Category Archives: Travel

One typical, crazy morning

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I planned to write a coherent, reflective, thought provoking review of Dr. Marc Weissbluth’s new book about sleep and multiples, but it will have to wait.

Instead, I’m going to write a self-indulgent, hopefully humorous, look at a recent day in my life.

Just to provide some background… at the end of June we decided to sell our house.  We want it on the market by the end of July and my husband won’t have a day off this month since July 6 to 31 since he’s taking a course every weekend.

So, I’m very busy getting everything clean, packed and organized, which is part of the reason my blogging is suffering.

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Here is a numerical look at one morning this week…

Getting Going

Number of errands I planned to accomplish: 4

1. Drop 2.5 year old at the babysitter’s, after getting him up, dressed and fed
2. Grocery store,
3. Paint store,
4. Children’s consignment store

Number of babies I had hoped to have in their pajamas when we left – that’s easier than dressing them: 2 little girls

Number of babies still in their pajamas when we left: 1 little girl

Number of babies who spit up all over as we got ready to leave and needed to be changed before we could leave: 1 little girl

Number of noisy toys that 2.5 year-old son insisted on bringing: 1

Amount of time I was willing to take up arguing about it: 0 minutes

Number of trips to get the car loaded: 4

1. 2.5 year old with his noisy toy,
2. Diaper bag and one baby,
3. Purse, water bottle and other baby,
4. Double stroller

Number of phone calls I made on the way out the door: 1 (to the babysitter to tell her I would be arriving late)

Number of minutes I was late leaving to drop off 2.5 year-old at the babysitter’s: 20+ minutes

First Stop

Driving time to first stop after the babysitter’s (grocery store): less than 5 minutes

Number of available parking spots: lots and lots and lots as my 2.5 year old would say

(Note to self: grocery store isn’t very busy at 8:45 on Tuesday morning)

Number of babies sleeping when I put them in the double stroller: 2 little girls

Number of babies sleeping by the time I got inside the store: 1 little girl in pajamas

Amount of time it took to get refund on purchase from Sunday: 5 minutes

Number of times I had to answer questions about twins while getting refund: 2

Number of white candles I bought to give our bathrooms a “spa feeling”: 9

Number of cream candles I bought because they were the closest colour to an “earth tone” I could find: 3

Types of white towels I had to examine in order to find a “fluffy” set: 3 (obviously a white towel, isn’t just a white towel)

Number of white towels and facecloths I bought to create the same “spa feeling”: at least a dozen

(Hopefully, I can return the extras… I have no idea what I’ll do with a dozen white towels and 3 children under age 3!)

Amount of time I spent looking for two items that I never found (garbage bags and training underwear for the 2.5 year old): probably only 5 minutes, but it felt like longer with all the stuff I was carrying and pulling

Number of people who stopped me to ask about twins: 5+, most of them were store employees

Number of people who offered to help while I carried a basket of candles and towels, and pulled a double stroller with a bag of groceries on it: 0

Number of important discoveries I made: 1 – It is easier to pull a double stroller while carrying a heavy basket than it is to push a double stroller while carrying a heavy basket

Number of babies asleep at the end of first stop: 1 little girl in pajamas

Number of babies starting to fuss by the time we got to the car: 1 little girl in a dress

Amount of time I spent wondering whether I should bother with next 2 errands: as long as it took to get to the car – if I put it off, I’ll have to bring 2 babies and their older brother with me next time

Amount of time I spent panicking when I thought I locked my keys in the trunk: 5 seconds, then I realized they were in my purse

Number of times I wondered if there was a drive-thru close by to get a snack without getting out of the car: 2, or 3, or maybe 4 – hey, I’m a hungry, breastfeeding mom of twins

Second Stop

Amount of time to get to next stop (paint store): less than 5 minutes

Number of babies who are still awake a second stop: 1 little girl in a dress

Amount of time spent wondering whether it is worth it to take out the double stroller to walk from a parking spot right in front of the door in to the paint store: 15 seconds divided as follows:

Amount of time spent calculating that I would be carrying 25+ lbs of baby, plus two car seats while opening the door: 14 seconds
Amount of time spent deciding if it was worth it to get out double stroller: 1 second

