Air Travel with Baby

Next week, Tuesday morning at 12am to be exact, I will be getting on a plane with Em and flying home to Kansas to see my family.

There are SO many great things about this statement. Like how she finally gets to meet her family from that side, which in just immediate family is 2 uncles, 1 aunt, 6 cousins, 3 grandparents, and 3 great grandparents. All of which are SO excited to meet her as well. The lower altitude helps growth and there is so many things, finger foods at least, that just don't exist here in Quito. And a million other things.

But there are bad things too. One, we're leaving dadas here for two and a half months! We'll be back before Christmas and her birthday but still, it's a LONG time.

Two, I hate flying. I'm afraid of it. As in, shaking in my seat and praying the whole time until we touch down terrified.  And I'm going with my 9 month old.

I don't want to go just because of this.

I'm not sure what happened. I used to love flying and then one time I just got on the plane and became a shaking pile of goo, tapping my seat, holding onto an old woman hand for comfort as she promised it was all going to be just fine. Yeah, that was me. So, yeah, not looking forward to the plane ride.

But in order to go home and see my family and have them meet Em, it's a necessary evil.

I'm trying not to worry but hello? I'm a mom. And I worry, even more than I did before. But I'm going to try anyway.

Anyway, even though I am afraid I have started packing because when you worry it's always best to get something done. Time goes faster and the worry isn't right there on the surface. Still there but not as noticeable.

So I decided to make a list. I don't want to take a lot of stuff aboard the place. That's just too much to worry about. I want to go with light and easy. This is what I've come up with... just for Em. For me, I used the one page packing list but am going to go ahead and check my bag anyway.

• Diapering Supplies
• 7 diapers (other websites say 1 for each hour plus extras. WHAT? I'm sorry but that's just plain ridiculous. I didn't use a diaper every hour when she was a newborn, and I'm not going to use that now. I picked 7 because I usually change her diaper about 6 times in 24 hours. We'll be traveling for about 12 hours)
• Travel wipes - package comes with about 48 wipes. Can't see us needing more than that
• Plastic bags - this could go in any section because it works for dirty clothes, spoons, diapers, and so on. A must have!
• Can't Live Without
• Bunny bear - Em's bear she sleeps with. CANNOT. LEAVE. WITHOUT.
• Small toy - for distracting
• Wrap - For Em to sleep in during the plane and to carry while going everywhere else
• Clothes
•  2 extra outfits. I'm going to Kansas and I have no idea what the weather will do. That's the beauty of Kansas! So I'm taking one for warm weather and one for colder weather.
• 1 pair of socks
• Pajamas - I think these are actually called rompers. Either way they are these footed pajama like things. I don't think I'll feel like unloading everything when I get home.
• Jacket - Just in case its on the chilly side
• Food/Drink
• 2 bibs
• 2 spoons
• Measured rice cereal
• Measured formula
• 2 bottles for mixing
• 2 food bowls with lids
• 4 baby food jars (1 meat, 1 veggie, 2 fruits) 
•  Miscellaneous
• Fever reducer
• Thermometer

Some maybe wondering what about a blanket? Well, I have a jacket for her and the wrap she'll be in will keep us both plenty warm. Not taking a car seat or stroller because we have those waiting for us when we arrive and I didn't buy her a ticket. Plus my car seat that we bought here isn't approved for air travel... or at least it doesn't have a sticker saying so. But as for everything else... Have I forgotten anything? Please let me know if you think so!

Also any advice??

25 Things To Do With A 5 Month Old

Everyday I get up with Em at about 6:50 am. She is probably awake around 6:30 but my legs won't budge until closer to 7 and she usually talks to herself for awhile so I take that time to get a few more minutes of rest.

As I shuffle across the hall I think about the day ahead of me wondering what we'll do.

Its not always the easiest thing to figure out because the little ones get bored so easily but here are a few things we usually do during the day...

1. Tummy time: Em loves being on her tummy now. She rolls over almost instantly when I put her down.

2. Talking: This is usually something we do when I'm busy doing something else. I sit her somewhere and we jabber back and forth. But we do this almost always, whether one on one or from a far.

3. Play in the Grass: Em loves feeling it ob her toes and in her hands and sometimes in her mouth!

4. Walk Outside: She loves being outside in general. I'll take her for a quick walk in neither the strolled or wrap but holding her and point out things like trees and the sky. If we walk in the sun I'll tell her that's why its warm, if the wind blows I let her know. She's very alert outside like she's soaking in everything.

5. Dancing in the Kitchen: When she's in a bad mood this usually cheers her up. I pick her up and we twirl around the room for awhile listening to (moms) favorite songs.

6. Singing: I have a terrible voice but she doesn't seem to mind much. I sing everything. What's on the radio. Children songs like the itsy bitsy spider or wheels on the bus. Or something I've made up.

7. Airplane: we do takeoff and landing. Sometimes even crash landing!

8. Peek-a-boo: She just started to really enjoy this.

9. Piggies: You know "this little piggy went to market..."

10. Mirror Talk: She adores the baby in the mirror. She tries to grab her and hug her but always ends up bumping her head. Go figure!

11. I got you!: I usually do this after I clean a dirty diaper before I button her onesie and before/after a bath. I say i got you and blow raspberries on her tummy. She cracks up every time.

12. Play the Guitar: I try to show her some of the cords for fun but most of the time we end up just fooling around and beating on it like a drum.

13. Yarn: I give her yarn to run through her hands. Don't ask why but she gets so excited about it.

14. Reading: This we do before bedtime and naps! She has one book she adores called shoe-la-la

15. Face/hand exploration: I get really close to her and let her play with my ears nose cheeks etc. Or I give her my hand and she checks it out and stuffs it in her mouth.

16. Kitty: She loves penny our cat. She gets so excited with her just walking past her. If penny agrees I let Em pet her making sure she doesn't grab and pull.

17. Chores: This activity usually depends on the chore. When I make my bed I cover her up in blankets. While I'm doing laundry I pass her some clothes and tell her to fold them. She usually ends up sticking them in her mouth instead. When doing dishes I name off the items I'm washing while she sits in her swing. It usually takes longer than it would without her but that way during naps I get to write instead of clean. Plus she enjoys it!

18. Snuggle time: This only happens after she eats. She's already in my lap and in a good mood so we cuddle for a few minutes (sometimes only seconds, others as much as 10 min) until she's done and wants to play.

19. Sink time: I turn on the faucet and hold her as she plays in the water.

20. Making a racket: I give her toys (or plastic kitchenware) and let her bang them together. To be honest I'm usually the one who bangs them. She mostly mouths them.

21. Picture Time: I live about 3000 miles away from my family so I show her pictures of her aunts and uncles, grandparents, cousins so she know who they are.

22. Mimics: I try to mimic her sounds and facial expressions.

23. Cook Together: When she's in the mood I'll set her up in her swing or car seat and we chatter while I cook. I let her see what ingredients im using. I let her feel the fruit or the veggies. I show her the meats and the utensils I'm using. If however she's in a bad mood I'll put her in the carrier except for when I need to be by the stove.

24. Bouncing/walking: She pulls up to a standing and tries to walk around my lap or bounces up and down. She loves to be in motion!

25. Alone time (supervised): Some time playing by herself is also needed. I get a few things done I can't do with her and she rolls around on the floor talking to her stuffed animals or bitting on her toys or playing with her toes.

What do you and your LOs do??