Flying for 8 hours

Prior to takeoff:
Explain to Stardust that when the 'Fasten your seatbelt' sign is on, it means that he has to be buckled up in the seat.  Prepare biscuits for takeoff.

During takeoff:
Allow Stardust a free flow of biscuits to encourage him to swallow and balance his inner ear pressure.

Hour 1:
Watch 'Fantastic Mr Fox' on video.  Stardust does not appear to understand the concept of headphones but is having fun wearing them and honing his fine motor skills by plugging and unplugging the headphones.

Hour 2:
Some turbulence occurs and the 'Mr Fox' video is disrupted - time to bring out a small box of raisins to keep Stardust distracted.  Stardust is happy to eat raisins and drink diluted apple juice through a straw.

Hour 3:
Lunch is served.  Stardust is unimpressed by the pasta but eats some of it.  I get to eat the chocolate biscuits that come with his meal as he has rejected it in favour of the fruit salad from my adult meal.  Travelling with a health-conscious child has its perks!  After lunch, I change his nappy and take out his small toy train for him to play with.

Hour 4:
The videos are back online so Stardust resumes watching 'Fantastic Mr Fox' from the beginning but without the soundtrack - he has dismantled his headphones.  Stardust doesn't seem to be bothered about the story as long as he gets to see stop motion anthropomorphic animals going about their business.

Hour 5:
Stardust is tired of watching the video, so we take out the colouring book and crayons and he does some scribbling.  He insists on wearing his broken headphones - I don't argue because it doesn't bother me so long as he is quiet.  He drinks up his milk and after this I change his nappy.

Hour 6:
Stardust is getting tired but he doesn't want to sleep so he lounge on a pile of pillows that I have arranged to cover the armrest (for some reason, the armrests will not lift up and out of the way).  I wrap my arm around him and he asks to watch 'Fantastic Mr Fox' - but I notice that he isn't looking at the screen but at his own hands. 

Hour 7:
Tea is served.  Stardust is totally unimpressed with the pancakes and sausages so I eat them.  He drinks diluted apple juice and eats some raisins.  After a nappy change, he decides that he wants to watch the Fox programme again, but instead of watching it, he holds up his toy train and pretends that it is part of the show.

Hour 8:
Stardust is very restless now and very tired of sitting in his seat for so many hours.  The plane is beginning descent so he is starting to pull at his ears as the cabin pressure changes.  I distract him by getting him to pretend that he is a shark eating up a big school of fish - he is able to decompress his inner ear by opening his mouth as wide as he can.  The video is switched off much to his distress but now there is much to see outside the aeroplane window.  We watch the lights of the city as they get closer and closer, until....

We finally arrive at our destination!