Airplane.

Today Mama Roo says we are going on an airplane. 

I wake up early because I'm excited and because there is no one next to me this morning to snuggle while I fall back asleep. "Mama, Mama, MAMA! Morning! I hungry (I use sign language too, just to make sure it's understood). Pancakes? Apples? Nuts. Cashews. Crackers." I eat on the counter while I watch Daddy Bear. He is not at work today. It must be a good day. We go pick up Opa. "Ready to go. Ready. Car seat buckle. Books, Opa. Ready!"

At the airport, we get out. We have suitcases. Lots of them. I just want to get out. "Out, down. Buckle. Help please, Opa. Shoes? Down!"

Mama Roo says we need to get everything ready to go stand in line. "Give Opa a big hug, he has to go back home, Kami Lou." I give a quick hug, no kisses. "Down, walking. I walking." I want to play next to the suitcases. Mama puts me in the backpack. "Backpack, buckle. Down?" I am whining now. "We can't play right now. We have to check in for the airplane ride! Are you ready?" "Ready! Ready GO!" I am excited.

 Mama Roo asks Daddy Bear all kinds of things. "Are the passports in your bag? Do you have all of them or just yours? I put the snacks in the little black bag if we need them. We have 3 carry ons, is there anything else you want with us? I don't know if we will need the ergo the whole time. Maybe I'll stuff it in a suitcase. No, I'll take it. We might need it. This line seems to be moving pretty fast. I hope security is the same. You know, we get to go in the priority line because we have Kam. That's pretty great. Are you excited? Or just tired? I'm going to take your silence as tired." She talks and talks and snaps some pictures. She asks Daddy to smile. He doesn't. He just wants to get through the line. I agree.

We put away the camera. Mama and Daddy have some papers to fill out and more lines to stand in. "Down? People, babies. Suitcase. Car seat. Buckle, car seat. Please, car seat." I want to play in my car seat, but Mama says in a minute. Finally, I play in my car seat. Now, it's time for the airplane.

The airplane is full. No room for car seat. Mama and I sit in one seat and Daddy is 7 seats back. Mama says our seat numbers got changed three times from the original seat she booked next to Daddy Bear. Mama sits in the aisle and I sit by myself for a minute. A lady comes and asks if Mama is in her seat. Mama explains the situation and asks her to trade with Daddy. The lady is not happy. She agrees to trade anyway. I think trading is funI think she would be less happy if I was using her lap as a trampoline and if Mama was getting up every hour to walk with me. I look out the window until the plane starts moving. "weeeeeeeeee, weeeee, weeee, weee." Looking out the window I name lots of things. "People, bus. Car.Wheels. Road. Grass. Green. Lights. People! Airplane." I bet the lady has a much better ride in her new seat.

We are on the airplane for a long time. So long. I eat lots of snacks, play with two little boys, fall asleep on Mama, eat dinner with Dada, make friends with the lady behind us, and walk up and down the aisles twenty-four times. I get out two books. One is for my new friend. "Friends, boy. He likes it. Books, trade. Here you go. Here. No? Here. Tiger, rawr. Elephant. Here." We play for a long time. Ten hours later, this is what I look like. I should have slept a little more and drank a little more water. I might be paying for this for days or Mama will be. 

Happily landing. We are here. Mama says Japan. I say Apan. I feel like that is close enough. Soon, we will get to sleep.