An airport story where everything pretty much goes my way

Monday I flew to Buffalo to meet up with some family.  I flew Jet Blue out of JFK. I should point out that I was traveling with Ranger by myself...with a fractured foot all done up in a big honkin' boot.  I looked up the TSA rules on such things, and I have to say, coming and going the TSA folks were awesome. I got to go in the employee entrance at JFK.  They were very kind, and made smiley faces at Ranger while I waited for the boot to be x-rayed.  At JFK I knew my diaper bag would get singled out- all though I pulled out most of the baby related liquids, I didn't have enough hands to pull it all out. The TSA agent was polite and explained what he was doing to the bottles. He didn't open them (thankfully, those were the kind that once opened they have to be finished within an hour or refrigerated).  I had called Jet Blue and they had managed to get me a seat in the first regular row of seats.  I think the folks at Jet Blue were amazing, especially since the arriving plane pulled up five minutes before our boarding time.  My fellow passengers, however disappointed me. There were some preteen girls who were hanging on the agent counter. When asked if they had a question, they said no we're just waiting AND THEN DIDN'T move!!

People started acting like the plane would leave without them and they crowded around the gate. Ugh! It was a challenge to wheel the stroller around all these people and their bags.
Ranger was happy to chat with the guy next to me- a grandfatherly type who clearly had something like four words in English at his disposal. He would encourage Ranger to say mama or babba and Ranger would be chatting away for a few moments.  Eventually the baby fell asleep. And slept the entire flight. (I schedule the flights as close to his nap time as possible).
We had a great visit and pictures will be forth coming.

On the way out, the Buffalo TSA agents were super nice, the passengers around me were awesome, helping to lift the stroller on the scan thing, making sure my bags stayed together while I waited for my boot to be scanned and my hands to be checked for magical pixie dust or whatever they think a mom with a broke foot and a baby traveling on her own would have on her hands.  That flight was completely uneventful (the perfect kind) except that Ranger had a little trouble going to sleep because every one was playing peek-a-boo with him, or smiling and cooing at him. Even the rugby captain giant guy siting across the aisle was entertaining Ranger.
Eventually I asked the airline lady if it would be ok if I stood up in an empty row and rocked the baby to sleep. It didn't take too much to have a happily sleeping baby strapped to me.

(I basically have him in the carrier the entire flight. In fact, keeping in mind Ranger's been on three trips, some with transfers, it's odd how the Buffalo to JFK flight was the first time anyone told me I couldn't have him strapped in during take off or landing. Given how much this little guy twists and turns and slithers, it's generally a good idea to have him secured somehow unless letting him free is imminent. I forgot to follow the lady's instruction on the landing. Another time a lady told me he had to be facing me during take off and landing.  I wish there would be some consistency on what they want!)

The TSA staff, the airport staff, the taxi drivers and my doormen all carried something for me this trip. *group hug* thanks for making the trip so smooth. My family meeting Ranger for the first time really enjoyed seeing him, and I really enjoyed my trip.