Halp!

I need your help, innernets. I am going to Austin, TX next week to visit my SIL. She is in need of support, yo. The kind that is found in adorable babies of awesomeness. I haven't flown with a baybee in more than a fucking decade so I am a little lost. I did not buy a seat for Egg so he is on my lap, and Chicken is staying home with TB. I am leaving Tuesday morning and returning Saturday afternoon. I tried to make my flights short, have a decent but not too long layover in Denver, etc. I've done this before with Chicken as a baby across the states (VA to CA) a zillion times, but I'm rusty.

I am flying United Airlines and according to their website it will cost me $15 for the first piece of checked baggage and $25 for the second if I prepay online. The third piece of checked luggage is $125, same with the fourth, and the fifth is $200. Holy fucking shit. REALLY? How does a parent with a child travel to a place that does not already have things like a stroller, car seat, a place to sleep that has bars for fuck's sake? Egg is too big to put in a dresser drawer at this point. I figure that I will need one big assed suitcase for clothes and such, plus checking the car seat. Two items. That leaves me without a stroller or a place for Egg to sleep other than in my arms. I have a co-sleeper that converts to a play pen that can be easily checked, but then I have to forgo A) a car seat or B) clothes and diapers.

Any suggestions? I really like wearing clothes but if I have to fly nekkid I will.

ETA: Husband of Awesome (AKA TB) found this: "When traveling with a child, either on a paid ticket or on your lap, checking car seats and strollers will continue to be free." on the United website for me.Between that and all your VERY HELPFUL OMGILOVEYOUALL comments I think I can relax a tiny bit. Just enough to freak out about baby + plane = wild card of possible doom but likely just plain fine and I need to just shutthefuckup already.

Links

This page is a partial list of the blogs in my life. The category Mah Peeps is for the people that have been around here the most, the longest, or that I have the most contact with on a regular basis. In The Flesh is for bloggers that are personal friends of mine from beyond the blog world, or people that I have met through blogging. Fertility Minded is for those struggling with fertility issues. Big Girl Undies are the more popular blogs that don't (in my mind) fit into any of the above categories. I have so many more in my Google Reader that need to go into this page. I will continue to update as I have time.

Thanks,

Sam
updated September 3, 2009

---

Mah Peeps

• Anne Nahm
• Are You Kidding Me?
• Bad News Blonde
• Creating Motherhood
• Dr. The Blog
• The Evolution of Jeremiah
• Faster Pussycat...Type! Type!
• Gerben says what?
• Gorillabuns
• Hecticmom-Completely Undone
• It's About Making Babies
• I Really Should Be Working
• I Want To Be A Mommy
• Isle Be Here
• Gus Greeper
• Learning To Breathe
• Mater Factit
• Mid Life Mama
• Missed Conceptions
• The New Girl
• Osbasso
• Problem Girl
• Random Musings of My Life
• The Redneck Diva
• The Road Less Traveled
• Sheen V's Place
• Shooting-A-Bird
• Soul Bliss
• Southern Domestic Goddess
• Supah Mama
• Swistle
• TMImagery
• The Torn Pages
• Veritably Bare
• What Is Better Than This

In The Flesh

• Anna Land
• Blogus Ignoramus
• Dating Dummy
• Regular Ramblings
• Such is Life
• They Belong To Us

Fertility Minded

• After Words
• A Little Pregnant
• Barren Mare
• Doctor Mama
• Flotsam
• Here Be Hippogriffs
• It's Not A Clown Car
• Mission: Impossible
• The Modernity Ward
• Sarah Solitaire
• So Close
• Stirrup Queens and Sperm Palace Jesters

Big Girl Undies

• All & Sundry
• amalah
• Ask Moxie
• The Bloggess
• Boobs, Injuries and Dr. Pepper
• Dooce
• Her Bad Mother
• Motherhood Uncensored
• Not That You Asked
• Post Secret

Cathi
I dedicate this page to Cathi from Canada. Although she doesn't have a blog, and I have never met her, she will always be one of "Mah Peeps". You're the best, Cathi!

Quick! And Off I Go!

I totally fucking missed my four year blogging anniversary. Shit cunt face dammit all to hell. There. I feel better. I have only a moment because I need to pack and get ready to visit the MIL and step-FIL in Central CA for the weekend.

Guess what? I got a new car!! For the first time since January 2001. (And even that was a used car.) I gave them my 1998 Honda Civic and they gave me a nifty 2009 Subaru Forester. The link is for a 2010 but it is the same difference. Oh, and I have to make lease payments for three years. And blow the sales manager twice a month. But, whatever! A car! YAY! I'll post pics soonly. (That is a word in my world. I swear. Soonly! Like soon, but an adverb version of it.) I will try to remember to tell you how awesome the dealership treated me. Seriously. AWESOME. If you want a Subaru and you're in southern California, go there and ask for Carl. I love him long time.

Speaking of awesome, Thank You! For all the advice. I really, really, really appreciate it. It is nice to hear that I'm being prudent and such as opposed to a total cunt-faced bitch. I can always count on my bloggy peeps! Now, off to continue laundry and packing and OMG I'm going to fondle my car. In front of the neighbors.

Merry Christmas

I dedicate this day to three amazing bloggers:

Redneck Diva for sending me an adorable stuffed and animal and hilarious onesie for Egg. She even included a picture of her lovely children in the package, which now lives on my fridge so I can say "hi" to them ever time I check inside for something edible.

Monkey for sending me an invaluable book, Medications and Mother's Milk. I hope to be able to breastfeed and make informed decisions about which medications I can safely take. What's better than being physically functional AND feeding my baby? Not fucking much. Monkey also sent me a care package chock full of new baby things, including BABY LEGS OMFG. I opened half the packages of yummy baby goodness on Christmas eve and I'll wait until Christmas day to open the rest.

When certain people (*ahem* TB) find the battery charger for the camera and CHARGE IT I will post pictures of the cool shit I received from my bloggy peeps, although I think I am going to wait to show off the onesie from Redneck Diva until Egg can wear it.

Jeremy for setting me back on track with Egg's real name. His comments were a neon sign saying, "Uh Sam?! His name is XXX and why are you fucking around with other names?" Yes, it was one hell of a long neon sign. And neon isn't cheap these days.

Oh. I almost forgot. You probably wanted your present, right? Okay, fine. The name I picked out for Egg before he was even conceived is the one I am sticking with now. I just needed to search around for a bit to reassure myself that the name was the one. Although he will continue to be Egg on Sam's Stories, in real life he will be called James. Merry Christmas.