Stories Collected While Living in France

French la Vie

Passport Photos Taken at the Same Age

g & o

We are planning to go to California in March.

Chelsea wants to introduce Olivia to my mother and our family.

Hopefully, Covid might be a little less threatening…

Anyway, Chelsea had Olivia's passport photo taken today.

Olivia is the same age Gabriel was when he had his passport photo taken.

 

When we went to California from France Gabriel was five months old; he slept maybe an hour of the 22-hour trip.

That was before Covid, and we could walk up and down the aisle.

Now, I know that any of you who have cared for a baby knows the strange phenomenon

of trying to sit down with a sleeping baby in your arms:

They often wake up, no matter how carefully one tries to sit down while imitating the same movement.

__

It should be interesting.

At least I know what I am getting into.

I traveled to and from France to California every year sometimes twice for the last 35 years.

Every trip traveling with children has a story. Chelsea was an easy going passenger. Superhero baby traveler. Sacha was a Superhero traveler from the time he was three years old. But before that… well, calm-gentle-patient-couldn't-hurt-a-fly- Yann said regarding a trip with Sacha, "…it is a good thing these windows don't open otherwise I would throw him out."

I was so taken back by Yann saying that I started laughing.

It wasn't funny.

After that I had enourmous sympathy for parents of a crying baby on a plane – I feel for them! It is unbelievable the insulting looks people give parents of crying babies on the plane. As if a parent is purposely trying to make a baby cry.

We will see how Olivia fares on the long flight. Personally, I am more concern about Gabriel-

but then with that said today we walked nearly a mile hand in hand from his pre school back to his home in Paris.

We stopped at a cafe to have a crepe and something to drink. He was an enchanting little 2 1/2 year old.

Flawless. So maybe he will be the same on the plane.

___

Do you have a story traveling with a baby on a plane?

 

 

 

 

Comments

16 responses to “Passport Photos Taken at the Same Age”

  1. jackie

    One of my daughters was 10, nearly 11 years old when we picked her up in China. She’d never been in a car, bus, train or plane. It got so bad that she would start dry-heaving when she saw a car (train, bus) pull up. On the way home, the plane started to taxi and she seemed excited, then it started to gain speed and tip it’s nose in the air and she screamed the most ear-piercing scream I’ve ever heard. The crew came running…they thought someone got killed. I think my daughter thought the plane was going to drive all the way to the USA.
    I hope the flight is an easy one with your “two-peas-in-a-pod.” The photos are just darling.

    Reply
  2. Lil

    Took my 18 month old son on a cross country flight from CA to MA. We didn’t buy him his own seat and it was like having a monkey with us the whole flight. He was energetic and didn’t stop climbing and moving the whole way. Across the aisle was a little girl the same age who slept most of the way in her car seat, which was in her paid-for seat. When we got to the baggage claim, the mother of the little girl tried to console me with “Oh, she probably won’t sleep tonight.” It wasn’t much of a consolation.

    Reply
  3. carol

    They look like twins. I am still laughing at your husband’s words.

    Reply
  4. Kathie B

    No advice to offer, just the observation that March is one of the loveliest months in California. Plus, how wonderful for you to see your mom and other relatives.

    Reply
  5. Shelley Noble

    The babies are both so gorgeous. A perfect mixture of their parents.
    Regarding flying with babies, Few will agree with me, but I don’t understand bringing them, especially at this time. But then I don’t understand travel unless it is a certain matter of life and death I’m very extreme in that. I wouldn’t vacation, visit, or travel, a step further than I could walk, under any circumstances that I could imagine.
    Having said that, I have heard that some parents traveling with infants or small children likely to cry have handed out goodie bags to passengers seated in their section as an apology for being the cause of a terrible experience. In these times though I don’t think people would eat treats given by strangers, but maybe gift cards?

    Reply
  6. Susan in Zurich

    They’re adorable, Corey 💕
    When we lived in New Jersey, and our children were very small, I flew ahead of my husband to Alaska with the kids to have more time with my parents. Must have been 1987, and our youngest was especially squirmy (a new walker, eager to get off my lap) but we had turbulence on our 2nd flight – MSP to Anchorage – and seatbelts had to stay fastened. I was about to lose my composure, and say something through gritted teeth to my darlings, like: “ok, I mean it, everyone just settle down, please, right now” when a voice across the aisle caught my attention.
    A nice gentleman and his daughter (age 11, 12?) were smiling at me and he said: “I think we know your parents in Anchorage, (they did!) are you Susan?” A little while later, fasten seat belt light was turned off, my youngest was being walked up and down the aisle to her heart’s content by his daughter, a big bag of m&m’s were being shared, also courtesy of the 12 yr old (any port in a storm, even candy!) *and* I had regained my optimism that I’d make it to Alaska with my sanity intact.
    I still smile when I remember their kindness, friendliness.
    FYI: I never flew solo with all our kids again – well, not until they were teenagers!

