What I Learned While on Vacation with a Wild Toddler and a Precious Infant

In December, we took a family vacation to Walt Disney World with both of our children (Jackson, 3 1/2; Addison, 7 months), my parents, my aunt and uncle, and my cousin, his girlfriend and her son. This was Jackson's second trip and Addison's first.

One might think, "You brought an infant to Walt Disney World? Are you nuts?" The answer is no. But, I was nuts to bring my son. He was scared on the plane, so he had a tantrum and he had tantrums when he was tired at the end of the day. That was nightmarish.

So, I learned a few things:

1. Last time and this time, I shipped all of the baby/toddler supplies to the resort two weeks before via UPS. They held onto the box for us until we checked in. I had a bigger box of stuff this time because I added a child since last time, but it was still only $26. 
2. Use the carseat in the airplane if your child is afraid of flying or if you think they will be too rambunctious. The child will be strapped into their car seat safely and they are used to it. We were "that family" on the plane and that was pretty nerve wracking. They both ended up falling asleep 20 minutes in, but the first 10 minutes were the worst and I wish my son would have been restrained, safely of course. 
3. Fly on the first trip of the day. My children were so tired by the time they got on the plane that they slept for almost the entire flight. 
4. Let your children fly in pajamas. They will be comfortable and so will you. 
5. Go back to the resort in the middle of the day to take naps or just relax. You and your children will be refreshed and a lot less cranky.
6. Be careful what you charge on your Magic Band. I charged souvenirs and food, and when I got my bill, I was SHOCKED. How did I spend that much? Easy. 
7. Don't plan a park for each day. It's too much for everyone. Schedule some downtime between parks. 
8. If you have a double stroller, bring it. My son and my daughter enjoyed their time in the stroller and sometimes my son wanted to run around and would climb back in when he was tired. 
9. If you are dining at a Disney restaurant and don't see something on the kids menu that your kid will eat, ask for something they will eat. They will probably make it for you, if it's not something crazy. 
10. If you need to warm a bottle, ask the Disney wait staff for a cup of hot water. 
11. We had a lot of stuff in our stroller, so we made sure everything was in a backpack and a bag before we got on the bus. We were able to grab the bags and fold the stroller before inconveniencing anyone else at the bus stop. 
12. A carrier is great to have for when your baby falls asleep and you have to get on a ride or see a show. Your back will thank you. My cousin even had a turn wearing my daughter around Epcot. 
13. Our stroller was one that the rental companies have in their inventory, so we made sure to put our pirate bandana on the handlebar. We were able to notice it in a sea of other black double strollers. 
14. Travel with more people than just you and your husband. The more helpers the better. My mother is my children's caretaker, so Nonna is great to have on vacation. She knows my children's schedules like the back of her hand and they ABSOLUTELY love her. 
15. Bring an extra bag for all of the souvenirs you are going to bring home. We spent a lot of money on souvenirs and it showed. My husband and I shared a shoe bag, so we were able to bring another bag for all of the extras.

If you have any tips for traveling with your kids, let me know in the comments, even if your tip is to bring a bottle of wine for every day you are away. Whatever works. 

Disney Planning ... AGAIN! (YIPPEE)

Cinderella Castle

Yes, Jackson will be 3-years-old and yes, Addison will be an infant, but we are planning another trip to Walt Disney World. You may not think so, but there is still a lot that we haven't done or seen at the "Happiest Place on Earth." And, there is nothing like watching a child's face when they see Mickey Mouse for the first time or when they wonder why the elephant that they are sitting in is now flying. Fortunately, our family can enjoy everything about Disney World together and create countless memories—and, we love it!

This year, there are several things that I am looking forward to. They range from mom things to foodie things to family things, but they are all fun things.

