On Travel Tips

I recently went to go visit family for the third time in a year with my little one. The second time without having my husband's help. The baby is a little harder to run around with now, but I was prepared.

First off, here's a new travel tip: Don't play with fireworks the day before you fly.

Apparently I would have been fine if I took off my baby backpack when I went through security. But I didn't and that means they test your hands for explosive residue. So they made me sit and wait for them to test everything in my luggage and then made me sit and wait while they got a higher rank female to do a full pat down. It was fine though, they had me wait in a closed off room and it was excellent for the baby to run around in. After the pat down I was able to go get on my flight.

Don't do this 26 hours before flying.

I also learned to use the baby backpack, even if you don't think you need it. I thought I would be fine (and I was paranoid about having my hands tested on the way home) so I didn't put him in the back pack through security and he crawled under the table and around everything it was bad. I guess since he's bigger they weren't too happy with me having him sit in a bin for a minute. They yelled at me. :(

Allowed in April 2012 but not January 2013

Yeah, it just wasn't fun and was very embarrassing without the backpack. Especially because my father-in-law was there watching from the other side of security the whole time. I wanted him to think that I had it together like every other time I've been not running around to grab my kid in my barefeet.

With the baby in the backpack, even though our plane was delayed I was able to run across the entire airport to make it to our next flight with no time to spare. It was a nightmare but I was proud that I made it, even though I thought I was going to pass out when I got there and had to have a flight attendant carry all of my stuff for me. That too was an embarrassing moment.

Atleast I was smart enough to wear the backpack at the Farm

I was glad that I had painted my suitcase, because they made us wait (when I needed to get to the second flight that was taking off at any minute) to get our suitcases on the ramp to get off of the plane. They set mine down further away, and because it was so unique I was able to see it and go run and get it to be able to run to the next flight, while everyone else waited for their bags.

My son behaved very well, I brought along a bunch of "hush-food" as one lady called it, so if he had plenty of fruit snacks and granola bars. He had new toys to entertain him and he was able to get his energy out at the play areas before we got on the flight. I was proud of him! One of the flights he was able to get his own seat, he loved it. Soon enough we're going to have to pay for him to have his own seat, so I was glad to get one for free.

He loves his free seat!

Other Traveling Tips:
Airport Traveling Tips
Mom and Baby at the Airport
My Packing List