    Reply
  7. Jeanne

    Adorable photographs and how exciting March will be for you all.
    Much love and safe travels always where ever you go. Lucky and blessed are all of you
    Love Jeanne

    Reply
  8. Susan from Salt Spring

    I love to see the individuality of babies. Your grand babies are beautiful. We travelled to England and Scotland with my daughter who was 10. We were exhausted and she was so excited she bounced around and talked the whole 8 hours. After landing in Manchester during a huge snowstorm, we got into our car. She promptly fell asleep, and we sleep deprived parents (I had not a wink) drove from Manchester to Edinburgh on secondary narrow highways. The M was closed.
    By the way I continue to travel annually to my birth home. Family trumps all.

    Reply
  9. Grandma Ella

    Ils sont très mignons!
    God bless parents and shame on anyone who can’t appreciate a child’s discomfort.
    One of our favorite stories is from 2010 when then “baby Ella” (now 14!) was coming to France for the first time with her parents for our anniversary, which I had planned 10 years in advance.
    For months, Ella’s parent had told the toddler that they would be traveling with Grandma Ella and Grandpa Jody. Although we were due to travel together winter weather prevented our plans.
    We boarded separate flights causing Ella to be a bit unsure but she fell asleep, only awaking during the last 30 minutes of the flight. She then realized she was not with her grandparents as planned.
    At the top of her two-year-old lungs she began to wail “Where’s my Grandpa Jody; I want my Grandpa Jody!”.
    All our darling daughter-in-law could do until the plan landed sur la Côte d’Azur was smile and say she was grateful Ella had not realized the change sooner.
    Stay safe and may we all keep in mind that the experience is remembered long after the challenges are forgotten.
    Bonne soirée à tous,
    Grandma Ella (named after my Grandmother Ella, from Sweden)

    Reply
  10. Kathy

    Sweet little people…💕

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  11. Annette (Toni) Mason

    cutest faces!!

    Reply
  12. sally

    Babies cry for a reason and I have wondered if the change in air pressure causes ear aches more painful than we can imagine. Adult ear discomfort on take off and landing might be just too much for young children.

    Reply
  13. Barbara Blizzard

    I flew to Chicago from Portland and back with my 6 month old son and 36 month old daughter. In those days, they would put parent with babies in the bulkhead seats with a cot that hooked into the wall. When lunch time arrived, I wondered how I could pull off feeding a toddler while hanging onto a baby. Turned out there was a tour group of grandmothers on their way from Florida to Seattle via Portland. There was no lack of volunteers to entertain my son. He was one of those babies who loved anyone who would hold him. Best flight ever! These days, I hear young parents on the plane say their pediatricians often recommend giving their child a dose of cold medicined after boarding to help them relax and often sleep. Good luck and enjoy your time with your family.

    Reply
  14. Marilyn

    Oh my! I will be sending positive vibes for a peaceful trip.
    I have never traveled with a baby. The closest is when my grandson was 2 1/2 and we flew to Hawaii (5 hours). He did well, parents were prepared. I have a feeling between the adults traveling you will be prepared to the best positive ways you can be.

    Reply
  15. Laurel

    Alas, I’m a baby too, when it comes to flying. Here’s the problem with babies on planes: Their ears are not developed enough to handle the pressure and they get earaches. If you’ve never had an earache, imagine kidney stones, child birth, heart attacks – whatever extreme pain you have had. Nursing helps. Paper cups on both ears chewing gum ( not that babies can, but children having the same issue can), but sometimes nothing can. For adults, sudafed helps. When sudafed was OTC every airport kiosk stocked it for this reason.
    With babies – avoid flying with them if you can. If not, nurse them during take off and landing and give them a pacifier in between – the more they swallow, the better.
    If you are a fellow passenger, consider this: Crying HARD helps with the pain. Encourage the parents to let the baby cry. I learned crying was the only thing that helped as a child during my many earaches. Be considerate of what the baby and parents are experiencing, which is far more than what you are, and know virtually no one flies with a baby if they have other options. Plan ahead with earphones.
    My two children were very lucky and traveled with ease, but it’s still a problem for me. I really feel for babies who have no way of knowing what’s going on, and too often have parents who don’t either.

    Reply
  16. Melly

    Cuteness overload!
    So many similar features and yet such distinct personalities come across these photos.
    What a joyous occasion awaits all of you!

    Reply

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