And, here they are:

1. Dressing up a baby girl in Minnie, Tinker Bell and princess outfits. You can't say that little girls don't look adorable all dolled up. Think about it. See?
2. Eating at Boatwright's at Port Orleans. My parents said the food there was the best on property. I accept their challenge.
3. Riding the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. It is new this year and we need to give it a whirl. 
4. Trying anything at France in Epcot. The photos of the elegant French pastries really look amazing, so I just need to eat one ... or one dozen of them. There's a Brioche Ice Cream Sandwich, an Ice Cream Martini and Profiteroles au Chocolate. They just all sound delicious. 
5. Shopping at the new Sanuk store in Downtown Disney/Disney Springs. We love Sanuk flip flops so much that our family should be sponsored by them. There is also a new allergen-free cupcake shop called Erin McKenna's Bakery NYC.
6. Drinking a Frozen Hot Chocolate. TK and I loved them at Hershey, so we need to try them everywhere now. 
7. Checking off festive food in the Holiday Food Passport at Epcot. I know there's a Cronut listed on there and a Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate. Both will be ingested.
8. There is some dessert illusion called Biramisu. It is Tiramisu, but it is made with beer instead of coffee. Now, I am just curious. 

Jax and Donald Duck

This year, we are also hoping to throw in a little Legoland and a little Busch Gardens Christmas Town. We've experienced Christmas Town at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Virginia, so now we want to see how they do it in Tampa, Florida.

Any other thoughts on what we should not miss this year? I may have already done it the other 14 times I've been to Walt Disney World, but you can still suggest it and I will definitely take it into consideration. 

Trip Report, Day 2: First Full Day at Sea

Today, we woke up, got ready and headed right over to breakfast at the Garden Cafe Buffet. When we finished our waffles and eggs, we looked for the Spinnaker Lounge where they were selling bingo cards. When we finally found it, we waited to get the cards and then played bingo. Not one of us won anything and TK and I took turns walking Jax around because he wouldn't sit still.

After losing, we headed over to the kiddie pool so Jax could splash around and he loved it. They had a mini indoor pool with a little elephant slide in it. He didn't want to leave, but we had to. We tried to sit by the pool, but he didn't want to do that either because it was too hot and the pool deck was very crowded. TK, Jax and I headed inside to grab some lunch from the buffet. They had pretzel rolls that I loved.

When we were done eating, we went back to the room to get ready for the Pub Hop. Jax was going to hang out with my parents for the hour we were gone. TK, Uncle George and I met the small group of five at Malting's Beer and Whiskey Bar. It was $25 each and we visited five bars on the ship and received a drink or more at each one. At the first bar, we had to chug an entire Stella Artois and then flip the cup. We jumped right in! I came in the middle. Two college-aged sisters won. When we headed to the next bar, Mandy, the crew member who led the hop, had us chanting and singing. It was a little embarrassing, but none of those people would ever see me again, so I did it. At the next bar, we played a game, which I won, but I still had to drink an entire Strawberry Margarita and a half. At the following bars, we played a game with an apple that we had to get through our clothes, we did a waterfall and then we played a game where we had to transfer a balloon from one person to the other and then run to the bar to take a shot. It was much more involved than I thought it would be, but it was also a lot of fun. Uncle George beat a girl in a chugging contest, so he won a t-shirt. It was impressive.

After the Hop, we got to Shakers Martini Bar and waited for everyone. Since we were already there, we decided to participate in the Martini Tasting for $15 each. We had a flight of six small martinis. I knew dinner was soon, so I just sipped on them and didn't finish most of them, except for the Appletini. I enjoyed that. I also answered a trivia question correctly and won a Chocolate Raspberry Martini, which was also very good. That one came to dinner with me. We met up with everyone while the tasting was going on and my parents headed into the casino and left Jax with us because he was napping. So, we finished up there and headed back to the room to get ready for dinner.

For dinner, we had reservations for Moderno, the Brazilian steakhouse on-board. It was delicious! There was a salad bar and the waitresses came around with all kinds of meat for us to eat. I love Brazilian steakhouses. Well, steakhouses in general, actually. After dinner, my family went to the casino and Jax and I went back to the room and then for a walk around the ship. We tried to take Jax to the "World Beat" show, but of course he wouldn't sit still enough for the show to start, so TK took him back to the room. Selfishly, I stayed and watched the whole show, but I am not sure if TK would have liked all the twirling. The singing was OK though. After the show was over, I went back to the room and saw that my kid had ran all over it, so it was time for bed.

