The day started with an EARLY drive to the airport as our flight took off around 7:30am. Hubby and I have two very different flying styles. He likes to arrive no earlier than an hour before because he hates waiting. I prefer to get there no later than 2 hours before our flight because I hate having to run to the gate from security as the loud speaker is announcing last call for boarding. I told Hubby on NO uncertain terms that we were going to get to the airport TWO hours ahead. After reminding him of the times we were huffing and puffing our way to the gate in Seattle, Cancun and Puerto Rico (of all places!!) he agreed.
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I somehow managed to stick with two suitcases - the new addition to our load was the carseat bag. The carseat checks for free and because the bag was so huge I was able to load it with diapers and stuff. Sneaky, huh? :-)
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Baby J and I were in charge of the stroller and diaper bag.
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Hubby was in charge of EVERYTHING else - two suitcases, his carry-on and the carseat bag! :-P
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Getting ready to take off!
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Up, up and away!! Baby J was surprisingly a pretty cool customer during take off. We followed Tita K's advice and stuck a bottle in her mouth right before take off and her ears did not feel a thing.
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Not 20 minutes after the captain turned of the fasten seatbelt sign Baby J needed a diaper change. I thought she was wet and nothing more - so I grabbed the changing pad, a diaper and wipes thinking we'd be in and out. BOY! WAS I WRONG!! As we were walking down the aisle I noticed fellow passengers staring at us - the second I laid her on the changing table I discovered why. Baby J had a BLOW OUT of monumental proportions!!! The poop was all over her back and thighs! I looked at her and said, "Are you serious??!!" to which she just smiled. Remember, all I had with me was a diaper and wipes! I changed Miss J's diaper, picked her up, flagged down one of the flight attendants and asked if she could get the diaper bag from Hubby. Unfortunately at the same time the flight attendants were coming down the aisle with breakfast. So the message had to be delivered down the aisle through three flight attendants. The message went something like this, "Baby blow out in the back we need the diaper bag from 23A!!" Planes are noisy in itself so the message was delivered at top volume. When the message reached Hubby, he looked back and saw his daughter, naked, except for a diaper and his wife beet red from embarassment. Needless to say, the diaper bag made it back to us, Baby J was no longer naked and I quietly went back to my seat. When I sat down I told Hubby, "You're doing plane diaper changes from now on."
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After the excitement we were all pooped! No pun intended. . .
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Before the trip I agonized whether we should take the aisle/middle or window/middle seat. Turns out it does not matter. I originally had the aisle seat and discoverd what a pain it was to get up with a sleeping baby to let the person sitting in the window seat out.
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Sleepy baby - the white noise really helped.
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Made it through baggage claim, getting into a cab and checking into the hotel with no problems! Now we can relax, right?
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But in classic Todd and Janelle fashion - we hit the ground running! After purchasing our Muni passports at the ferry building we took the F-Market Streetcar to Pier 39 - Fisherman's Wharf.
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Baby J wasn't too impressed - the squeaks and squeals not to mention the bell of the streetcar scared her.
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Fisherman's Wharf was the tourist attraction we expected it to be. Nevertheless we enjoyed walking around and feeling the cool breeze from the bay.
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On our search for the famous sea lions we noticed there were no sounds coming from the stroller, looked into the window and found Miss J knocked out!
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Nothing like FRESH, hot mini-doughnuts to snack on!
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A store perfect for Hubby -
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As the name implies, Leftys sells anything a left-handed person could want! Left handed spiral notebooks, pens, you name they probably have it!
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Alcatraz off into the distance
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We found the sea lions! They were plentiful and were loud and SMELL! I'm surprised Baby J didn't wake up with all the commotion they make.
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Our main excursion for the day was a tour of Alcatraz. Baby J loved riding the ferry.
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The fog was rolling in as we approached which gave the place an eerie feeling.
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It was COLD on the island!
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"Daddy, I don't like this place!!"
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All better now!
"I'm gonna eat you!"
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It is a 13 story walk UP to the prison from the dock. Everyone is required to walk UNLESS you're disabled or have a stroller. Thank goodness for this as I don't think we would've made it up the steep climb!
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Riding up the tram. . .
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I loved the industrial look of this place - it would make for a good fashion shoot location!
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Baby J exploring one of the cells.
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The audio tour was surprisingly really good! The narrators were a combination of prison guards and prisoners. Their stories really brought life to the otherwise desolate place.
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At one point, I turned around and Baby J and Hubby were nowhere to be seen. I backtracked and discovered them sitting in one of the isolation cells! Hubby's response to my puzzled expression, "We just wanted to see what it felt like to be in isolation."
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At the beginning of the tour Baby J was bright eyed and bushy tailed. . .
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As the tour went on, she got sleepier and sleepier until. . .
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She finally fell asleep in the Baby Bjorn.
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It was a long, fun and eventful day! We were so tired, we skipped dinner and fell asleep around 8pm - only to wake up at 5am the next morning!
*image taken with Canon Powershot SD1000 point and shoot
**image taken with Nikon D70 SLR camera using 17-55mm f/2.8 lens
Questions? Comments? e-mail theworldaccordingtomissj@gmail.com
