Stories Collected While Living in France

French la Vie

Flying High with 15 Babies

San Francisco bridge

 Flying over the Golden Gate Bridge.

 

Before I got on the plane, fifteen babies were pushed by in their strollers. One after another they got on with their parents and often they had older (by a few years) siblings. As I counted the families with babies, I looked around to see if anyone else was taking in this display of possible chaos. Was anyone counting? Was I the only one who had ever experienced a ten hour flight with a baby crying full throttle in their ear? 

 

 

Flying over San Francisco

Flying over San Francisco.

 

 

Flying with a baby is not what anyone dreams about. I would even go so far as to bet it is not on anyone's "bucket list". Even when well planned it is nothing short of exhaustion. I travelled with my two children, Chelsea and Sacha, often enough to know. The first time I flew with Chelsea she was five months old. She was an easy baby. Never cried. I nursed the entire flight. I thought to myself, "What is all the hoopla about traveling with a baby?

                                                                      Then I had Sacha.

 

 

Flying over AIx en Provence

 Flying over Aix en Provence.

 

 

In all the years I have flown I have never ever seen or heard a child as Sacha was during that one flight… (It is a miracle I ever got on the plane with him again. On that infamous flight Yann asked, "Did you bring any drugs so I can knock him out!?" I was shocked, dumbfounded when I answered him, "NO!" Yann was at his wits end when he said, "It is a good thing the windows don't open otherwise I would throw him out." Anyone who knows Yann knows this is not at all how he is… That flight was remarkable as we all survived.)

No child compares to the terror Sacha created on the airplane from Paris to San Francisco.

Until I a few days ago. Of course the difference was, Sacha was 1 baby, and the other day there were 15 babies.

 

 

Flying over the swiss alps

 

Flying over the French Alps.

 

Those 15 babies had a rough flight. Most of them cried non stop. I felt for them and their parents, and yet I felt a tad bit relived… Finally, Sacha wasn't the only baby in the world who gave passengers on a plane a ride of their life.

 

 

Yes folks chalk up this last flight with my other uncomfortable traveling stories:

The M&M eater.

The two farters.

The young lover.

 

 

Comments

19 responses to “Flying High with 15 Babies”

  1. Jeanne

    Oh my you have the best stories to share…………
    Love you and glad you are home safe and sound with your gorgeous french husband.
    Tell Annie I send her my love
    Love Jeanne

    Reply
  2. Ed in Willows

    To me, a crying baby is like finger nails on a chalk board. I think I would have jumped from the plane.

    Reply
  3. nancy w

    Oh My. that’s it. Just Oh My.

    Reply
  4. carol

    Fifteen babies! I can’t imagine how awful that would be. I never flew with my children, but was on flight with my grandson from Reno to Burbank when he was about nine months old. Poor little guy cried almost the entire way.
    Glad you survived and are safely back to your French home, if that’s the case. How is Annie doing?

    Reply
  5. Merisi in Vienna

    That is one or two too many. 😉
    I crossed the oceans back and forth so many times with 4 children, I lost count of how many times. I remember nursing all the way. What I remember best is that first time I took the long haul with the children, and realized all of a sudden they were able to take care of themselves, and I could actually, eat or read or, imagine that, nap! 😉 Every time I see parents of young children, my heart goes out to them. Children are sheer joy, but they also mean years of hard work and sacrifice. I always hope people who have no children realize that one day we’ll depend on them, and give them and their parents the one or other break.

    Reply
  6. M

    Your photographs are out of this world, ethereal, beautiful! 🙂

    Reply
  7. Bev S.

    Once we were one of those families–flying from Sao Paulo to Atlanta. Our son, who was 3 years old, just did not understand what was going on and why it was taking so long. By the time we got near the U.S. customs, he was on the floor, screaming, kicking. We just stood there. I vowed not to get on a plane with him for years and years. (He’s 18 now and flies just fine:)
    Since then, I always try to sit near families with children so that I can give the parent a break when the kid has had it with said parent and vice versa. I’ve never met so many grateful folks in my life.

    Reply
  8. m

    Talk to me when someone’s leaned over the back of your seat and puked on your head.

    Reply
  9. Tongue in Cheek

    Hi M
    Oh. MY. GOD!
    That tops the cake!
    I have had pee, poop, but never puke on the head.
    Sorry you win.
    🙂

    Reply
  10. Sue

    Oh, my goodness, Corey, you have the best travel stories ever!! I can’t think of one horror story on all of my terribly long flights from Japan to the US and back. These days I’m conveniently surrounded by my four kids, so I rarely sit next to strangers – I sure hope we’re not the source of anyone’s travel horror stories!! 🙂

    Reply
  11. Shelley Noble

    Your karmic debt PAID (15 x’s over)!
    And if Chelsea was with you on this amazing flight, grandchildren delayed by two years. 🙂

    Reply
  12. dede

    Welcome home.
    xox, dede

    Reply
  13. Marlena.maizar@ggaweb.ch

    Wow Corey, your photos made me smile AND cry…..as we took off over SF it was dusk with the lights glowing from the city and bridge and was so sad to be leaving my family behind. Also the weather this December made it doubly hard for me as Zurich is often gray skies from November to March! This multi-culti life is truly a double edged sword, broadening one’s horizons and views and yet separating us from loved ones. …..
    Also, flying with children…..what a treat! ? I started with Amanda from 3 months going back to SF a few times a year. The only time it was a complete disaster was when she had just started crawling and trying to walk and I really wanted her to sleep, so I asked the pediatrician for something that would help her sleep on the flight. Needless to say it was a disaster! She did not react well to the meds and was like a wired drunk child for the ENTIRE flight. I felt like the worst Mother alive and vowed never to do that again. Glad you arrived safely home! Best wishes for 2014!!!!

    Reply
  14. Laurie SF

    Last row, with a non-reclining middle seat, next to an endless toilet line or an unclaimed asile seat in row 12 filled with crying babies?
    I’m going with the babies 😉

    Reply
  15. Kim

    You had me laughing & laughing at this one! Glad that you are safe & sound back with your family!

    Reply
  16. Frank Levin

    I hope the amazingly clear views helped compensate. You got to see all the good stuff.
    The only thing worse than 15 crying babies is one seat kicker. I had one on a SFO-CDG flight. I was so happy to land!

    Reply
  17. Peggy Braswell

    I have been flying since my children were 6 months old as I see parents today struggling with babies on an airplane my heart goes out to them + I married an airline pilot. but 15 thats a whole lots of babies! xxpeggybraswelldesign.com

    Reply
  18. SusieQ

    Oh Corey, I so enjoyed reading today’s blog and the story of Sasha as a baby in flight. Can just picture Yann in a panic and his inquiry about drugs. Too funny. But then I read your links to the prior fun flights and howled with laughter. The farting men, and the M&M story – good. But the young lover on the train – hysterical!
    Thank you for this spot of frivolity on a Monday. Hope you are settling back in at home. Happiest of New Years to you and Yann, Chelsea and Sasha, Annie and all the rest who we know through you!

    Reply
  19. Marilyn

    Oh no, I am reading this just when I am planning to buy tickets to Hawaii for 5 adults and one 20 month old. Hoping with five of us he will be entertained.

    Reply

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