I'll admit, I was nervous for this trip, mainly because Lola has become an independent woman of late and absolutely refuses to let me hold her for more than two minutes at a time (unless of course I have ice cream -- that's a different story). This new-found, "I can do it myself" attitude did not bode well for an hour and a half airplane flight.
I took comfort in the fact my close friend Cindy would be with me in battle, so we armed ourselves with snacks, stuffed animals and all manner of distracting materials, kissed our husbands goodbye and ventured out into the land of single-parent travel.
We took an early morning flight, so the girls were both a bit dazed as we waited to board.
Once we had settled comfortably into our seats, a frantic flight attendant informed me there weren't enough oxygen masks for the babies and that I would have to find another seat.
So much for moral support. I was on my own once again.
Also, if you ever happen to be on a plane with me, please do not mention those stupid oxygen masks. They terrify me.
Luckily, I had about 4,000 things in my bag I hoped would keep my child entertained.
Stuffed dog? Check.
Cuddle blanket? Check.
Puppy/Kitten book? Check.
Then of course what kind of mother would I be if I didn't provide at least four beverage containers -- Lola's current "toys" of choice.
Heavy drinker in the making, I'm telling you.
I have chosen to block the next 90 minutes from my memory forever, seeing as how I'm fairly certain I lost a large chunk of hair and a good portion of my sanity during that time period.
But we survived, albeit just barely.
Once we arrived at Aunt Gina's house in Portland, Lola wasted no time in making herself the center of attention.
I'm told she gets that mad skill from her mother.
Lola's pure adoration for her cousins Corey and Ellyse was quite endearing.
Determined to prove to Cindy and Lyla that Portland is one of the coolest cities in the nation, we headed out on an abbreviated tour of some of it's most famous landmarks.
First stop: the historic Pittock Mansion, where the happy tourist can catch some of the best panoramic views of Portland.
Along with the beautiful architecture and gardens, the benches on the extensive grounds make lovely backdrops for baby photo shoots.
From there, we headed to the oh-so-serene Japanese Gardens, where Lola got a little too relaxed while Cousin Elly pushed her around.
Then on to the Rose Gardens we waltzed.
I'm confident Lola now knows how to stop and smell the roses.
End in sight!
End in sight!
To finish off the day, we wandered over to NW 23rd Avenue for some boutiquing and Pizzacato.
Doesn't get much better than this.
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