Sunday: Maximus slept in, poor kid woke up a few times in the middle of the night because he was cold. Colton, I think he woke up once ....but he was the first to wake up, of course. He was kind of fussy that morning. Nic had to take him everywhere with him, even to the bathroom. This USO wasn't as equipped as the one in LA. The food was very limited. But we ate and the boys ran around a bit. It was empty, all the guys had cleared out early -we were up around 7 I think.
We got dressed and left around 8:30 I think. We had to hop back on the train. We got in the very front and the boys sat looking straight ahead - they loved it! It was like a slow, boring roller coaster - perfect for them :-) I'm trying to remember what it was like going through security... It was better this time around, but it was still somewhat of a hassle. Once we get through we have to get all our things back together and they seems to hold everyone up. Felt like we were in the way. By this time we had a system. Nic stacked the 2 carseats with the pillows and strapped them to the carryon which I wheeled. It was somehwhat of a balancing act but it worked. I also had 2 bags, as did Nic and he carried Colton. I think Maximus wanted to be carried as well so we both had our hands full.
It wasn't too much of a walk to the gate, but I had to stop several times to straighten the carseats. We got to the gate - we had to go through another gate seating area to get there and the boys were running like crazy animals yet again and I'm pretty sure I heard sighs of relief coming from people as we passed them to go to the other gate! We had to wait about an hour and half to board. Nic would take the kids to run around the terminal while I stayed with the luggage. The boys had SO MUCH energy.
We had to get our seats reassigned again. They had us sitting 3 and 1 but we got it so we were all sitting in the same row - a middle row. Which was too bad, we couldn't look outside at all. Oh and we made sure we were one of the first to board. Which was such a good idea because we were in the VERY last row - what a headache that would have been! To pass the entire plane with everything! We sat the boys in the middle 2 seats. And Colton was asleep before we even took off!! As soon as the plane started moving he was OUT. Maximus also fell sleep shortly after takeoff (which was at 11 AM I think) as well so we had a quiet first hour or so.
I had no concept of the passing time. I regulated time by the map they had on the screen in front of every seat, which showed where the plane was, altitude, speed and how long we'd been in the air. They had movies showing as well. Toy story was on - which would have been AWESOME, but Maximus' screen wasn't working. Of course. So if he wanted to watch he had to sit on my lap - which I could only do for a little while because of my growing tummy. So Nic and I would take turns. I was able to watch Sherlock Holmes. Not in it's entirity but most of it. I think we watched Toy Story 4-5 times.
The food on the plane was good and they served beverages several times. My favorite was the cranberry-apple minute maid :-)
There was a Japanese woman who wanted nothing else but to hold Colton. She would stand in the aisle next to me and just watch him. And I'm talking about 45 minutes at a time, several different times. She asked once if she could hold him when he was crying, through sign, but I tried to explain to her he would like it. She meant well, but it was kind of weird to have someone stare at your child for as long as she did, as many different times as she did. She would bring him snacks she would get from the flight attendant. She was sweet, even if a little creepy. Must be a cultural thing.
The first 7 hours were bearable but the last 4 were getting a little difficult. The kids were getting sick of the carseats and getting tired. It was 6ish our time and they were ready to go to bed for the night. They finally fell asleep - Nic had to hold Colton to get him to fall asleep but he stayed asleep while Nic put him back in the carseat :-)
I must say the staff on this plane were in love with our children and their attentiveness meant all the world to me! They would make sure to ask us out of turn what food or drink we needed for our boys and would bring us chocolate for them every now and them. They understood how difficult it was with the boys and didn't seem to mind when we had trouble with them.
It was hard to make sure Maximus wouldn't kick the seat in front of him. We didn't have to worry about Colton because there was no one in front of him. The new toys we got - especially the Matchbox pop-up car set - Maximus had Handy Manny *which he loves! Might have to get him a tool set for his birthday* and Colton had Mickey Mouse Club House. (Thank you PJ for suggesting these!! They were PERFECT!)
Nic and I were able to sleep some, I was getting pretty restless and was getting nerve pain in my hips (Thank you Baby, I get them at night as well - no fun)...and my rear was getting pretty numb Haha! By 9:30ish we woke the boys up so they would be fully awake when we got off the plane in an hour and half - we didn't want San Fransico all over again!
