Worst Husband Ever?

On Monday afternoon, Kathleen finished packing the last of our suitcases for our return to Congo. We had about 30 minutes left before it was time to head to the airport, and it was my job to get all the luggage loaded up into the vehicles. Overall I did a pretty awesome job, with the help of Kathleen’s brother. All of the checked baggage and carry-ons fit into the two vehicles with room to spare for passengers, and we were ready to go.

Well, almost ready. Turned out that Levi needed a diaper change. I ran back out to the car to get his diaper bag, did a quick diaper change, and just like that we were ready to go and on our way to the airport.

We were standing at the airport check-in counter when one of us said, “Hey, where’s the diaper bag?” It was sitting on the couch, right where I had left it after changing Levi. There was only 1 hour and 10 minutes left before our scheduled departure time—not enough time to go get the diaper bag. So we traveled for 38 hours, halfway around the world, with a 2 month old baby, without his diaper bag.

Thankfully, the airline people were very accommodating and waited to put our suitcases on the conveyor belt until after Kathleen could go through them to find replacement items. She found another bag that would work as a diaper bag. A few diapers in one suitcase. A couple of spit-up rags in another. And two extra blankets.

The only things we did not find in the suitcases were wet wipes and extra baby clothes. Wet wipes were not a problem. We just used wet paper towels in the airplane lavatory. That night we were able to buy wet wipes at the hotel gift shop to use for the rest of the trip. Hopefully that is the last time I ever have to pay $10 for a package of wet wipes!

The clothes were a different issue. About 2 hours into the 14 hour flight, Levi had a diaper blowout that took out his one and only outfit. So for the rest of the day he wore one of his sisters’ shirts until we could wash his clothes that night at the hotel.

It all worked out ok, but I think I can safely say that we will NEVER again leave on a trip without triple checking that the diaper bag is with us!