flying the friendly skies

If you're reading this, it means that Chris, Madeline, and are on board a plane en route to Toronto for the weekend. Hopefully we got to the airport in time and were able to be seated in the same row. If we have to be split up, I would volunteer to stay with Chris :) Hopefully I managed to get Madeline's carseat installed well enough on the plane - the info I got from the Baby Bargains forums suggest that for a forward-facing install, I first ought to try to get a seatbelt extender. Then I raise the armrest, recline the seat, buckle the carseat in, and then move the plane's seatback into an upright position. If I wasn't able to get a seatbelt extender, I will have twisted the seatbelt one-half turn before buckling it up. This is supposed to make the buckle open away from the carseat, which I've read is the key to getting the seat out without injuring one's hands in the process. Hopefully Madeline won't kick the back of the seat in front of her too much, but I understand that it's also unavoidable with little legs like hers. Hopefully the flight attendants were willing to fill Madeline's cup with some water or milk before the takeoff so that she has something to swallow to relieve any pressure in her ears. Hopefully Madeline will be amused with all of the stickers and art supplies that I stocked our carry-on bag with. I'd rather not turn her seat-back tv to the cartoon channel, but I'm glad it's there at the same time.

Onto my links for the week:

These two posts at Motherhood Uncensored came along just when I needed them: How Long Does It Take for You to Think Like a Parent? and I Guess This Is Supposed to Be a Thankless Job. Both of these resonated with me - this week ended with a few struggles/challenges for me.

The new post at Ask Moxie asks about useful books on parenting. I agree, certainly about her take on the whole Babywise thing and also about the Baby Whisperer. I didn't think that I could feel nagged by a book until I read the Baby Whisperer one. I even read the sequel on toddlers just to make sure that I wasn't imagining things!