Traveling...with Baby

I love to travel. Short road trips, long international trips, flying, driving, I like them all. I have been blessed to have done a lot of traveling in my life. I have driven across the United States in a minivan full of camping equipment with my family as a child. I have flown to 3 different continents as an adult. For the last 9 years, i have lived 10 to 16 hours away from home, so travel is a very active part of my life and even my job.

Than i had baby.

Since having Jack i have flown with him 4 times and will add one more flight onto his record before he turns 1 in July. I have flown with the baby with Ryan, with a co-worker and all alone. Going through airport security? Easy, just don't stand behind me. I have to unload and disassemble everything. Doable, just time consuming. Annoyed with families getting to load onto the plane first? Let them. It will stop you from being hit with the diaper bag, purse, blanket and baby feet while trying to squeeze back to a seat. The greatest advice for baby air travel? New toys and cheerios.

We took Jack on his first car road trip. We drove 8 hours up to New York to stay with our good friends who live in Brooklyn. I had never done a car ride with Jack that was that long. He is almost 11 months old. He wants to move AT ALL TIMES. So, the car seat is not really a friend of his these days. It went...well.

When you travel by yourself, or with other adults, you stop when you need gas, food or a bathroom. When you travel with baby, you stop when you can't handle the screaming fit any longer and it is time to get out and let that baby move. So, Jack did a few laps at a Wal-greens some where in Delaware, as well as a Panera and a few gas stations. Driving during baby's nap and night time sleep? Priceless.

I would say that i am pretty flexible mom, and i have a pretty flexible baby. He travels well, especially for his age and he loves people and new places. I try to plan ahead and that keeps the ball rolling....but sometimes, i forget.

I forgot that i did not pack a clean onesie in Jack's diaper bag. Since starting solids, we have not had a blow-out, hence we have not changed his clothes from that. We were on our way home and Jack was screaming to get out, Ryan's was starving and we needed to stop asap. The only place we saw for miles was a McDonald's. Not a big fan, but i can adapt, so we stopped and ate.

After eating i went to change Jack. He was suspiciously wet when i picked him up. I went to the bathroom to change him. Poop. Everywhere. Pulling the shorts off caused it to get into his shoes, causing it to get all over him. Perfect. His clothes were ruined and i had nothing. Wonderful.

Being the classy mom that i am, i changed him, rolled up the spoiled clothing in his changing pad and walked out...with my baby in just his diaper and not a strip of clothing on. Real classy.

While traveling has changed for me, i am still so thankful that i get to move around the country and experience new things. Even if those new things means carrying a naked baby out of a McDonald's for all the world to see.

Jack was pumped to be sans clothes. Mom was not.