Dr. Jones and the Spitting Camel - Link to Alaska Cruise TR 9/18

[KatMark]

Poor Eric. I feel for him though...I always had trouble swallowing pills as a kid and still do sometimes. I'm glad you got a little sleep on the plane (I may try those pills because I can't sleep on planes either and I HATE flying). I can't wait to hear about your room and breakfast.

 

[eandesmom]

Wow! You had a swell of good luck in being able to get some zzzz's on the flight, but more importantly, a ME bus that leaves once you hop on! And the only guests to boot!!!

Can't wait to hear about your rooms....and breakfast at WC!

The DME bus karma was so cool! When we walked in and I saw it was empty I was expecting a good 20 minutes of "when are we leaving" from everyone. It was some serious pixie dust!

And I tipped him accordingly!

Not to bad of a departure day overall. Glad everyone slept for most of it.

It wasn't bad at all! No one's favorite thing to do and no one slept well but everyone slept some.

Poor Eric, I found out about not being able to swallow pills the hard way, too. When I was nine and at the hospital, the nuse threatened me with a syringe if I wouldn't be able to swallow the meds. I was traumatized, but later I got some tips and I found a way how to swallow them. I have to put them under my tongue and "release" them once I have liquid in my mouth.

Oh that awful!!!!!!!!! That would be seriously traumatizing.

I have to put liquid in my mouth and then add the pills. Still, to this day, and only one pill at a time. Why it didn't occur to me is beyond me!

 

[eandesmom]

The whole pill taking episode - Priceless!

So glad you got to sleep a bit on the plane. That's awesome. When Denny and I flew to New Zealand many years ago I had a stiff neck and no neck pillow. Try as I might I could not get comfortable. I think I was awake most of the flight, watched 2 movies, and then stared at the distance map for the rest of the night. Not to mention I was totally disoriented from crossing the international date line and having no idea what day or time it was. That's when I learned I was addicted to caffeine because I ended up with one whopper of a headache.

How cool that you got the whole bus to yourself. Did the switch to WL sink in yet for the rest of the crew or where they still too disoriented?

Pictures - must see pictures of your WL arrival!

I'm not sure the neck pillow helped much in the sleep category but it did help from getting a crick my neck, which was the main goal. I had the same problem coming back from Italy in 2006, I think I watched 4 movies!

That melatonin was the best (Thanks Amy!) I will definitley do it again in the future, it really helped. It does wear off but if you can go to sleep right away I think it works pretty well.

I love traveling at night, even car rides. That way you still get a day in, on either end. We're lucky that our flight is only three hours, though. I never seem to have trouble sleeping on a flight because I'm usually pretty drowsy from the dramamine! Don't know what it will be like flying with our three year-old this time, though.

Oh toddlers are a wild card! It could be fabulous, or awful. When Evan was 1 we were coming back to look for a house. Major plane delays due to a hailstorm and it took us nine hours to get from Chicago to Seattle. He was an ANGEL even though we ran out of food, etc.

Coming back, not a single flight issue and that kid was a holy terror the entire flight.

Go figure.

Great mojo to start the trip! Early arrival & DME to yourselves!

Sorry for the lack of sleep on the plane! For future reference... they sell sublingual melatonin... Zach can't swallow pills either. He usually ends up chewing it because he can't wait for it to dissolve. Do you have GNC out your way? That's where I get ours.

Ooh a new word! Sublingual....I've never even heard of that word! The GNC closed but there is a huge supplement store that might have it, I will definitely do that next time. Granted he might be able to swallow pills by June of 2012 but you never know.

Sorry have been kinda busy !!Thanks to your handy links I am caught up!!!!! Waiting for more !!!

Hi Rosie!

 

[eandesmom]

Ugh, what a flight!!! What a shame that the boys were so restless! Connor is the same way about swallowing pills -- it's always a major production with him.

Hurray for everyone being excited about the Wilderness Lodge stay!!!

I can't believe I totally spaced that he'd never done it. DOH!

Well other than the pill taking it sounds like the trip is off to a good start. Glad everyone is excited about WL. Can't wait to hear about the breakfast antics!

They were excited. A little confused about what days where and what did it mean but excited!

Oh, I think that super quick and solo bus trip calls for some of these guys. That's awesome timing on your part!

I'm glad the red eye went better for you, and I have to chuckle a little about the pill debacle. I don't think I was able to successfully swallow pills until I was fifteen, no joke. I was terrible about medecine in general, the things my parents had to go through to get me to take liquid antibiotics...I shudder to think.

I was so thrilled with the bus mogo and couldn't believe how fast we got to WL! It was cool. I still have a hard time taking pills, have to do it one at a time with liquid in my mouth first. Big part of the reason I am so bad about taking vitamins!

 

[englishrose47]

I learned to take pills early as the alternative was the most disgusting tasting white antibiotic stuff !!No flavors back then and I gagged at every sip !!A pill was heaven sent!!!!

