they were timing me or watching closely to see if there is any hesitation in my writing, like I had just memorized it recently. Then, she explains, her boss, the Head TSA man (my words, not hers), will come and ask me some questions to prove that I am who I say I am.

He shows up and calls Washington D.C. and talks to some one there who provides the magic questions. Name someone else who resides at this residence with you. What is his birthday? What county do you live in? I reply, Tippecanoe, and I don't know what the other person said, but the TSA Man says something like, 'yes, that is really it.' That made me smile.

And that was it. We had to go through the puffer machine-Noah went through on his own like a big boy! And then there was a little extra swabbing of shoes and other items. But that was it. It is possible to fly without your ID. Who knew?

So, that little crisis was averted. We made our plane (thank goodness for arriving at the airport early!) and arrived here in TX after only a modicum of crying and about an hour of Dora.