PACKING
- use Take & Toss sippy cups so you don't have to wash anything. Disposable sippy cups are so amazing! You don't have to waste valuable vacation time washing cups in the sink. I wish I could afford to use them all the time. It costs about $4-5 for a 5 pack.
- Bring at least two outfits per day. The rule of thumb is that your child will soil at least one outfit a day. If they don't, then you can reuse that outfit on another day when they soil two.
- Bring your child's favorite blanket or lovey. Landon is obsessed (and I mean OBSESSED) with his blanket that has a 3D puppy appliqué on it. Whenever I give it to him, he snuggles up to it and smiles. Having this little piece of home with him helped ease him to sleep and calm him down on the plane.
- Be prepared for different weather. We didn't realize how cold it would be in Chicago. I thought the temperature was supposed to be the same as it was at home, but it was much cooler. I'm glad we brought a couple of sweaters for Landon. As for us, not so much. Bartek needed to buy a fleece!
- Look ahead at the weather during your stay. I went out and bought a rain cover for our umbrella stroller the night before. I was so glad because as soon as we stepped outside in Chicago, it started raining. I also packed it in our carry-on because I didn't want to have to break open our big luggage in the middle of the city.
TRAVELING BY PLANE
- Travel at nap time if possible, but don't get disappointed if the nap never happens. It's tough for kids to get comfortable on planes. They are sitting in weird angles that aren't sleep-conducive and they are stuck in a confined area. If they can still manage to sleep in these conditions, consider yourself lucky!
- In most cases when traveling domestic, infants under 2 years old ride free if they sit in their parent's lap. Take advantage of this as much as you can!
- If mom and dad are traveling with one baby, try to book the parents' seats in the aisle and window of the same row in the back of the plane. The chances that someone will book a middle seat in the back of the plane are slim. It worked for us on the way home. Even if it doesn't work and someone does book that middle seat, no one will object if you offer them the aisle or window over the middle seat when they go to sit down.
- Deal with the fact that you'll have to pay for a checked bag...hey, you're saving money with the baby in your lap anyway! Having a checked bag allows you to bring all that extra stuff you need for the baby without the hassle of dragging it around with you all over the airport. And let's face it, babies need a lot of stuff!
- Bring only the necessary stuff in the carry-on. Trust me, it's great to have a free hand or less weight on your back when you are trying to appease your child.
- Leave extra time to get through the airport. It takes a long time to fold up a stroller and wrangle a toddler at security while taking off your own shoes and putting your plastic baggy of liquids in the bin.
- Give the baby a fresh diaper in the airport bathroom before boarding the plane and pray that #2 doesn't happen. If you can avoid changing a diaper in a plane bathroom, do it!
- Bring a bottle or sippy cup to help pop their ears. Kids don't know what altitude is. All they know is that all of the sudden, their ears are killing them. The sucking motion helps to pop the pressure.
- Pack plenty of distractions in all varieties in the carry-on...new toys, books, iPad, snacks.
HOTEL
- Get a king bed, don't bother with the hassle of a pack n' play. They are bulky and heavy. Anyway, its nice to have a little snuggle fest with your babe.
- Find a go-to place for supplies-our hotel room in Chicago didn't have a refrigerator for Landon's milk, so I found a nearby CVS that sold little containers of milk that I bought when I needed. Also take advantage of the ice machine and keep the milk over ice for a few hours.
OUT AND ABOUT
I love traveling and I've gone to many places and have seen many cities. It was my first time visiting Chicago, so I wanted to see it all. Unfortunately traveling with a toddler is WAY different than traveling as a couple. All those long walks around the city streets we used to take are now out of the question. Toddlers don't really like to be confined, especially in an uncomfortable umbrella stroller. They want to run around and explore. Therefore, my tips...
- For Mom, wear a cross body bag when walking around the city with an umbrella stroller. Since there isn't much space in the undercarriage area of an umbrella stroller, having a cross body bag gives you quick access to your wallet, sunglasses, phone, camera and whatever else you need right at your fingertips. And a cross body bag won't slide off your shoulder like a normal handbag.
- Allow your child to run and discover as much as possible. Hopefully, all the running will tire him/her out so you can walk around just a little bit longer as they snooze in their stroller.
- Go to some child-oriented places. We took Landon to the Shedd Aquarium where he went bonkers over the dolphins, jelly fish and penguins. It also had a lot of hands-on exhibits for kids. He loved it.
- Talking about the Shedd Aquarium, when you plan on going to a place where you think there will be a line for tickets, try to buy the tickets ahead of time. Toddlers and waiting in line just do not mix!
- Don't get disappointed if you don't get to do everything you planned on. There were so many other things I wanted to see in Chicago- the T. Rex at the natural history museum, Navy Pier, the Magnificent Mile and an architecture tour by boat. We just ran out of time! Hopefully, we'll visit again sometime soon.
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