o'hare airport, united terminal, gate 6b. over the seatbacks.
overheard and corner-of-my-eye-watched
she: "I'll be the princess!" (waving a plastic figurine with no arms)
he: "Ok, I'll be the knight and come rescue you." (holding a lego exoforce saw-blade arm, dancing alongside the armless princess)
she: "NO. That's just a little boy who's fighting crime!" (decisively)
he: "I'M NOT CRIME!?!" (in a slightly offended tone)
he: 6 and tired and mine
she: 4, taller than he, and well versed in all forms of battles.
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on the plane. crammed into 2 seats w/both boys, M on the other side of the aisle. in the bumpy/stomach queasy almost last-rows.
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. mine!
nooooooooooooooooo!
shrill screeching.
tired flailing.
frantic climbing.
"get him off me!"
"go to dad"
putting on of headphones and watching 30 seconds of The Office
"ok I'll take him back."
----
nooooooooooooooooo!
shrill screeching.
tired flailing.
frantic climbing.
"get him off me!"
"want me to take him?"
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repeat 42 times, or the time takes to fly from ORD to LGA, whichever comes first.
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arrive at said airport, count the minutes till you'll be home in your own bed and your kids in theirs. start to feel a measure of relief.
shoulder way into crowded baggage claim to collect bags, wearing now-silent toddler in the backpack. husband and son waiting near the edge.
see steward from our flight come by, waving 2 passports.
"Are these yours?"
"um, yes! where did you find them?!"
"on the seat, I hope that was all?"
frantic searching in zipped backpack. birth cert there but no 3rd passport.
questions, run into lost/found office, explain ...
"the stewardess found it, they'll be right down."
wait, retrieve suitcase.
rethink how many minutes till warm bed, decide it can't be thought about.
wait more.
see captain of flight walk by.
chase him to the door, explain in 25 words or less. realize no one's found the 3rd.
insert more running around/finding offices closed/terminals closed, etc.
hear walkie-talkie conversation indicating the plane is already being towed to the hangar for the night.
thank God it's still there and not off to some other city.
fill out form. pray they'll find it in the AM when they clean.
go home.
find warm bed.
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the wedding? that part was great, truly perfect, and pics forthcoming.
I'm glad to be home!