Number of paint samples I need to buy to do touch ups in our house: 2

Number of paint chips I had to go through to find the right colours because I’d left that information at home: Lots and lots and lots

Number of paint samples I need that the store had in stock: 1, but they’ll call me when the other colour comes in

Number of people who ask about twins: 2, both store employees (the paint store is also very quiet on Tuesday mornings)

Number of people who offer to hold the door while I maneuver my way out with a double stroller: 0

Third Stop

Amount of time to third stop (children’s consignment store): less than 1 minute, it is about 3 doors down

Number of bibs I plan to buy for babies: 2 or more so I don’t have to wash them so often

Number of bibs in stock: 0, the cashier suggests I go to Wal-Mart instead

Amount of time spent considering going back to Wal-Mart before going home, and unloading and reloading the car to find 2 bibs inside the Super Center which I’ve never visited before: 2 seconds, I can wash the bibs they already have

Amount of time spent considering whether to buy a double jogging stroller that I see for sale: long enough to walk over to it

Amount of time spent considering whether to buy same jogging stroller when I see that it costs $350 second-hand: 0 seconds

Number of teething soothers I decide to buy since I’m there and they have some in stock: 2, otherwise this trip would have been a complete waste

Number of customer appreciation stamps I would get for my purchase if I had my card: 1

Number of stamps that the cashier put on a new card for me: 1

Number of cards that I have at home with one stamp each:  I don’t even want to guess, probably lots and lots and lots

Number of people who ask about twins: 0 (they see lots of babies in the children’s consignment store)

Number of people who offer to hold the door while I maneuver my way out with a double stroller: 0

Number of babies who are awake and getting noisier: 1 little girl in a dress, and 1 little girl in pajamas

Going Home

Amount of time it takes to get home: 15 minutes including getting babies and stroller in car

Number of trips it takes to get everything in the house: 4

1. Unlock door,
2. Babies, – two car seats – one in each hand
3. Groceries,
4. Diaper bag and other purchases
(I left the stroller in the car)

Recap

Total time to make three stops: almost 2 hours

Number of hungry babies when we got home: 2 little girls – and one mommy too!

Number of ideas I have about what to feed them: None, but I have to find one pretty quickly

Number of things I didn’t find on my errands: paint, 2 items from grocery store, bibs

Amount of time I was home before paint store called to say my colour had arrived: less than an hour

Amount of time before I have to pack up 2 babies to go to the babysitters to pick up 2.5 year-old son: 5 hours

Number of things on my “to-do” list for those 5 hours: lots and lots and lots

Number of things I actually get done: not very many

Number of smiles from two happy, full, clean, and (finally) dressed baby girls: lots and lots and lots

Good Plane Fun for Everyone

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I hate to fly. I hate take off. I hate turbulence. I hate landing. All three make my heart race, my palms sweat, and my stomach nauseous. But my hometown and most of my family are half way across the country. I hadn’t been home since September 2005, and ever since my twins were born (in March 2008) I’d felt the need to return to my roots.

I spent months searching for flights. My twins would be just shy of 16 months when we flew, and I wanted an itinerary that would allow us to be in the air during our nap times and would give us a decent layover between flights so the kids could spend a little time out of their car seats. When I finally booked the flights, it felt good. Until a few days later when a US Airways plane landed in the Hudson River and sent this nervous traveler into a panic. But I knew that I had to get myself together or I’d ruin the trip for everyone. So, I turned to those I knew and trusted for some advice that I hoped would save my sanity. And fortunately for me, all the tips I received worked like a charm.

  • From Goddess in Progress, “Ignore the kids if they seem sleepy.”

Goddess was helpful in pointing out that our kids would be less likely to sleep if my husband and I continued to chat and play with them once they started showing signs of sleepiness. Because we were flying around our normal nap times, my husband and I actually went through our nap routine with each child once we reached our cruising altitude. We gave the kids their cuddle blankets, read two short books, gave them kisses, put down the window shade, and then sat back and closed our eyes (thinking it would be easier to ignore them and encourage sleep that way). Within 10 to 15 minutes, each child was out (though not without some quiet chatter and a bit of whiny crying). And this was the case on all four flights (two to get there and two to get back). Their naps were not as long as the ones they took at home, but it made the awake time on the plane much shorter.

