Traveling for the First Time for Ava, Sick as a Monkey

The great hand, foot and mouth disease epidemic of 2011. The morning before we left for Branson, Ava seemed a little warm and sick so I took her to the doctor to have her diagnosed with hand, foot and mouth disease. Little did we know how severe the symptoms were and how easily it can spread! Ava was a little trooper for her first flight, and we only had one night of screaming. Carys came down with it two days later, but much milder. Both girls got the nasty blisters but they dealt with it like champs. Unfortunately, they spread it to Grant who then spread it across the pacific northwest! Yikes, by the end, we were happy to be on the way home.

We had a great visit but traveling with small children is tough. On the way home, a TSA agent and I had some cross words, leaving TJ upset with me...as the thought of me going off in handcuffs and him watching two children under the age of two, both sick...not fun. Carys was waiting patiently in her car seat to board the plane.

Dad...are we having fun yet?

Carys had a great time watching her Mickey episodes on her daddy's phone. They were a life saver for late night meals past their usual bedtimes and have since come in handy for many different occasions.

Here we go! The second time Ava was on the plane, we put her in the car seat to sleep!

TJ captured this moment one night in the hotel, it is a true reflection to the "crazy" yet "loving" time we had in Branson...our little monkey at 11.5 months old.