 

[eandesmom]

I'm reliving trying to get each one of my 3 kids to learn to swallow pills. Michelle was the worst. They are all now pros.

Overall your flight wasn't too bad. You can always need more sleep. Good DME mojo and I love the reveal of the resort. We loved surprising Danielle with where we were staying, of course the whole trip was a surprise.

It's breakfast time and I haven't eaten, you're making me very hungry.

Traveling wears out out no matter what I think when it's a 5 hour flight so the red eye, to me is the way to go, at least it's quiet and dark and you can try to sleep. Otherwise I feel like I'm just wasting my day on a plane.

I love surprises!

Poor Eric! The first time swallowing a pill is not fun.
An empty DME line and bus must have been fabulous!

The line was pretty empty in 09 as well given that we landed at 10:30 but this was a ghost town. Which was weird given what I knew about the crowd levels. I'm still shocked he just took off with only us on the bus. Super nice guy, we actually got to chat with him a bit which was fun too.

Great report on the Red Eye! I'm so glad you were able to get some rest despite all of the wiggling and interruptions. And a DME bus to yourselves!

The pill-taking description was great! Now, if the planner in you had realized it would be his first time taking a pill, would you have set up a "practice run" with placebos or something?

Possibly on the practice run. If it would have occurred to me I'd probably have asked Amy and my friend Jessica, who seconded the idea, how they get their younger ones to take pills and then would have realized a liquid was avail. It just figures that the kid who needed it the most, couldn't take it. Although Evan was higher maintenance on the flight. Maybe not really, he may have just seemed so since he was one seat away. Eric was just as wiggly but not quite as vocal. All that said, I think of the 6 of us, Evan ended up getting the most, and deepest, sleep.

Poor Eric. I feel for him though...I always had trouble swallowing pills as a kid and still do sometimes. I'm glad you got a little sleep on the plane (I may try those pills because I can't sleep on planes either and I HATE flying). I can't wait to hear about your room and breakfast.

I will definitely take them again, they kicked in fast (20 min) and it was just a really nice natural sleepiness. Jeff and I were both really pleased with how they worked on us though I think he was able to nod off far faster as the big kids just sucked it up and didn't bug him with the "I can't sleep's". I'm not good at taking pills either, it still has to be one at a time and liquid in my mouth first or forget it.

 

[eandesmom]

I learned to take pills early as the alternative was the most disgusting tasting white antibiotic stuff !!No flavors back then and I gagged at every sip !!A pill was heaven sent!!!!

Poor Eric had gallons of that stuff as a baby as he was one sinus infection after another. Finally I just cut it off, it was a chronic condition and all that was doing was increasing the chance he'd be resistant at some point.

So he's just a drippy kid. LOL!

 

[MEK]

That melatonin was the best (Thanks Amy!) I will definitley do it again in the future, it really helped. It does wear off but if you can go to sleep right away I think it works pretty well.

Have you ever taken it before? I have always been curious to try it. If I really can't sleep I will take Benadryl but then I wake up with a benadryl hangover and I hate that.

 

[eandesmom]

Have you ever taken it before? I have always been curious to try it. If I really can't sleep I will take Benadryl but then I wake up with a benadryl hangover and I hate that.

No I hadn't. Originally I was going to give Eric Benadryl and then my boss wisely pointed out that a trial run would be good as it might have the opposite effect on him.

Benadryl doesn't make me sleepy, that's for sure. Amy suggested the Melatonin as did my friend Jessica and both had given it to their kids so we just decided to all take it. Figuring out how much was the harder part. Zero side effects for us, definitely a short term sleepiness that really helped at least the bigger folks. It could be that I didn't give Evan enough, pretty sure I gave him a smaller dose than the teens and adults and it worked for us.

 

[creativeamanda]

Wow. All I can say is wow. I can't believe how lucky ya'll were getting there so early and getting DME to yourselves!

That is just awesome!

 

[eandesmom]

Wow. All I can say is wow. I can't believe how lucky ya'll were getting there so early and getting DME to yourselves!

That is just awesome!

I know! Although I'm not sure anyone but me really appreciated how awesome it was. It did make for a very painless morning.

 

[creativeamanda]

I know! Although I'm not sure anyone but me really appreciated how awesome it was. It did make for a very painless morning.

Isn't that typical, though? Really, though, we've always driven, so we never had to use Magical Express. I can only imagine stopping at several resorts and unloading luggage at each resort and how much time that would take. You couldn't have had better luck for that one, my dear!

 

[eandesmom]

Isn't that typical, though? Really, though, we've always driven, so we never had to use Magical Express. I can only imagine stopping at several resorts and unloading luggage at each resort and how much time that would take. You couldn't have had better luck for that one, my dear!