  • From numerous sources, “Pack lots of snacks.”

I’m pretty sure I over did it, but we never regretted carrying around the backpack and cooler full of a wide variety of snacks- crackers, fruit cups, pudding, rice cakes, cookies, soft cooked veggies, mini-muffins, milk, etc. These snacks got us through breakfast and lunch in the airports and through a few fussy moments on the planes. When my daughter woke from her naps, I could tell she was experiencing some discomfort from the change in cabin pressure. The snacks and her sippy cup of milk seemed to take care of that problem. It worked the same way to relieve discomfort during landings for two of the flights. (Fortunately, those around us were understanding during the landings in which she could not be consoled.)

  • From Jenn, “Pack small toys and random items from the dollar store.”

Jenn, a friend and former colleague, is the only person I know who is as nervous about flying as I am. So when she told me that small toys and random items from the dollar store would keep my kids occupied for hours, I rushed right out to the Dollar Tree store to fill my basket full of goodies- party favors, kitchen items, curlers, plastic jewelry, small toys, etc. Then, as instructed by Jenn, I put several items in small, resealable, plastic bags, and then put all the little bags in a big, resealable, plastic bag.

bag of goodies

bag of goodies

On each of our flights, after the kids woke up from their naps and had their snacks, my husband and I would pull out a bag of dollar store items for each child. We let them play with the items until they were no longer entertaining, and then we’d pull out another bag of dollar store goodies. This tip worked phenomenally well. My daughter played for over half an hour with a baggie full of 3 plastic deputy sheriff stars, a pirate’s compass, and an oversized coin (putting them in the bag, then taking them out), and my son loved chewing on and playing with a wooden spoon and plastic spatula.

a few favorites

a few favorites

We kept all of our travel toys packed away while we were on our vacation, so the kids were happy to see them again when we took the return flights home.

As someone who hates flying, I’m happy to report that I hardly noticed any of the things that usually bother me so much. I was so involved in trying to keep my kids comfortable and happy, that I barely noticed any of the things that normally freak me out.

Of course there were many other great tips that we followed to keep us sane from the time we left home until we returned. Getting to the airport, getting through security, following a schedule while on vacation- what tips have made you and yours happy travelers?

The HER Within the Mot'her'

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Phew! Just got back from our 8 day vacation down the shore…hence, the late post.

Anyway, this was our first ‘real’ vacation as a family of six. And, OMG – we not only survived, but we really SO enjoyed ourselves & actually relaxed! I was even able to read AN ENTIRE BOOK, people!!  As I sit here back at home, bags yet to be unpacked, I am full of gratitude for those few days. I knew that we needed to get away, but it wasn’t until vacation day 3 that I realized just how necessary that time was.

First, the setting:
- the guest house on my grandparents property at the Jersey shore…a small, yet cozy little cottage (hey – less to clean!); an immaculately maintained in ground pool outside our door; a patio overlooking the river, complete with a hammock, garden & grill; our choice of boating, kayaking or crabbing off of the dock; seafood restaurant/bar AND Dunkin’ Donuts within walking distance; the beach/boardwalk within a 5 minute car ride. Top that with a little nostalgia for all of the childhood memories I have there and well, as my husband said, ‘it’s a little piece of heaven’!

Ok, so day 3…the weather was perfect and I had woken up early. The triplets had slept in (meaning past 6am) and I practically bounced down the stairs. I was invigorated by the day, our new surroundings and the fact that my husband was going to be around for a full week to not only help with the kids, but to enjoy them with me. I grabbed my sneakers & my iPod, informing my husband that I would be walking to Dunkin’ Donuts for our morning coffee.

I don’t remember what song I was listening to at the time, but I had only been walking for about ¼ of a mile when it occurred to me…I was walking by mySelf, listening to my music and walking to someplace I really wanted to go. It happened rather suddenly & filled me up completely. Yes, I’d realized that I could use a break – a change of pace, a more relaxed environment, my hubby around for an entire week to co-parent with me…but on that walk, in the quiet sunshine I was able to hear my own voice again! It was like re-connecting with an old friend – someone you feel completely comfortable with, someone you really like. This, I thought, this makes me happy. I really like this song. I love being outside, I love to walk & I love my morning coffee. So big deal, right?

