january nineteen

We left bright and early this morning for the airport. We had to be there 3 hours in advance. So, for our 7:40 am flight, we had to be there around 4:30 am. I got up at 3:30 am, got myself ready, and then woke up the boys near 4 am. My parents were at my house after picking up my sister near 4:20 am and then we got to the airport. We couldn’t bypass the check-in counter line, but we were able to bypass the customs line-up and the 2nd security line up. The first security line up had no line up at all. We all had to take off all our shoes and put everything into bins to go through the x-ray machine. The stroller that I borrowed, was too big to go through the x-ray machine, so said the security agent, so instead they patted it down. You know what? It’s a good thing that they did a pat down instead, because I kind of forgot at that moment how to close it, and Sean was having a meltdown and didn’t want to take off his shoes. All he wanted was milk, now. We had to beg a guy at customs to let us go through the handicap special line as one guy told us that they weren’t allowing strollers today through that line, but somehow another couple got through with a double stroller, and we asked again and the guys was like “Well, I guess since they went you can too”. I thanked him profusely and was happy that I was that much closer to getting Sean some milk. I had given both kids their “morning” milk in the car on the way to the airport. Mack polished his off, and Sean only drank part of his. I didn’t want any liquids on us when going through security, even though liquids for children were allowed, I didn’t want any problems. Well, Sean decided that he wanted some milk after we went through the first security and before customs. The second security was just before the gates after customs. That’s where you get patted down. I went with Sean, Amy went to a station herself and my mom went with Mack to another station. Sean was good during his pat down though he freaked out when the lady came over to pat me down. At that point we asked the security lady that was doing a second search of my bags, if my mom could have Sean since she was already done with Mack and they went through to the gate area. I had the most bags with me as I had my purse, my laptop bag, my camera case, a diaper bag and Sean’s messenger bag. That’s why I took the longest. The lady (approximately my age) chuckled at the amount of diapers I had in the diaper bag (I had about 12 per kid) and was intrigued by my Mara Shawl. While on the plane, though, I wondered about this no carry-on rule because some of the ladies on the flight, all had these huge purses that quite obviously didn’t fit into the 12”x10”x5.5” restriction per bag.

Sean watched TV on the flight.

And opened a full box of hockey cards (36 packs) that Jamie bought for him for the plane. Sean collects goalies only, and was so happy to find a bunch. The rest, all the players, he gives to Mack.

I got quite a bit of knitting time done on the the plane as Mack sat with my mom for a while. There was actually an empty seat next to my mom for the entire flight. (I sat in a row with Sean & my sister).

I finally tested out my Zephyr Tips. I love them.

Mack was intrigued by the free magazine that came in the seat in front of him.
He was really good most of the flight as well.

As soon as we got to the airport though, he fell asleep in the stroller.
I don’t blame him though, it was a long morning & neither kid napped on the plane.

I love this stroller. It’s the Phil & Ted Classic. I love it. Not sure how I never heard of it before now.

Sean passed out in the rental car on the way to my grandmother’s condo.

Sean telling my Great Auntie Rhoda a story.

Mack made some phone calls on a calculator.

After dinner, which was at my favorite American restaurant, Ruby Tuesday’s, we headed to Wal-Mart to pick up a couple of things that I needed for the kids. I ended up finding a few gifts and a few things for myself as well, but the main importance was size 3 shorts for Sean. I didn’t realize until after I started packing (yesterday, of course), that Sean has a limited summer wardrobe in size 3, and only one nice pair of (dressy) size 3 Children’s Place shorts (from my friend Lauren in Philly). So my mission tonight was shorts for him, and now he’s good for this trip & for this summer. They had no size 3 bathing suits, which I am still on a mission to find for him, but I know that I will end up finding for him, I’m not worried. It’s Florida. There’s warm weather & oceans here. I’ll find a bathing suit for him.

Mack was zonked though, as it was way past his bedtime. He took a snooze in the cart.

This evening when we got back to my grandmother’s condo, I worked some more on my Mara Shawl. I swear, it’s the never ending shawl. I’m at 3 inches or just over 3 inches into the last section and there is no way that I have enough yarn left to knit to 4 inches and bind off. This makes NO sense and I’ll tell you why. The pattern calls for 675 yards of Madeleinetosh Worsted knit to 46” wide then you start the next part for 1” and then 4” of the next part then bind off. I’m using Dream in Color Classy, which is a worsted weight. Dream in Color Classy has 250 yards per ball. That’s 750 yards. I knit until 46” wide, then about 1” (maybe it’s just under 1” by a fraction) and then now I’m at about (just over maybe) 3” of the last part where it’s supposed to be 4” and like I said, there is no way I’ll have enough yarn. I believe at this point I’ll have enough yarn to finish the row I’m on, and then enough just to bind off. I’m *hoping* to have the shawl done tomorrow. I don’t want to take the chance and knit one more row, I just don’t. I’d rather have a bit extra leftover than to run short. But why am I running short when I had more yarn than I was supposed to for what the pattern called for?