Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Taking to the Skies...


Elena & I are 2 weeks away from our Great Mexican Adventure & tho I’ve been planning for a while, its crunch time. I don’t want to forget anything…nor do I want to bring too much either.

I have already promised myself that I won’t make the same mistake I’ve made on every Down South trip…packing too many clothes!! I inevitably end up wearing the same 1 or 2 outfits the whole time anyway & this time with Elena, we’ll be in our swimsuits most of the time…here’s what I’m packing for myself:

·         3 Bathing Suits

·         3 Sundresses

·         2 T-shirts

·         2 Tank tops

·         Flip Flops

·         Sun Hat

·         Plus underwear & a pair of socks

·         Pajamas

And even that seems like too much!! On the plane I am going to wear a skirt, t-shirt & hoodie so I don’t have to pack those. I think I’ll pack about the same variation of clothing for Elena.

What thru me for a loop was the realization last night that I will have to pack AT LEAST 42 diapers to get us thru the week…that’s 6 diapers a day which is generous since she’ll be in swim diapers most of the day…but then of course I have to pack at least 30 swim diapers!!
Would it be wrong if I let her go diaperless on the beach & let her pee in the ocean?

Of course there’s also the toiletries, sunscreen, etc…plus for Elena, I have to pack her blanket tho now that I think about it, I should have that on the plane for her.

Speaking of the plane…this is the part of the trip I have the most anxiety about…I couldn’t afford to purchase Elena her own seat but I did pay for an extra leg room seat. I am assuming that I am allowed to bring 1 carry on plus Elena’s diaper bag. I am going to be one of THOSE parents & I will be bringing a DVD player plus our iTouch & my iPhone with many videos for Elena to watch. I even purchased a pair of children’s headphones (with volume protection) for her. So in the carry on + diaper bag I plan to pack:

·         DVD Player/Headphones/Discs – all in its own carry case

·         A couple of soft-side story books

·         A couple of small craft ideas i.e.: pipe cleaners, foam stickers, (ideas, anyone?)

·         Sticker book & stickers – Elena loves playing with stickers

·         My wallet incl: passports, id, money, etc

·         iPhone & iTouch

·         1 swimsuit each

·         Change of clothes each

·         Diapers, wipes, cream, 1st aid stuff

·         Snacks & drinks for Elena

·         Elena’s blanket

OMG! I just had a panicked thought…they’ll let Elena carry her doll on the plane, right?!!? She has become extremely attached & there might be meltdowns all around if I have to put her doll in checked baggage…they won’t take a kid’s doll away from them, will they? WILL THEY?!!?

Okay, what have I forgotten…or not thought of…what is the best advice you have to offer? Any fool proof tips? Help?!!

12 comments:

  1. They will let the doll on the plane. Anyone would know taking something like that from a kid would only make the lfight MISERABLE for everyone involved!! Have a great time!! post lots of pictures when you return.

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  2. I'm pretty sure they will allow the doll after taking it away briefly to be x-rayed on the belt. I vowed not to fly again with my children until they are 7 and 9, but that's just me ;-)

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  3. i think with babies, you are not limited on your carry ons. that's been my experience thus far, but i haven't traveled internationally since Calliope was born. i know for sure that things like strollers and car seats don't count as carryons OR checked baggage. a lot of folks use their car seat bags to stuff lots of extra clothes.

    um, what are you going to wear with your T-shirts and camisoles? bathing suits only? i think i would brings shorts and or skirts.

    as for swim diapers, why not buy one or two reusable ones? iPlay makes some, and Fineas (not sure of the spelling) -- the latter is what i've bought, in two different sizes now. they are great! that would make it SOOOOO much less to pack! neither disposable nor reusable (look like a snug fitting bikini bottom) absorb urine. and disposable ones are pricey so the reusable ones would pay for themselves. amazon sells them.

    ps i am sure you won't have an issue with the doll, but it will have to be x-rayed... can you keep it packed until after security?

    have a great time!!!

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    Replies
    1. Ha! I meant I was wearing a skirt on the plane & packing a change of clothes, including capris, in my carry on. It would be like me to forget something like pants tho, lol!

      I really like the idea of the reusable swim diapers! Genius!! I'm off to research that now!

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  4. Lol, Abby and I had the same thought. You need pants or shorts or skirts. What about a small magnadoodle for coloring and erasing. But don't put it near the iPhone stuff. I'll keep thinking.

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  5. I was thinking of a megnadoodle but didn't want to spend the money. I wouldn't have thought about keeping it away from the iPhone so thanks for mentioning that!!

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  6. Sounds like a good list, plus shorts/skirts/capris to go with the t-shirts and tank tops. :)

    I'm absolutely TERRIFIED of having to fly with Jordyn. I don't think I'll have to do it until Memorial Day, when we have a wedding to go to. It was bad enough having to pack for a car trip for less than a week!

