2.22.2009

Adventure Mom

Maybelle and I took our first plane trip together this weekend. I had a talk to give, and of course Maybelle came along. I was pretty nervous about the flights--I love flying and pride myself on being a confident, unanxious flier, someone who never checks a bag and goes through novel after novel in the gate area and on the plane. I knew that all that would change with the addition of Maybelle.

It turns out that Maybelle is a great air traveler. I strapped her in the Bjorn and walked around the Charleston and Atlanta airports, and she was perfectly content. We played on a blanket on the floor in Atlanta when we missed our connecting flight. She was happy talking with me and resting on my shoulder during the flight to Atlanta, and even let a strange man hold her while I stuffed her diaper gear back into my backpack. She ate during takeoffs and landings and slept much of the rest of the time on all the flights.

At one point in the Atlanta airport, Maybelle was strapped to my front, facing out in her Bjorn, and I had my backpack on my back, and I bought myself a corn dog (I do love a corn dog). I strode along the moving sidewalk between terminals, eating my corn dog, talking to Maybelle, who was looking around, taking it all in. It occurred to me, “This is what I needed to see when I learned that my child had Down syndrome. This is the person I thought I might not be able to be with a special needs baby.” I really felt like an Adventure Mom, able to be a good parent while having my own life, heading out into the world with Maybelle, both of us enjoying ourselves.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yay! It sounds like you had lots of fun. You made me want to go fly somewhere. I don't know why but I love goofing off at airports and really enjoy flying. But I wish the in flight snacks were better...like when I was little I remember getting a pancake breakfast. (I did however pour syrup all over myself and the seat...maybe that's why they only serve p-nuts now...hmmm)

Anonymous said...

Alison,

I think you should, y'know with all of your spare time, work on a graphic novel/'zine telling the story of "Adventure Mom."

Also, corn dogs are fantastic.

Anonymous said...

next time you should dress up Maybelle in a fancy business outfit and talk to her like she's your really tiny boss. Take messages for her, cover her ears when you tell people that she's cranky, and you should probably invest in a miniature laptop that you can strap to her while she is strapped to you.

Anonymous said...

The airport corndog frightens me a little bit -- but I have never been a corndog fan. Go adventure Mom! I love that image of you talking to Maybelle with a corndog in your hand. One of these days she is going to reach out and take a bite of that corndog.

Catherine Bush said...

I love the imagery of you walking in the airport with Maybelle strapped to your chest and a corndog in one hand. I used to have a Corn Dog 7 in my home town mall - it was delish! I'm so glad you had a great trip.

xoxo,
C

The Dad said...

Yea Alison

So, I've given the "Adventure Mom" some thought. It would fit perfectly as an action, sitcom.

Adventure Mom
Super Power - teacher, author, mother, able to use superior intellect to expose the chauvinist and sexist (and makes some tasty cookies)

Danger Dad
Super Power - builder, musician, father, able to create by using his superior artistic skills (continually puts himself in dangerous situations without hurting himself - hardly)

Super Baby (aka Maybelline, sugar bean, weanie beanie...)
Super Power - stealing peoples hearts with just a glance

Stinky Deez and Dinosaur Head Benya
Super Power - hmmm... protectors of the super home... (barking, drooling, being very veecious)

Scene 1
Exterior house on Rutledge. Sunny day, late afternoon
Entering from right on street - Adventure Mom (riding bike, with backpack, Super Baby in the her Bjorn, cell phone in one hand and towing a small wagon with all the awards she had won that day)

She rides to the front of the house. Ever watchful, the Stinky Deez and the Dinosaur Head Benya are asleep on the front porch.

As she enters the gate, there is a crash and small explosion from the rear of the house.
Danger Dad comes around the side of the house (wearing coveralls and a tshirt that is slightly smoldering in spots)

Dialog
Adventure Mom -"Biffle... (sigh) ... are you OK"
Danger Dad -"Yea sweety (as he pats out a smoldering spot on arm of his tshirt), I'm fine.

The dogs awake, start barking and jumping (except for Deez who is just trying to get to her feet).
Super Baby smiles, looks directly in the camera and says "Just another typical day..."

To be continued...?

The Dad