Get Ready, Get Set

It is only days till we head to Maryland for Christmas. And as excited as we all are, there is a lot of prep going into our trip, (I am trying to record this information for a reference for the future).

If it wasn't for my parents we wouldn't be able to come, because 4 plane tickets is a heavy burden on anyone's budget. But my parents came to the rescue, not to mention the amazing deal on tickets my Mom found. I am so grateful for the blessings that have come our way so far.

Now as the time gets closer we are getting more ready for the trip trying hard to plan how to keep two little ones busy on the plane, while trying to account for unforeseeable
complications.

I cannot say enough how much I love having a fully potty trained child it is life changing. Considering Bella rarely needs to be changed, she has a large bladder apparently and when we are on trips she usually holds it most of the way, so we are not to worried about her changes since she is pretty good anyway with them. And since this is the case we have decided that all bathroom breaks need to be done on the plane. It might sound weird but I think it will be easier then having to rush everyone through during the layover. Which will also allow us some time during the layover to grab food, which we rarely get to do when we fly with children.

I also remember from last time while flying that I need to dress the kids in cool comfortable clothing, maybe layers. Bella gets overheated really fast, and last time it didn't go well when that happened. So I am hoping to avoid that this time around. In hopes that her tough time last time was not airsickness. So I am thinking light sweats with a jacket. It is so hard to determine the temperature on the plane. I used to think planes were so cold, when I traveled alone. But I guarantee it is hotter with two children squirming and crawling all over you. I always have to have the fan on blowing air in my face, and the kid's faces.

We are bringing only carry-ons, since we are going for Christmas this may seem crazy, but we are, crazy carry-on people. And we'll take full advantage of my Mom's washer/dryer.

It is also really important that my carry-on/purse is extremely organized. Considering everything we will need on the plane needs to be in it. So I usually pack a blanket, jackets for everyone, snacks, empty water bottles, coloring/sticker books, and the electronics the kids will be using. So far we are planning on using the portable dvd player and my smartphone to occupy the kids for the most part. It sounds bad but technology seems to be the easiest form of entertainment without any mess, so were opting for that. We are hoping to buy the kids an early Christmas gift, kid headphones to use and share on the plane, to help with the noise level.

I am also planning on packing gum, for the take off and landing. Both kids love it and they rarely ever get it, so they will be stoked.