Up Up Up snd away.....

LittleRaf has embarked on his first holiday abroad this week, we flew off to mommy's home town of South Africa to spend the holidays with the family.  What to pack for a little man that eats so much and such a diverse diet, well this is what we had in LittleRafs bag:

• Chicken and sweetcorn soup ( will post this recipe soon)
• 1 Apricot
• 2 MommyS falafels (will post this too)
• 1 peach
• small tub of rice snacks (organic- happy baby)
• small ziploc of dried cranberries, cherries etc.
• 1 yoghut
• 1 cheese stick
• water
• 4x 240ml bottles of formula

Apart from eating most of this littleRaf ate my aeroplane food too...the veggies only sweetpotatoe mash and peas, together with my bread roll and the bread roll of the passenger sitting next to me.  He drank alot of water,aswell as spilling it all over my seat , which resulted in mommy travelling with a wet bum for most of the trip.
Sydney, Johannesburg is a very long flight, it was our first flight together which proved to be a big adventure and at the same time pure torture when we reached the final 3 hrs of the flight.  LittleRaf seemed to be content throughout the entire flight, we walked up the isles, we splashed water in the bathroom (apologies for any qantas staff reading this), we ate our snacks, watched our dvd's and played with our toys.  However when the little guy awoke from his final sleep we looked at me with this look of desperation and as if to say "i can't believe we are still here mom!", he let out the biggest shreak and it was all down hill from there.  No amount of dancing singing water splashing could satisfy.

Apart from feeling utterly stressed and irritated myself, I couldnt help but notice the look that older more travelled passengers give you when your child is crying.  That look that surely you could move away from them whilst you settle outside, perhaps I should of stepped outside for just a second, in that way granny dear could have had her cat nap in peace.  It doens't end there though, there is of course the lonely female traveller, clearly single with no children who turns her head with every squeel your child makes and stares you up and down when they're crying hoping that you can silence your kid, because her head phone volume is at its max and she can still here your darling or the airline staff who thinks your son hasnt' slept sufficient according to his career experience. 

LittleRaf was teething as well.....which only made it more difficult than ever.  I have always and will always take the homeopahtic route with him, when it comes to medication.  This is achievable and has been successful in the past, however when you find yourself locked in the aeroplane bathroom, wanting to cry yourself with a screaming child, childrens Nurofen sneaks out your bag.  It was my only saviour at the time and the only think that calmed him down for the rest of the flight.
So before you get on don't forget to take the meds you usually use, you never know when they will come in handy.

We survived and arrived to lots and lots of family members, LittleRaf is such a happy camper....loving all the attention and love, don't think he as ever smiled as much as he smile here in sunny South Africa.

A very special thank you to our friend MummyL and baby Bibi who lent us their Ergo baby carrier, it was my only salvation walking through the airport! big big kisses to you both.