After about an hour it was getting tedious. We had just finished a 4 hour flight from Norfolk & everyone was pretty tired of sitting. My brother Mike called to tell me that there is a giant turtle in the airport. So.. being the awesome mom that I am I said "Buddy! Diego said there is a turtle in the airport that needs rescuing." Off we went - Buddy, "J" & I. No stroller, no diaper bag, no tickets, no drivers license. Figuring we just missed it & it was around the next corner.
We asked a worker & he said "Oh yeah, it's in concourse D" & pointed the direction to go. Kept walking & found a map of the airport & turns out concourse D is separate from all the other concourses in a completely different building. Buddy was sad.
Then we found the moving sidewalks and Buddy created a game. Run on the moving sidewalks then turn around & go back using the other moving sidewalks going the opposite direction. Repeat. I was thinking "hey he's a kid." I'll walk quickly after him (holding 'J') & he's not hurting anyone. Just being kind of annoying to the other passengers.
After about 10 mintues I saw a PSA worker & figured I would ask him if going to concourse D was a possibility without a ticket to one of those airlines. "Sure" he said "as long as you are past the security point you can go where ever you want. Just have someone open the door for you."
So I did. Boys in tow. Arms are starting to ache a little from "J" but not too bad & hey we get to ride the tram/train to the other concourse.
Concourse D was made for kids. There are giant statues of a Lizard, a Bunny, & the infamous Turtle. There is a kids play area. Plus you get to ride the tram to get there. Well "J" is starting to get tired & I figured it's about an hour before we leave - we need to head back. Buddy doesn't want to. So I hold his hand & he does the dead body drop. So I'm pulling a 3 yr old by his arm (who is going between laughing at how fun this is & whining because he doesn't want to leave) & in my other (now aching) arm a 20 lb, hungry, infant.
Ride the tram back but then get to the other side of security & I don't want to cross that line because I have no ticket or id with me. I check with a PSA officer & going past "the point of no return" through security again is the only way to get to the other concourses. (now all these people I've had to explain that we had a layover & wanted to go to D to see the turtle & they definetly think I'm crazy).
So... I go past the point of no return & talk to a different PSA officer on the other side & she explains that even if John comes he can't hand me anything over the red line. So he is going to have to come past the point & go through security again.
By now Buddy is whining "I'm hungry" J is screaming the same & my arms feel like they are going to fall off & I'm sweaty & tired.
John brought me my ticket & they examined the ticket (while I was waiting 50 ft away) & id to make sure it indeed was tickets & not a form of terrorism, another TSA officer brought me the tickets & my id. I go through security with 2 screaming kids (yes shoes off, pockets emptied, all the joys of that as well). & then we rush to get back to the gate because John says it is boarding any minute (which he was wrong - we still had 15 minutes until boarding).
Needless to say -6 TSA agents spoken to (and story explained), two aching arms, two hungry kids, and one tired - now wiser mom later - we had an adventure & saw (or saved - in our Diego make believe story world) the turtle!
What should we learn from this lesson boys & girls?
1. Always keep your ticket on you in the airport
2. If you have a child - bring a diaper bag with you wherever you go
(with a change of infant clothes - but that is another story about the flight TO Norfolk)
3. Strollers are worth their weight in gold
4. Becky is going crazy trying to keep her children entertained.
5. Airports are NOT for Adventures
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