    Any chance you could buy diapers when you get there? I don't know exactly where you're going, so maybe you don't want to count on that. But it could be worth looking in to to avoid having to pack so many.

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  7. I've flown a LOT with Finn (and have 3 weekends of flights ahead of us after this weekend!) and here are my suggestions.

    But first - the iPlay swim diapers rock. They don't absorb a lot of pee, but then again, no swim diapers do. They're mainly to keep poop in. So don't plan on putting it on her until right before going to beach or pool.

    Have a bag for your carseat, and put all the diapers in there. They let you check the car seat for free. Stroller they'll check gateside for you, again for free. Babyfood (if she still uses the pouches) are allowed through security, so you can bring those if you want, but since she's not an infant anymore, I don't know if they'll let you bring her drinks.

    On the flight, the headphones idea is genius. I'm going to have to get those. Lots of little things to keep her attention - stuff she's never seen before. Be prepared to walk her, though it might be rough because she'll want to walk instead of letting you carry her. Do you have a drawing app for the iPad? Finn loves it, though all he does is draw scribbles.

    I feel like I'm forgetting something. I'll be back if I think of it, or if the first of my flights brings up new suggestions. Our last flight was before he was walking, so things might be different this time!

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  8. That is so exciting! Where in Mexico are you going? I'd love to travel again someday, especially somewhere tropical. Have a great time! Take lots of pictures!

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  9. I've flown many times with Tate, and he's always been walking, though he was only 11 months old the first time, so he easily stayed put. Only caveat is he always has had his own seat. Until just recently I traveled with him not in a carseat but in the CARES harness.

    That said...if you're going to check your carseat, shove as much stuff in that bag as you can/want. It'll check free. Be prepared for the carseat bag to get shoved around. Personally I wouldn't put my good carseat in it, so if you have a cheaper one in your mom's car put take that one...it may very well get banged up. However, if you're going to be driving alot at your destination and will need a carseat I would not trust the ones rented to you, so better to take your own.

    You can take pouches, milk boxes etc through security for your child. Still put them in ziploc baggies; you will probably have to be wanded though and they will look at those specifically. (I just went through that this past weekend with the Happy Tots pouches, as well as when we flew to Germany in May). But I brought a bunch of milk (anal about organic milk here) on the plane for that Berlin flight and though I was stopped and basically frisked it was absolutely fine. Tate's loveys etc have to go in the bins through the machine. Even if she cries, she'll get over it and noone will care.

    In Houston, people traveling with kids in strollers get priority in the security line! I've always been ushered to the front of the security line...so awesome! It's never happened elsewhere...noone has those southern manners...ladies and children first! I hope this happens for you!

    I can't tell from your post if she's flown before. But be sure to pack an extra outfit or 2 FOR YOU for on the plane. Milk spills, juice spills, babies puke and pee. And it's always all over you. Tate was fine the first time he flew at 11 months. The second time at 14 months he puked on descent coming and going. Airsickness... blech. I now give him Benadryl about 90 minutes before landing and we've never had a problem. Thank goodness I always have packed an extra outfit for myself even before I flew with him. And I had 3 extra outfits on the plane for him each way. I used them all those 2 flights. I still carry extra clothes for us both.

    I wrapped up all the little gifts I had for Tate, so that was half the fun for him. Though I only started doing that in May when we went to Berlin. Prior to that I've always made sure each flight coincided with his naps, so he was sure to fall asleep whether it was before or after the Benadryl was given. And being that he sleeps really well in his carseat at naptime in our car, I've always been very sure he would sleep well in it on planes, and he has. So hopefully she'll go to sleep at some point. Honestly, I've never had to walk him up and down the aisle either (we've flown 7 times). Nor have i ever seen anyone do this on a flight, so I don't know if I would count on it especially if you hit turbulence. If you have a baby carrier (ie Ergo, Beco) I would bring it to wear her on your back in the airport if need be and to wear her on the plane to maybe help her sleep better? I don't think you can have her in it during take off and landing. Again that will depend on how she tolerates it. Tate strangely enough still lets me wear him on my back!

    And if you remember nothing else remember this...

    The flight will end.

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  10. Oh and I mean wear her on your front while seated on the plane. Please don't think I wanted you to squish my cute little friend between your back and the plane seat! :)

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  11. I didn't read all the comments so- That is a lot of diapers to pack. Maybe you could buy some of them when you get there?

    Pants for yourself? You've got a few shirts packed, something in your carry-on and I assuming you're not trying to moon anyone but I didn't see a pair?

    Do you have something to keep you entertained for whenever you can sneak it in?

    I would also bring a wrap so you can go hands free if you have a lot of stuff to carry and I know most people hate them but also a harness.

    I don't know, lol. Have fun!!

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