Very big deal! You see, in my former life, I was a Life Coach. My practice focused primarily on mothers – supporting them in re-connecting with themSelves, helping them to see themselves beyond the role of mother. So many of my coaching sessions, so many talks I’ve given centered around trying to convince mothers that filling themSelves up first was the only way to give to their children. A simple concept, a complex commitment. I thought that I had been doing a pretty good job of it, but what I had become good at was ignoring my own needs, or at least at putting them last.

It was easy to preach self-care with only one child at the time! The universe needed to put me in the thick of it to really understand. As MoMs, the challenge of staying connected with the HER within the mot’her’ is, well…multiplied! Pre-vacation I was done, taxed, stressed, tired – I remember telling my husband that I felt like a well that had gone dry. That simple little shore vacation – taking those morning walks & giving myself permission to read a WHOLE book – allowed me to breath a little deeper. It gave me the space I needed to find my center again – to be present. And I assure you, I was a more pleasant wife & mother for it! I haven’t enjoyed just being with my family like that in awhile. I realized that I’d been carrying some BS belief that vacation was an indulgence – a guilty pleasure. Where’d THAT come from?? Vacation, especially now, will be a matter of course in our home, a commitment.

So now that we’re home, I’d like to come up with ways to stay in ‘that place’. So how do you do it? (No pun intended!!) What commitments do you keep to yourSelf?

The Incremental Appreciation of Babyproofing

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One morning, before I had kids, I was sitting in traffic on my way to the office and I noticed a Precious Baby Protectors van to my right. With much sanctimony, I declared “How lazy and utterly helpless someone must be to resort to having someone else do your babyproofing!” I mean, really.

Ask five people what you should do for babyproofing and you’ll get at least eleven opinions. Some will suggest – usually the parent of an easygoing singleton – you wait until after the baby is mobile before you make any decisions. Some will give you a personalized referral card to Precious Baby Protectors. Most will fall somewhere in the middle suggesting the minimum of sliding outlet protectors, hardware installed gate at the top of the stairs, and move all your household cleaners out of reach.

Had we had two like our daughter Harper, a gate at the top of the stairs would have been plenty sufficient to date. Instead, we also got a Mateo. A Mateo, who will wedge himself – and get stuck – between the sofa and the subwoofer, who started pulling ovens open at 9 months, managed to lock Jennifer’s cell phone, loves his blackberry, and incredulously dragged my camera from the center of the dining table, shattering the lens. I’m now wishing we would have purchased and installed that blackout screen for the fireplace instead of resorting to a bookshelf.

THE BLACKOUT SCREEN SUGGESTED TO US BY PRECIOUS BABY PROTECTORS. Yeah, that’s right. It was a weak moment sandwiched between too-much-to-do-and-too-little-time. But holy crap did it accomplish in two hours with three professionals what it would have taken two working parents weeks to do. My opinion of people who stash junk instead of cars in their garages has turned favorable, too. Chalking it up to another moment of parenting-induced compassion. Crow tastes good, yum.

We’re not out there buying Bumper Bonnets and baby knee pads, and we don’t assign the kids the task of sharpening our knives. While we did protect from the big dangers, unless you want your kid(s) to live in a bubble (and I’m horrified at how many parents do!), bumps and falls and bruises are inevitable. And, dare I say, healthy – on account of giving the kid(s) an opportunity to work out the kinks and find their mixture of gross motor development, spatial relations, and gravity.

DSC_0013.JPG

It’s when we go to someone else’s home – where there are almost no protections from harm – that we go reeling, or at least a lot of redirecting toddlers and hardly any sitting Not. For. Even. One. Minute. It took a good six months to convince my mom to put her ten-picture-frames-on-the-hearth out of reach of her four grandchildren under 12 months old because no, grandma, they will not ‘just learn’, not without injury.

My suggestion? Go on as many non-babyproofed vacations before the kids are proficient crawlers, such as the relatively relaxing trip we took to New Orleans when the kids were nine months old. Once they’re pulling up, all bets are off.

Someone actually said “if you stay at a hotel, sometimes they’ll loan out outlet protectors.” Hello? Have you met Mateo? Plus, I can’t imagine how the kids would ever fall asleep while we’re still awake and moving around the room. Because, Harper? Sensitive sleeper.

