Ellie's First Trip

Mom posted about this, too, but it was some really great Daddy/Ellie time, so I definitely needed to write something.

Day 1:
So, we went to New Orleans this past weekend! Mom had a business trip there and Ellie and I thought we'd tag along and have some fun.

Ellie did great on the flight down. We had to wake her up early to leave for the airport, so she was more than willing to sleep on most of the flight down. She woke up for the past 1/2 hour, and was great. No ear-popping problems. No fussing. Just cuteness.

After the taxi ride from the airport to the hotel, during which Ellie was secured tightly to my chest with the BabyBjorn and I was secured with my seatbelt, and a fiasco trying to check-in, Ellie and I had lunch together and then went back to take a nap in the hotel lobby (no room yet). -- The taxi situation with the bjorn seems a pretty safe option when a car seat isn't available. (We would have brought a carseat if we'd planned to use it more that to and from the airport, but the whole trip was us walking around.)

Day 2:
The classic breakfast of coffee and beignes at Cafe du Monde! Then off to the St. Charles street car and a ride to the Audubon Zoo while Mom spends the day at the conference. Ellie slept through some of the zoo, but she woke up in time for a lunch of cat fish and fries and jumbalaya. Ellie also seemed to take a special liking to the reptile house:



We made it back just in time to spend a couple hours in the hotel room trying (unsuccessfully) to nap before dinner at world famous Brennan's. Awfully fancy for a restaurant that is touted as family friendly. Turns out that family friendly in the French Quarter just means that they have highchairs -- but the server did a great job with Ellie, and Ellie did a great job at dinner. Tip for taking young kids out to eat: avoid a four-course meal, jump right to the entree.

Day 3:
Another big day for Dad and Ellie. We all had breakfast together, then Ellie and Dad headed out to the French Quarter for some sightseeing and souvenir shopping. Ellie got to see her first street performers. (Not a great picture, but the does make a cart-wheel leap over all 8 people!)



We did some shopping in the French Market. Had lunch at Crescent Brewery. Did some shopping here and there. Then headed back to the hotel to drop some things off before heading back out for our river boat cruise on the Natchez. Mom was supposed to come, too, but work got in the way. :(



Ellie and I met up with Mom afterwards at the Audubon Aquarium, though. Fun there, dinner at the hotel, and off to bed.

Day 4:
Just enough time to pack things up and head out the airport for a wonderful flight home - despite bad seats. Ellie played with our neighbors on the plane then slept the last hour of the flight home. The drive back to the house was pretty rough, though! Ellie decided she'd had enough of this travel stuff and hollered the whole way home. But when we finally made it home, she was extatic! For the next 2.5 hours, she played with every single toy we own. SOOO happy to see all of toys!

All in all, a wonderful first plane trip for Ellie!!