Jeff likely remembered last years ride which was

1. A 20 minute wait before it pulled out
2. Stopped at SSR
3. Stopped somewhere else but I don't recall where
4. Finally made it to FW

All told it was over an hour after we landed, probably closer to 1.5 hours and at 10:30 at night, BLEH!

 

[mickeysmyboy]

Poor Eric and the pill! I laughed at your drugging and unwilling child comment! After our horrid flight to MCO last Oct I started giving Ryan benedryl! But, then I'm standing in the SW boarding line squeezing the little disposable benedryl spoon thingy into his mouth while he fusses and pushes it away! All I can think is that all these people standing around me must think I'm an awful mother for drugging him! But, really, it's everyone's best interests!

Woo hooo for the flight getting in early! I love that!

I can't believe you got your very own, private ME bus! That's too cool!

I hope everything worked out well with your WCC ADR! Can't wait to hear all about it!

 

[Sleepingbooty]

Wow, great morning! Easy flight, easy ride - hopefully things continue in this vein!

Jenna, my nine year old, has been taking pills for about 3 years with no problem. She has always hated taking medicine, the liquid or the chewables. Just absolutely hates the taste, so it was always a big ordeal. Finally I asked her doctor if we could start giving her adult advil (just one) and she okayed it. I was so surprised when she was able to swallow it the first time with no issues. I remembered my mom going through heck with my little brother trying to get him to swallow pills when we were kids. It took years. Now, I haven't tried it with Lucy yet, so I have no idea how that will go!

 

[eandesmom]

Poor Eric and the pill! I laughed at your drugging and unwilling child comment! After our horrid flight to MCO last Oct I started giving Ryan benedryl! But, then I'm standing in the SW boarding line squeezing the little disposable benedryl spoon thingy into his mouth while he fusses and pushes it away! All I can think is that all these people standing around me must think I'm an awful mother for drugging him! But, really, it's everyone's best interests!

Woo hooo for the flight getting in early! I love that!

I can't believe you got your very own, private ME bus! That's too cool!

I hope everything worked out well with your WCC ADR! Can't wait to hear all about it!

Everyone's best interests is right! Especially mom's!

Wow, great morning! Easy flight, easy ride - hopefully things continue in this vein!

Jenna, my nine year old, has been taking pills for about 3 years with no problem. She has always hated taking medicine, the liquid or the chewables. Just absolutely hates the taste, so it was always a big ordeal. Finally I asked her doctor if we could start giving her adult advil (just one) and she okayed it. I was so surprised when she was able to swallow it the first time with no issues. I remembered my mom going through heck with my little brother trying to get him to swallow pills when we were kids. It took years. Now, I haven't tried it with Lucy yet, so I have no idea how that will go!

Evan can't STAND chewables, he'd rather take liquid motrin. He can't take the adult stuff yet as he doesn't weigh enough! But he's been fine with pills for a couple of years so I just forgot that Eric's never even tried!

 

[Dizneydawn]

Hi!

I am finally getting some time to read some TR's and am so happy you have one starting!!! I have heard tales of you and have heard from mutual friends here that we tend to parent a lot alike, so with that said, I was excited to get this TR underway! Our families are very similar and I can tell you it has felt like I was reading something out of my own life, while reading yours.

Great writing and telling it like it is. Can't wait for more and I hope you guys had a great time. Although for the readers, the moments that have not been the best of times, seems to get the most laughs!

I will go back and read your last TR this week as well. Gotta love great families and great times!

 

[eandesmom]

Hi!

I am finally getting some time to read some TR's and am so happy you have one starting!!! I have heard tales of you and have heard from mutual friends here that we tend to parent a lot alike, so with that said, I was excited to get this TR underway! Our families are very similar and I can tell you it has felt like I was reading something out of my own life, while reading yours.

Great writing and telling it like it is. Can't wait for more and I hope you guys had a great time. Although for the readers, the moments that have not been the best of times, seems to get the most laughs!

I will go back and read your last TR this week as well. Gotta love great families and great times!

Oh dear! Tales? Is that a good thing, a bad thing or just a thing thing?

Ah parenting....well, we do have a definite philosophy on that around here and it generally means I'm the meanest mom in the world. No, not really, it's actually reverse psychology. I just say that and then they jump in "NO NO you're not, you are the BEST mom in the world!"

I do tell it like it is and real life is often the most entertaining, you are absolutely correct!

So, !!!!!!!!!!!! Thrilled to have you here.

 

[Mndisneygirl]

Hi! I'm joining in too. I thought I had subbed, but apparently not.
I've seen you on a bunch of other mutual friend's TRs too. So anyway,
you're off to a great start and I'm looking forward to how the rest of the trip goes!

We have gotten on empty ME buses and it never goes that well. We wait...You must have had timing on your side!

 

[rentayenta]

I think I have PTSD from our red-eye so reading about yours, even as mellow as it was other than the tossing and turning, has my palms sweaty and I am having flashbacks of cranky kids. I think my mistake was having a layover at 3:30 am.