Fly Girls

I thought I was all caught up from my vacation posts but remembered some things about our flights that are too good to leave out (curse you baby brain!):

As we waited in line to go through security at O'Hare, I told Liesel the agent might ask her name. The last time we flew she was suddenly overcome with a bout of shyness and barely whispered it. This time I told her IF he asked Liesel her name, she had to say it nice and loud. The second we stepped up to the agent she yelled with gusto, "My name is LIESEL!" Man alive was she loud! So loud that all conversation throughout the security lines virtually came to a halt. The agent was good natured as he went through our tickets and identification, pointing at our youngest and saying, "I take it THAT one is Ireland?"

Liesel is really becoming a phenomenal road warrior! Honestly she's better than most of the adults on the plane. She knows how to be patient until the plane takes off and to keep her seat belt on. She orders her own beverage and passes the time coloring or watching the iPod. At security she quickly takes off her shoes and jacket and walks through the metal detectors with all decorum. She really loves flying.

As we drove to the SLC airport for our flight home, Brent bemoaned his impending duty of keeping Ireland in line for the long flight. I asked what happened to my optimistic husband and Brent replied he's a realist. I told him an optimist can be a realist but still hope for something above and beyond what empirical evidence has proven in the past. That turned out to be the case.
Ireland contentedly snacked and watched movies for the entire flight. As we descended, she eagerly looked out the window and when we landed, her delighted squeals seemed to entertain everyone. I smiled at Brent and told him how nice it can be to have an optimistic outlook on life. Ireland is well on her way to becoming a road warrior in her own right.

For this trip, we had the girls take their own backpacks to carry snacks, magazines, etc. If they've got full-fare seats, we might as well take advantage of the extra bags we can bring on board! Upon landing, Brent had to wait for our valeted luggage so I took the girls with me to the restroom. As I walked through the airport with my two pig-tailed blondes on either side wearing their brightly colored backpacks, people commented every few feet. Even people lunching inside the various restaurants called out to us to say how cute they were. I have to say I was exceedingly proud of my fly girls.