After last weekend’s trip to a friend’s lakehouse, we’ve concluded that we’re holding off on overnight stay “vacations” until we’re feeling braver or the kids are closer to two. WHICH EVER COMES LAST. Fifteen months just isn’t the time for us.

What about you? Did you put a moratorium on overnight stay Vacations? (visits to family don’t count – we’re kind of obligated, after all) Recognizing that travel with children is never total leisure, when did you feel you could travel again and not be moving Every. Single. Moment?

Twin Travelers, then and now

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It’s amazing, the difference a year or so can make.

We’re a frequent-flying family.  Not because we just love to travel.  Quite the opposite, in fact, we’re quite the bunch of homebodies.  But we live more than 1,000 miles away from our families, so travel we do.  I’ve lost count, but I think we’re up to something like 11 or 12 round-trip plane rides in their first 22 months of life.

The first trip, at four-and-a-half months, was so nerve-wracking.  The bucket carseats and double Snap & Go.  The bottles and formula and diapers and Bjorns and pacifiers.  The Boppies and swaddling blankets and bouncy seats and swings.  The total lack of sleeping through the night. The total lack of predictable nap schedule.  So much planning. So much gear for such little babies.

Landed at O'Hare

Now, at nearly two years old, it has only gotten easier.  We’ve become expert travelers. Our carry-on bags have gotten smaller (and the kids can, at least some of the time, carry them on their own!). We’ve got our strategy for getting through security down to a science. We swear by our GoGo Kidz Travelmates.  I can pack everything at the last minute, since all we really need to bring is clothes, favorite blankets, and maybe a couple of sippy cups and diapers.

DC Trip

OK, sure, it was made easier this time around because we were staying with friends who had a same-aged child and already had two pack & plays.  But that aside, this was still an incredibly easy trip.  Sure, the kids are mobile and may want to walk up and down the aisles of the plane. But they can also watch the TV on the back of the seat in front of them (thank you, JetBlue).  Sure, there were cancellations and delays and we didn’t arrive at our destination until hours past their regularly scheduled bedtime.  But they were fine.  They were interested in and entertained by their surroundings. (I think the ride on the yellow Hertz shuttle bus was a highlight for Daniel.)

Being in a new location was no big deal.  There was a place to sleep, and we kept to their normal schedule as much as possible. They didn’t require high chairs for meals, exersaucers for entertainment, or really any of the specialized (and huge!) baby equipment.  They’re active toddlers, of course, and a non-child-safe environment would have been harder.  But overall, everything is just so much more adaptable.

DC Trip

So, moms of infants, take heart.  While there are always tricky parts to each age, lots of things really do just keep on getting better.

Car Time

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Like most families, we spend a LOT of time in the car. On a daily basis, we average 1-1.5 of driving time. A trip to the park (20 minutes both ways), grocery store (10 minutes), church (20 minutes) or the great-grandparents (25 minutes) means we have to drive everywhere we go. Nothing is within walking distance in our Pittsburgh neighborhood.

Like most moms, the HDYDI mom’s are always looking for new ways to keep the peace in the car. Personally, I am a bit of a pushover in the car. I simply can not drive well or concentrate when there is a lot of screaming going on directly behind my head. That said, I was eager to poll the other moms and pass along our suggestions to the army of mini-van-driving MoMs!

"Keep the snacks coming, and all our eardrums will be okay!"

"Keep the snacks coming, and all our eardrums will be okay!"

LauraC has a little storage bin that fits between her car seats that houses various toys for her boys to play with. What she does not recommend in cars: Stickers, markers, two recorders that you
stupidly bought for an extended car trip and the boys now think should ALWAYS be played in the car!

For music, they really enjoy the Backyardigans CDs. Also, XM Radio plays an assortment of all kinds of kids’ songs. For long trips, all bets are off-whatever keeps them entertained.

"I may look happy now, but just wait 'til I drop my cup!!!"

"I may look happy now, but just wait 'til I drop my cup!!!"