Toddler Packing List

When we travel with our little guy, we have to bring A LOT of stuff. And, by A LOT of stuff, I mean a full packing list for him on loose-leaf paper, front and back. Honestly, when preparing to be away from home for a week or more, it really helps to have a checklist and everything we need.

So, I would like to share my list with you, just in case you need your own to check off. Please keep in mind that this is the list I used for a one week family vacation with my son when he was 16-months-old and we went to Walt Disney World and 23-months-old when we went on a Caribbean cruise.

The Fabulous List:

- Outfits (9 daytime, 7 nighttime)
- Undershirts
- Pajamas (7)
- Socks (7)
- Sunglasses
- Hats (2)
- Shoes, Sandals and Sneakers (2 dressy and 2 casual)
- Water Shoes
- Bathing Suits with Matching Rash Guards (4 sets for the cruise, 2 for WDW)
- Sweatshirts (2)
- Diapers (56)
- Swim Diapers (1 pack)
- Wipes
- Wipes Case
- A&D
- Baby Powder
- Travel Diaper Bag
- Changing Pad
- Pacifiers and Holder (for the younger trip)
- Toothpaste and Toothbrush
- Travel Baby Wash
- Travel Baby Shampoo
- Travel Baby Lotion
- Nail Clipper
- Baby Comb
- Baby Hair Gel
- Baby Tylenol
- Boogie Wipes
- Little Teethers
- Baby Sunscreen
- Wash Mits (2)
- Thermometer
- Antibacterial with Holder
- First Aid Kit
- Safety Swabs
- Baby Detergent
- Stroller Rain Gear (for WDW)
- Baby Poncho (for WDW)
- Stroller
- Stroller Attachments
- Baby Carrier
- Snack Pods (2)
- Sippy Cups (4)
- Bottle Brush
- Dish Soap
- Tiny Diner or Placemats
- Food Pouches
- Ice Packs
- Snacks (Goldfish, puffs and cheese curls)
- Vitamins
- Bowls (2)
- Animal Paper Plates (1 pack)
- Over-the-Head Bibs (2)
- Pack N Play Sheets (quilted and regular)
- Blankets (1 thick, 1 thin)
- Sound Machine (16 mo.) or Night Light (23 mo.)
- DVDs (3) and Portable DVD Player with Charger
- Books and Toys (cars and planes for my kid)
- Child Harness
- Birth Certificate (16 mo.) or Passport (23 mo.)
- Mickey Ears (WDW)
- Mat Board with Sharpie Markers (for WDW autographs)
- Beach Toys (cruise)
- Swimmies
- Wash Cloth (for cooling down in theme parks)

This completes my list, but, by all means, add your own stuff because you may go on a ski vacation or a camping trip (God help you) and need a lot of different things than what I have listed. Make it your own. I did.

Traveling with a Toddler

My son Jackson is 23-months-old and he has been to Busch Gardens in Virginia, Walt Disney World and on a Caribbean cruise already. He even has a passport because he needed one for the cruise. I didn't have a passport until I was 19 and my husband didn't have one until he was 37, but we love to travel, so we bring him with us and we love it. Lucky kid! I have a few tips that I found while I was researching how to travel (kind of) easily with a toddler. I am not trying to patronize anyone or act like I know everything; these are just a few things that worked for me and my family.

The first thing I will advise you to do is to travel with more adults than children, if you can. We have traveled with my parents, my Aunt Rosie and Uncle George, and my cousin Georgie, his girlfriend Paige and her son Garrett. By having a bunch of adults, we are able to take turns walking him around and keeping an eye on him. At WDW, we even took turns taking him on rides, so that each of us could get in a picture and he had plenty of people to play with. 

When we went to WDW, I sent a box of my son's supplies to the resort because they accepted packages two weeks before the reservation. By sending the box, I didn't have to figure out how to get all of his diapers, food pouches, sippy cups, bath toys and towels on the plane. Keep in mind, a toddler averages six to eight diapers per day, so that's a lot of diapers for one week. All of his stuff that would be used on the trip was already at the resort in the box when we got there. We just had to ask for it at the reception desk when we checked in. Fortunately, we were able to take a quick trip to the grocery store for milk, water and extra pouches, as well.

