I love traveling to see new places, and also familiar faces and places. Tomorrow we're headed to Jackson Hole to see my parents. What is it about travel that puts me on edge? Is it the anticipated extra costs I'll have to pay to check bags? Is it the sore muscles from schlepping the bags around on the travel day? Is it the thought of standing around in long security lines? Is it the concern around my child having "a moment" on the plane? Guess what? It's all of the above, and more.
So many things are out of our control. However, I now live by a few simple rules to make traveling a tad less stressful for our entire family.
1. Pack light. If we're headed somewhere with a washer and dryer, and my favorite Shout to get out the stains from spilled food, drinks, spit-ups, etc., then I bring a lot less clothing. Even for AML jr, I pack light. Consider mailing diapers and formula to your destination, it will save you a lot of hassle and unnecessary weight in your bags.
2. Bring a spare. We carry AML's bag with us on the plane, and I stick an extra shirt and pair of underwear for me and Papa Lusty in there, in case our bags get lost in transit (or our clothing gets messy along the way).
3. Drink up. We drink plenty before the flight and during the flight, but not adult beverages, juice and water to keep us all hydrated. We bring more than enough bottles and formula, and snacks for us all. The airlines don't give too much up for free these days, so we come prepared, especially for longer trips. We take an Emergen-C as soon as we arrive to fight off all the germs we encountered during the travel day.
4. Stay comfy. I bring a blanket for AML jr, and I wear comfy clothing to include a sweatshirt. I try to get prepared to nap, while AML jr naps (hopefully) on me. Fashion is not a must for me on travel days, but if it is for you, be prepared to bring extra burp cloths, at the least. Keep your carry-on/diaper bag under the seat in front of you, so that diapers, wipes, cloths, etc. are close by for your and the baby's convenience. You may get lucky and have a baby lover next to you, but if not, remember that most travelers won't have patience for the baby's "moments"--stay calm, get what you need and take a walk around the plane if you can or go into the bathroom if the baby is acting fussy.
5. Entertainment. We put kid-friendly movies on a laptop, so we can catch and listen, while AML jr watches. This trip it's all about Gnomeo and Juliet. We also bring Ipods with books on them, as we don't have free hands for books. Some airlines even have internet, of course not free, so that's kind of cool. AML jr's toys are attached to her car seat, and if the car seat isn't coming along with us (infant traveling on your lap), then the toys are attached to a carry-on.
6. Early to bed, early to rise. We get up early the day of travel and make sure we've got our whole list covered (a packing list is a must), we get to the airport early and when we arrive, we hit the sack early. No longer do we have sleep-in days, since AML jr wants to eat and play early, so we get to bed when we can.
And don't forget to add to your list, a birth certificate for your baby, your own IDs, wallet and your phone, and any other musts--for me that's contacts, sunglasses and gum.
Prepared and calm travelers are happy travelers. Enough said. Now back to packing and huffing and puffing about it. I wish my mommy could come pack me up!
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