Goddess in Progresshas the Curious George/Jack Johnson CD in her van, along with the Bare Naked Ladies kid cd and the Music Together CD. Also, she uses the auxiliary jack that plugs into her iPod as she has a kiddo playlist on there, too. And while she does have a DVD player in her van, she says “I have yet to use it. I refuse to, unless we find ourselves on a trip longer than an hour or two. Because I know, in the minds of young toddlers, if I do it once…. they’ll want Elmo or whatever on every trip to the grocery store. And I just want to avoid that battle for as long as possible. I also find that sometimes the only way to keep them awake in the car before nap time is to take “requests” for songs (usually Wheels on the Bus), or try to engage them in looking for cars/trucks/buses/dogs/colors, etc.

The magna doodle is a big hit with my kids right now, but I don’t use it in the car much, because mostly they just like me to draw animals for them. And clearly, I don’t want to struggle with drawing an ugly dog while driving. :-) ”

Synchronized Sleeping.

Synchronized Sleeping.

My own CD player houses our Bare Naked Ladies “Snacktime” CD, which I think I like better than the kids. Maybe once they learn to count they will understand the humor of “7 8 9.” We also really like Junior’s Bedtime Songs by Veggie Tales. Unlike most Veggie Tales music, which can be rather jarring, this one is very soothing. Our other current favorites are the audio books by Eric Drachman. I think I have listened to “A Frog Thing,” and “Leo the Lightning Bug” 800 times. Yet they are so successful at entertaining our kids, that my husband ordered the other three book (they come with an audio cd read by the author) this week! We are anxiously awaiting their arrival.

On long car rides, we hand out comfort objects like they are candy!

On long car rides, we hand out comfort objects like they are candy!

If anyone has any car-entertainment suggestions or stories, please leave them in the comments section. And for heaven’s sake, if anyone know of a snack cup that would keep millions of bits of cereal from being spilled all over my van, please let me know!

Flying With Twin Infants

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Shortly after you get comfortable going pee with twins, you will decide that you need to get out of the house with the twins. Maybe to a restaurant. Where regular people eat. At regular people hours. And I’m telling you right now after a few successes, you’ll feel bold enough to get out of town with the twins.

For road trips, The Meyers Family wrote an informative post about must-have’s for the car with children. And Shawn wrote some car travel secrets for toddlers.

Snickollet and Goddess In Progress, two REALLY BRAVE moms, have written about flying solo with twin toddlers here and here.

What with all this and more great information on traveling, what could I possibly bring to the table? Well, maybe not much, but at least it’s one more experience to peruse as you plan your trip, specifically, one where you are flying with infant twins. That’s one of the things I’ve learned so far: listen to people’s stories, modify for your own situation.

I’ve linked to the posts originally published on my personal blog, RaJenCreation. And if you have questions or additional tips to offer, by all means, comment!

Part I: Planning and Packing

Part II: The Airport Experience

Part III: Your Final Destination

Making Memories

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12

While there are plenty of nice things about living here in Massachusetts, one negative for me is that we are at least 1,000 miles away from nearly all family members (save for my beloved sister-in-law).  Not only do we lack the extra helping hands on a regular basis, but it is distressing that my kids don’t really know their grandparents very well.  Even harder is, the few times a year that we do manage to see them, there’s always that element of the kids having to warm back up to these relative strangers.

At the ocean

Well, in preparation for our most recent trip to Florida, I decided my kids would benefit if I took a page from LauraC and did what I could to familiarize them with people and things ahead of time.  I printed out some photos of grandparents and other folks we’d see, as well as some pictures of the pool and the ocean. I put them in an inexpensive photo book and we “read” it every night for the week before we left.  Between that, and stepping up the frequency of Skype sessions, there was much less adjustment and stranger anxiety with my 18-month-olds and a whole pack of eager relatives.

Having a chat with Auntie and Nana

When we got home, I started thinking… I wanted to reinforce these relationships they’d built up, and reinforce memories of the fun we’d had (and, um, mostly forget about the fact that they were both sick the entire time).  Plus, despite the fact that I’ve taken many thousands of photos since they were born, I have almost none printed to hold in my hands.

From now on, I’ve decided, I will print a photo book after every major event/vacation.  I simply use iPhoto, and can even write up the “story” beneath all of the pictures.  Another book to read with the kids, some photos saved for posterity, and the added bonus of trying to reinforce the earliest beginnings of memories.  Sounds like a win to me.

