The Traveling Pregnant Woman

So I went to Boise this weekend to see some friends. This would be the last trip I take by myself for a long, long time. Any trip in the future would include family or new baby. Oh goodness. This trip was just for me.

Traveling pregnant reminds me of those news stories where Sea World is attempting to ship a whale to another zoo. It takes many handlers, prep work and special planning. Plus there are tons of people who stare at the process of moving a 5 ton whale onto a truck. This weekend while at the airport I became Shamu, I was the whale that everyone was looking at.

Have you seen the movie "Away We Go", super cute movie. About a couple who's pregnant in search of a new place to live. They travel all over the country in search of their home. There is a scene where they get the airport ticket desk and the agents won't let her travel because they think she is 8 months pregnant when in reality she is only 6. Very funny... Watch the clip below.
I swear I thought this was going to happen to me! That I was going to get to the airport and someone was going to stop me from flying because I was to pregnant to travel. I was so nervous about this I wore a shirt that didn't hug the belly to much and sweater to cover it. I even went as far as to travel with a really large bag to put in front of me so I could go "unnoticed." Thankfully I could get my boarding pass online and not have to deal with ticket agents so that was one hurdle I didn't have to cross.

Next hurdle: being pregnant and needing to eat at the airport and only finding a spot at the bar! There I was, having a full on hot flash because for one I am pregnant and two I was wearing a sweater to cover up the fact I was pregnant. I get the courage to take off the sweater, well not really "courage", I am close to passing out so I take off the sweater. I sit at the bar and order my sprite and soup. I get these really odd stares from the business men around the bar. A pregnant woman holding her belly nursing her sprite like it's a gin and tonic. I try to make a joke to the guy sitting next to me "nervous flier, got to get the drinks in before I get on board" He doesn't seem amused by me and I soon realize he didn't hear me when I ordered a sprite, he thought I was really drinking liquor. I quickly ate my soup and waddled out of the bar.

So far I have made to the gate without anyone telling me I am to pregnant to fly. But something else is creeping in my brain. What if I am to fat to fly?!? What if the seat belt doesn't fit around my new belly and I am going to have to ask for a seat belt extender! I am seriously freaking out about having to maybe ask the flight attendant to help strap my fat pregnant ass into a seat! I get on board and pray to all that is holy that the seat belt fits... thank goodness it does, with plenty of room to spare. The belt can go under the belly, light bulb moment for me! All that worry for nothing.

I arrive in Boise and all is well. I check into my hotel room. Which I have to say was fantastic. A little slice of 'all alone' heaven. Large king bed and tv ALL TO MYSELF! Plus a huge tub! When I got settled into the room I almost thought about not calling my friends and just staying in my hotel room and basking in my little heaven. The only problem with a hotel room is that there isn't a kitchen attached. This dilemma hit me around 10 pm when I realized soon the baby would want to feed again. My nightly ritual of having a snack after two hours of sleep was haunting me. I wasn't hungry yet but what if I was in a couple of hours!! What in the world was I to do, this hotel room didn't have a mini bar only a super fancy room service menu. And that room service closes in 30 minutes. I immediately called room service and ordered a very expensive pizza. 20 minutes and $20 dollars later I had my own personal sized pizza. I wasn't hungry so I put it in the fridge, just in case I needed it later. I basically ordered a $20 security blanket. Which in the end I only ate one slice from. But I slept well knowing it was there!

The rest of the weekend went well. Hanging out with friends before the baby was just what I needed. Putting my feet up and just gossiping with my girlfriends refilled my energy to come back to Seattle and hash out these last few months.

Plus leaving home always makes you appreciate it a little more. Seeing the hubby and Darwin pull the car up to the airport curb made my heart skip and I could feel the baby getting excited. Baby bump and I were happy to be home, happy to have hubby's hand on the belly and Darwin licks all over my face.

Shamu is home, safe in the water again.