I wasn't too worried about Desmond handling that much time in an airplane. He is pretty self-sufficient and can stare at a screen for a long time. What worried me most is that he would have a night terror and we would be unable to calm him down while he screamed for 15 or 20 minutes at the top of his lungs. I figured that it was not that probable that he would get one since he only gets them once ever few months (but they occur for 3-4 consecutive nights), but I knew...just KNEW...that wishing for it not to happen would mean that it would.
Roman, however, concerned me on a different level. He's 1.5 years old. And kind of fat. That means that this chunky toddler wants to be mobile and wants to touch all the buttons and pull the window shade up and down and up and down. He wants to rip the pages out of the airline magazine, he won't wear the baby seat belt, and he throws huge fits when he isn't comfortable while sleeping. I stressed about packing a carry-on bag with enough "essentials" to keep him calm and happy. What kind of snacks should I bring? What apps should I put on his mini-tablet? What about this? And that? And maybe this? AAAAAHHHHH!
So, that meant that instead of enjoying my last few days in the States, I was worried about things that could or could not happen in the future. What a waste of time, right?
Thankfully, both kids did amazingly well on the flight. We were lucky that the flight mirrored their sleep patterns, so it was relatively easy to ease into the time change.
My point is, I really worried over nothing. I was well prepared with an iPad for Des and a mini-tablet for Roman, stock full of new apps and movies. Singapore Airlines (rated the #1 international airline in the world) is one hell of an airline and does a really great job providing its customers with "extras" we would have had to pay for if we were on any American airline. We were given bulkhead seats since those can accommodate a bassinet, special children's toys and meals, and excellent entertainment options. The food was very good for airplane food, especially more so since I ordered the vegan option. And the flight attendants were all dressed very nicely: the women in a traditional patterned dress and the men in nice slacks and sweaters. I'm not sure why that matters, but it makes flying feel fancier than it has been for me in the States. Needless to say, I was very impressed.