Does it work?  Well, my mother-in-law came to visit this weekend, arriving late Friday night.  She went in to get the kids when they woke up Saturday morning, and my sometimes-wary toddlers were absolutely thrilled to see her. Bonus!

Last bits of snow

What about you?  Do you have far-flung family and friends?  How do you encourage young ones to remember the people and places that you don’t see as often?

More tips on flying solo with twin toddlers

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12

My husband Jon travels for work and I have longed for the day that our boys and I can tag along for a trip. Last week, I got my wish as we took a four day trip to Dallas. The only glitch was that I would have to fly back by myself with the boys as Jon stayed on for his business trip. My boys are 2.75, which is a fairly good age for traveling.  I wasn’t that nervous until the day before the trip when I went into a complete panic, imagining all the things that could go wrong. Despite all my worries, the trip was a smashing success.

When I first booked the trip, I consulted the write-ups on solo travel by Snickollet and Sadia. For the most part, I followed their advice. I thought I would write about what I did differently than they did, and also emphasize some Very Important Tips.

1. iFrogz + video ipods.If you’re going to keep two toddlers entertained on a long flight, this is a good product to have in your arsenal. I limited myself to one carry-on yet was easily able to fit two of these. Not only did the boys watch tv, they also listened to music and looked through pictures I loaded onto them. I wrote a full review of this product here. I spent quite a bit of time reading on the plane while the boys watched Dora.

tadpole

2. GoGo Kidz Travelmate. We’ve used these for every flight we’ve ever taken with the boys. The only downside was the number of times I got stopped in the airport to discuss them when I was clearly very busy with two toddlers! Again, I wrote a full review here. Unlike Sadia and Snickollet, I planeside checked the car seats and let the boys sit in the airplane seats.

3. Burning off toddler energy.I had planned to let the boys run around and blow off  steam before getting on the plane. As soon as I let Alex out of the Travelmate, he took off running through the very crowded Dallas airport without looking back. Did I mention that kid is fast?! As I ran through the airport dragging two GoGo Kidz, Nate, and my carry-on, I decided the boys lost walking privileges. If you’ve got a darter, consider this one before experimenting in a crowded place.

4. Keep a positive attitude. Our gate got moved twice. The first time, it got moved six gates away. The second time, it got moved 14 gates away. I decided to take the jetway to save some time and energy. They were incredibly excited to get to ride a car rental shuttle bus, a jetway train AND a plane in one day. As we moved gates the second time, I saw a lot of adults traveling alone with very grumpy faces while the three of us had fun. From the jetway bridge, the boys were able to watch the entire Dallas tarmac with hoards of planes. That ended up being their favorite part of the day.

5. Stay respectful of your fellow travelers.When we got to our seats, I told the boys The Rules. No kicking the seats in front of them. You must stay in your seat. You must wear your seat belt. They happily obliged.  When they started playing with the seat back trays, I told them I would take away their apple juice if they did not stop. When we landed, I knew our flight was a success when the woman in front of us turned around to tell the boys they were very good on the plane.

If you find yourself in Chicago…

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… with a couple of little kids on a rainy day, boy oh boy do I have the place for you.

This morning, my mom and I took the kids to the Skokie Park District’s Exploritorium.  To call it an “indoor playground” does not begin to do it justice.  There was an arts and crafts area, a big plastic climbing structure with two slides, a bunch of push-toys, several computers, a train table, a stage with lots of dress-up clothes, books, puzzles, a water area, and a two-story tube and tunnel climbing course.  Heck, there was even an exersaucer and a couple of little play tables for the less-mobile ones.  It was, in a word, awesome.  And cheap!  $4 for adults, $6 for kids, and toddlers and babies two and under were free.  A bargain at twice the price, I swear.

The only down side is that, bold as I usually am, it’s not really do-able with two toddlers and only one adult.  It was tricky enough with one-and-a-half adults (I’m still hobbling along on my post-op foot), definitely not something I’d do on my own with my two 16-month-olds.  But if you’re in the area and have a 1:1 child-to-adult ratio, it’s well worth the outing. There’s no stated age range, but I think anywhere from toddlers to young elementary school kids would have parts they would enjoy. My kids had a blast. I suspect we’ll be going back before this trip is over…

rebecca water table with ducks

daniel water feature