Trace took his first vacation this week! We (Me, Ernie, Trace & 4 other couples…the Bowlings, the Dresslers, the Ringos & the Walls) went for a ski trip to - What to pack…there were 11 of us trying to fit ourselves and all of our stuff into 2 minivans; I need to be efficient. “To bring or not to bring the Umbrella Stroller…that is the question!” Answer…ALWAYS BRING THE UMBRELLA STROLLER! Carrying 17 lb. Trace around in a 10 lb. car seat can nearly kill you.
- Will I get through airport security?...yes! Will it be crazy…yes! They make you do the strangest things, such as take off your baby’s shoes. Any person who’s ever put shoes on a baby knows that this is not an easy task; yet airport security will ask you to take them off, as if I’m hiding some sort of weaponry or bomb inside my babies 2 inch by 1 inch slipper shoe, which does not even have rubber soles, btw. Also, they made me drink 3 of the 4 oz. of water I had in his bottle, which I think it some sort of ploy to get me to buy a $4 bottle of water once I get past security. Then they expect you to place all of your belongings, including a diaper bag, with your baby’s food, medicines, and formula (each clearly labeled inside a separate, quart-size Ziploc bag, not to exceed 3 oz.), your own carry-on bag, your shoes, your baby’s shoes, and any metal devices, such as cell phones, cameras, etc. Lay them flat in separate bins, find someway to push them all through the little camera thingy at once, all while holding onto your boarding pass, your ID, & your baby! Single moms and mom’s with multiple children…I just don’t know how you do it. Thankfully, we had lots of help.
- How will he do on the plane?...Going, he did great. He slept through both flights almost entirely. The plane rides home were a different story. I think after a week of cold air, he got a little congested, which made the plane ride home a little…okay a lot difficult. As soon as we started to descend on our first flight to
- How to dress Trace for the snow. I worry…do I have enough long-sleeve shirts, jackets, pants, hats, socks, & more jackets? So I bring a total of 6 jackets. One for each day, along with fleece outfits, sweatpants, 4 hats, pants and extra pants. He was inside for the most part and only wore 3 of his jackets. However, I only packed 3 sets of P.J.’s, I need to bring more P.J.’s!
- How will he react to high altitudes? It didn’t seem to faze him. However, we did offer him plenty of water to avoid dehydration. We discovered that he likes water…more to play with than to drink, though.
- Did he have enough toys? I have learned that he will play with a pack of diapers and a water bottle just the same.
- No matter how much I plan or stress out over all of these things, Trace will be just fine.
He was...he was great actually. We couldn’t ask for a happier baby. He goes along with whatever we’re doing and doesn’t seem to mind one bit. We almost didn’t come on this trip because we were unsure how Trace would do, and if it was too soon to travel with him. I’ve learned that we can do anything we want to do and with a little planning, it will all work out. And it did; it worked out great, and we all had a blast.
Here are some of the few “firsts” that Trace got to experience on this trip:
His first plane ride…
His first airport friend...
His first snow…
His first mountain…
His first swim in a pool…
His first sled ride…
I’m so happy and thankful that we were able to take Trace on this trip. It’s so exciting, as a parent, to watch your child experience new things. Even if he won’t remember it, we’ll always have these pictures to show him and be able tell him all about it. A special thank you to the Bowlings for inviting us to come along; and to each of the couples who joined us…thank you so much for all your help and patience with us! We had so much fun with you guys!
