The ambiguously gay duo

I set this post to publish shortly after our rental car should pull up to my uncle's house in Kitchener.  Hope I'm not too far off the mark with my guess.

Me mum and stepdad spent Christmas in Ontario, coming home before the new year.  During that time, my grandmother lamented the fact that over the past 10 months she still has not seen her second great grandson.  Restrictive health issues such as being chained to thrice-weekly dialysis prevent her from tripping out here like she did two months after Dex was born.  The fiscal restraints of birthing and rearing our two wee boys currently tie us down.

That, plus the fact we were terrified of the prospect of a toddler and an infant on a plane at the same time.

The turn of the new year saw an alarming decline in Great Gram's health, from which she rebounded with such a display of doughty constitution that I could not but book tickets east immediately.  Only my mother - who, upon hearing of her own mother's health, flew back east without a second thought - and one uncle know of our impending arrival.

Did you know that it's a really, really good idea for a parent flying with his children to obtain a signed note from his spouse acknowledging the fact that she is aware of the flight details?  And, even better, if the travelling parent is leaving the country with said spawn, the note had damned well better be notarized?

Holy custody conundrum, Batman!

I've been joking with Amy all week that I'd better remember to get her to sign my permission slip or I don't get to go on the field trip to the chocolate factory.

There was no question of me and Tavish going.  My Visa actually screamed in protest when I even thought about the whole family making a long weekend of it.  Then my brother got another welder to cover for him up north where it's really cold and snowy, so he's off for the rest of the month and coming along.  Cool.  And... since he's good enough to cover half of another ticket, Dex gets to see Great Gram again.

Which is a complete surprise for everyone out east - my mother and uncle included, who still think only Tavish is coming.

The really fun part is going to be four hours of plane travel - each way - with a relatively high maintenance infant.  (Dex will be good with the seat-back TV, a juice box and the freedom to pee in his pants if he has to; though his mother has expressly instructed that I take him potty every 15 minutes, because he's still TRAINING, dammit!  No back pedalling!)

At least I'm amused at the thought of the impression we'll give: two 30-something males with two small boys in tow and nary a breast to be seen attached to any one of us.  I'm thinking of affecting a lisp at the baggage check-in just for a bit of fun.

The really cool part will be the opportunity to see my grandmother stretch across three intervening generations to touch and take in her great grand babies.  A belated Christmas present that brings me much joy to deliver.

Ho ho ho!!

Comments

[rna]

You're a kind man and a brave one, Simon Fraser.

And taking two kids/infants on a plane across the country wi' your brother makes you perhaps just a wee bit mad, too.

[TerriTorial]

Family means a lot in this crazy world. Very proud of your venture East. Pictures are a must you realize!

[Mark]

Sounds like a great adventure. I hope you guys are having a memorable time, if not always relaxing.

We out here are just discussing things like the first time we saw Star Wars.

[Tal]

I knew Ontario seemed a little bit cooler today! Enjoy your stay.

[Moksha Gren]

I hope the first leg of the journey went well and the 16 potty breaks for Dex went smoothly. Have a safe trip and bring back wonderful stories.

[JuJuBee]

Why can't MY husband take my kids on a trip???

Have fun and GOOD LUCK.

[Linda]

Speaking as a member of (one of) the elder generations, this is the best gift your could ever hope to give your Gram. The sight of you four boys will keep her warm and happy for a long time to come.

Me and JuJu and Shannon and Moonshot are taking Amy out tonight. I'll get pics of her grabbing all of us. You know how she gets... Mark and Mokker and Mr. JuJu are home with Ben and Nora and my grandkids brainwashing them with Star Wars crap.

[Simon]

Rick, I embrace my insane side with a perfervid eagerness that makes the sensible me a little jealous at times.

Terri, I have more pics from the weekend than I know what to do with. Post some of 'em up here, most likely.

Mark, I was two and a half, and it was the first movie I ever saw in my whole life. Yeah, baby!

TAl, I think I left behind even colder, snowier weather when I left again. Sorry 'bout that!

Moksha, good math work on the potty break thing. He only wet his pants once on the trip, so hooray for him. I do have good stories.

JuJuBee, it was funner than I expected it to be, though still lots of hard work. Seeing my wee boy sit in the lap of his 82 year-old great grandmother was way cool and made everything so very worth the trip.

Linda, my gram's face when we walked unexpectedly in the door Thursday night was payment enough. The rest of the weekend was just icing. Yummy, yummy icing. Hope you guys had fun taking Amy out; she's been mum on the subject ever since we came home. (Never use Star Wars and crap in the same sentence EVER AGAIN!)