The Adventures of Mommy and Drew: The Woodlands, TX!

October 30, 2013 Allison and Will Evans welcomed Isabel Rose Evans into the world -- as any best friend would be -- I was thrilled and couldn't wait to meet the little lady!  However -- having been through the 'newborn' phase just 7 months prior, I knew it would be best to wait a few months to let everyone settle in :-)

...So, without much notice I booked a trip the end of January (Ronnie was out scouting that weekend...like almost every weekend from now until Novemer) and me and Drew packed our bags for Texas -- YEEHAW!

Wouldn't it be nice if I could just post the pics and write fun little captions and talk about how wonderful and perfect and stress-free that traveling was with Drew?  Well, what fun would that be?  I mean I just love to sprinkle in a little stress to my life here and there so why would this even be any different????  ..........

The morning of our fight I got an email from United letting me know our flight was delayed 30 min.  We hadn't left the house yet - so no biggie, right?  Then about an hour later I got another email stating that it had been delayed ANOTHER 30 min.  Now an eyebrow was raised and it was time for mommy to get online and figure out what was going on... well, ended up our inbound was coming from DC and it was delayed leaving.  Once I saw that status -- I carried on with my multi-tasking of completeling packing, getting myself ready,  watching Drew, responding to work emails and submitting a couple proposals.  Somewhere in the midst of all of this I got the times messed up. 

Soo....we were 35 min from the airport and it was pouring down rain.  Bumper to bumper traffic and I realized that I was off by 30 min.  I needed to be AT the airport at noon, not LEAVE THE HOUSE at noon.  Thankfully my husband was calm and cool and we managed to take all sorts of back roads that I didn't even know existed and we rolled in with 35 min. till my flight was scheduled to leave.  Not enough time for me to check my ginourmous bag that I was bringing for a whopping 2 day trip.

After begging with the ticket lady for about 3 min. I called Ali.  I explained the situation and that I basically had 3 options:

1.  Go without my bag.  That would mean I was flying with Drew, the diaper bag and my wallet (and he was in his carseat with the snap and go that I could gate check).   The diaper bag had enough formula to get us there, a few diapers and plenty of toys and snacks to keep drew busy.

2. Not go. Which to me was not an option.

3.  Take the flight at 6pm.  Since this was only a 2 day trip and we were visting friends with a little baby -- getting in at 8pm was also not an option.

Here was her response:  "Butcher, get your *** on the plane.  We'll hit up Target - we got this!"

So off we went....... the story about racing through security, running through the airport pushing a baby and sweating is much too long an boring.  But lets just say this wasn't exactly a walk in the park getting on this plane.  Between Drew trying crawling away to eat the crusty Cheerio that he spotted under the luggage belt when I put him down so I could take my shoes off, to pleading with the gate agent becauese I didn't have my 'infant in arms' boarding pass -- we were very lucky to get on this flight!

From there on out -- the trip was absolutely wonderful!  Drew was quite the enterainer on the flight - such a croud pleaser.  He finally passed out with about 45 min. to go so we were ready to rock when we got there!


Here are some fun pics!

Monkey jumping on the bed before we got in the car...30 min late!

Ok mom -- you run, I'll to eat this baggage claim ticket...

We made it... now, what stunts can I pull on this flight??  I'm thinking about starting the wave...

"Keeping all of these people smiling is exhausting..."

My first snuggle with baby Isabel!  She was absolutely PERFECT!  Such a little snuggle bug :-)

 Ok -- so I have to comment about what a sweet little baby Isabel is.  I was laughing inside whenever Ali and Will would say she was 'being fussy'... it was like this quite little wimper, honestly I couldn't even hear her and I don't think she cried the entire time I was there.   This was NOT the same experience we had when Drew was 3 month.  His version of fussy was a scream that you could hear from 3 miles away wearing noise blocking headphones.

I couldn't even get a pic of this guy the next morning without him moving.. he was in 'exploreation' mode...

 Oh, and he slept in Isabel's nursery -- on light grey and pink sheets :-)  HA! 

Thanks for making me some blueberry pancakes Aunti Ali!  YUMMMMMM!!!!!!!

Who needs toys when you have British flag coasters and a London Pride tray?????

 

Ali's husband Will is British and Drew had fun watching rugby with him on Saturday!  PS - Nice hair, Drew!

What a doll face.  Love her.

Dinner out in The Woodlands.  Hey Will - can I have a few more sweet potato fries??!

Isabel's first time in the Bumbo!  Nice work Izzy!

Mommies and babies.  Love.

Back on the plane... yep, wearing the same clothes we wore out there because we didn't have a bag!

This was such a special trip and one we will remember forever!  Ali and I shared some great memories in our mid-twenties before meeting our hubbies and having this wonderful little people join us in this world!  It's so much fun to have friendships like this that evolve with time as we enter new chapters. 

Ali and Will -- Thanks so much for such a fun weekend!  You are such a beautiful family!  Looking forward to many more trips in the years to come!

BIG HUGS!