DS has taken 17 plane rides over the last 7 months. He's now 9.5 months. Some of those flights were 1-2 hr connections, and some were much longer (14-15 hrs). He has always been a great traveller, sleeping lots, staying contained in my arms, not fussing or crying. I think about half of those flights I have done solo, due to travelling to meet family (I am on maternity leave) and when travelling to meet DH for a post-business trip vacation, being unable to get the same flight. I never had any issues, although I always had to juggle a stroller, baby, carry-on/diaper bag, I made it work.

Coming back yesterday from a month-long visit at my parents' was eye-opening. DS has gotten so much more mobile in the last month, and seriously wanted to be everywhere. He leaked seats (I know, gross, right?!?) and the wall, sat on the floor, stood up, pulled up, looked over my seat back and forward. In the lounge, he wanted to crawl and cruise, and explore people's luggage.

He wasn't fussy at all. He was his usual super cheerful self, smiling and playing peekaboo with other passengers, and occasionally giggling at them making faces. He never cried, and as usual, people commented on how well behaved he was. But...

It was exhausting! Having to corral him and keep him contained in our seat, I felt like I needed 10 extra hands. I barely got to eat or drink anything in the lounge or on the plane and was starved/thirsty when I got home and got him settled.

This isn't a post complaining about my kid, cause he was really great. He was just a normal young toddler/older baby. I just had no idea how much work he would be, since we'd already done so much travel together, most recently a month ago.

So, now I understand how exhausting travelling with kids can be. I knew I'd eat my words saying that it was/he was pretty easy. Anyone else have this eye-opening experience?