The boys were SO GOOD. We had rough patches here and there ... and there were times when I wanted sit in the bathroom until we go there haha, but all things considered, I am very proud of our boys :-) Although I could have done without Maximus wetting his pants while he slept! We had to change him before we landed and he smelled pretty bad. I felt bad for him. We put a pull up on him after that....Because we still had a long night/day ahead of us....
We landed at 11ish pm Sunday for CA but it was 3ish pm Monday in Osaka, Japan. In a way, we lost a day. We were all so tired! But it helped that it was bright outside. Raining, but you could tell it was daytime. We were the last people to leave the plane. We still looking for toys when I noticed everyone but the staff had already left. People clear out FAST! There was one flight attendant in particular who was so nice the entire trip and she was the only one who made sure we were OK, asking if she could help. There really wasn't, but it was the thought that counted. We finally made it out of there and we got our "system" started and we basically just followed the airline staff, hoping they were going in the right direction. Everything was posted in Japanese but luckily some had English as well.
The first thing we had to do was go through customs and get our passports stamped. Standing in line was difficult for our boys - Colton in particular. He wanted to run and I had to chase him. But all the Japanese loved to watch the boys and would smile and try to talk to them and make gestures to them. For once I felt like children shouldn't be seen and not heard - I loved it. With such energetic boys, I always feel like they are bothering people and that I'm not controlling them like society says I should...but here, I felt like the people around me LOVED it and that each and every person would have gladly held them or played with them - if I was a trusting person of strangers, that is.
We made it through customs and followed the crowd to the baggage area. We were NOT happy to see all our baggage again!! But THIS time the carts were free so we loaded 3 of them up with all our things and we tried to find our way to the ANA counter to re-check them to Okinawa. I knew we had to get to the 2nd floor but we couldn't find an elevator anywhere. But we did find an ANA counter so we went there to ask them.
They were SOOOO nice!!! I can't tell you enough how much I just wanted to hug every ANA employee there. She pushed my cart so I could carry Colton and led us to an elevator and took us straight to the counter to check our baggage. The staff (all pretty, young ladies) were all taken with the boys and since we were the only customers, lavished attention on us. They were all SO sweet. And when one of them asked me when I was due - that made me happy, it was the first time someone had asked me that :-)
After we got all ourbaggage checked they gave us a stroller to use to get to the gate. Maximus wanted ride and Colton wanted to be held. One of the staff pushed a cart with our carry on luggage to security. Once again we were the only people and the Japanese were very nice and friendly. There were alittle more strict here and they took away my crocheting sissors :-( I could have cried. Solveig gave them to me for my birthday and they lit up so I could work in the dark AKA watching war movies with Nic. A male ANA staff member carried our carseats to the gate and the female helped carry our carry on's.
We had 2 1/2 - 3 hours to wait until boarding. I tried to make the kids take a nap but they wouldn't. And they were SO tired!! Their eyes were red. There was a TV with some kind of kids show on at the gate next to us so Nic took them there to watch for a while and there was a "play area" for kids a few gates in the other direction so Nic took them there for a while too. I was able to sleep with our luggage for maybe about an hour and a half. Thank you NIC!!!
We were able to board first again and they even carried our carseats on board for us and asked if they could help any more. They were soooo attentive!! Much different than US airlines!! We all fell asleep pretty quickly and the flight was an hour and half? Maybe a bit more. They kept the cabin lights on the whole time which was rather a nuisance... Colton woke up when we began our dissent, about 10 minutes before landing and cried until we landed. His ears hurt and he wouldn't drink - which I know would have helped. The staff gave me toys to help, but they didn't understand it was his ears. We finally landed and I was able to take him out- poor was soaking wet - so now we had 2 carseats that smelled like pee!
There was a staff member with a cart waiting for us after we got off the plane and she went with us to baggage and got 2 more carts and helped load them up and push them to meet our sponsor outside the baggage area. While they were doing that, I changed Colton into jammies. I could tell who our sponsors were because they were both (he brought another officer because all our stuff wouldn't fit in one car) wearing polos and kahki shorts - Habit from TBS no doubt, Nic was wearing the exact same thing :-)
Nic drove with Maximus who slept the 30 minute drive to the hotel, while I had Colton who cried and screamed the ENTIRE time for Nic. We got checked in and all our things in our room, the kids jumped on the bed and fell asleep instantly. I showered and went to bed, Nic did the same.
What time was it?? Midnight I think...We had been awake for over 24 hours and we were exhausted.
*ahhh BED!!*
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