If you are flying, you are allowed to keep small electronic devices on throughout the entire flight from take-off to touch down. This was great to hear after sitting down in our seats. So, I suggest bringing a portable DVD player with a few of your child's favorite movies. Jackson was able to watch Cars for the entire flight to Orlando, have some snacks and then he actually fell asleep about an hour and a half in. It was glorious, and I was very nervous about how he would act on the plane because he has a lot of energy. It was a breeze! On the cruise, we were able to watch movies on my father's laptop at the end of the night because there was nothing for a toddler to do after 8 p.m., and my kid stays up late.

My son loves cars and planes, so we make sure to take a few of his toys and small board books from home with us. I keep them in a Ziploc freezer bag, so I can throw them all in a bag or underneath the stroller when we are on the move. They are lifesavers for when we are waiting in line or hanging out in the hotel room with nothing to do. Also, bath toys are important for your child to enjoy their bath in a new place. We even bought some new bath toys while in WDW because we found a package of Cars ones and Jax LOVED them. He still does.

For a toddler to stay happy, I've learned that you have to keep their bellies full and their bodies rested. So, I made sure to take a snack pod everywhere and two or more pouches, just in case he won't eat the food we buy him at a restaurant. The snacks I bring for my little man are Goldfish, toddler cheese curls, Cheerios and puffs. I also make sure to have at least two sippy cups while out and about, one with a water/juice mixture and one empty to be filled with a new, cold water/juice mixture or cold whole milk, depending on the time of day. Having sippy cups means having to clean them. In some resorts, they supply dish soap, but on the cruise, I brought the bottle brush and a Ziploc of dish soap so I could wash the cups every night.

To each destination, we bring one of our little guy's strollers. He is able to nap whenever he gets tired and we have pockets for everything he needs in the day. We also can strap a fan, a bag or a cooler to it and it makes it so much easier to transport everything. A stroller also adds some shade to the hot, steamy summer days, thankfully. However, at WDW they make you park your stroller outside of every ride, so if your child falls asleep in his or her stroller, it is a good idea to take a baby carrier. When we got on line for the Kilimanjaro Safari at Animal Kingdom, Jax was asleep. I picked him up and put him in the carrier and parked the stroller outside. He slept against me in the carrier and I didn't have to struggle with holding him as I walked through the queue. It was easier on my back and my arms to have a carrier, and he slept soundly. Unfortunately, he slept through ALL of the animals, so we will just have to go back ... Also, tie a noticeable ribbon on the stroller so you can spot it in a sea of strollers at a theme park. You would be surprised how similar they all look.

Everyone makes fun of the way I pack clothing for trips with my toddler, but I read it online once and was hooked. OK, so I put every outfit, complete with socks and an undershirt, if needed, in a labeled gallon Ziploc bag. The bag says the day and date, so it is easy for whoever is dressing Jax on that day. I make sure he has an outfit for the daytime and one for the nighttime for each day, with pajamas to sleep in. It makes it much easier to find everything when in a rush, and I am always in a rush.

If you are taking an airplane to get to your destination, it is a good idea to take your child's pacifiers, bottles or lollipops, if they are old enough. It will save your child from the ear pressure that may drive them to screaming on a plane full of strangers, and who wants that? Just bring them to be safe.

Also, to be safe, you should bring medications that you think your child might need. An infant or toddler might need teething gel or Tylenol while you are away. Wouldn't you rather have it than need it? 

I want to preface this paragraph by saying that I know it is not for everyone and I used to think negatively of child harnesses (AKA child leashes), but while we were in Walt Disney World, we wanted to give our son his freedom, but there were WAY too many people there for us to do that. So, one night, I gave in and my cousin and husband went to Walmart and got my son a child harness. They spent $10 and came back with a stuffed elephant. Honestly, it was the best $10 I've spent. He had the cute elephant strapped to his back and he was able to walk around and discover everything that Disney had to offer, but we could still keep him close to us. We've also used the harness at the mall and on the cruise. The way I see it, a harness allows him the freedom and activity that he needs without the worry of getting lost or kidnapped. I could not explain the idea of strangers, kidnapping or staying close to mommy to a one-year-old, so I will stand by my decision everyday and it works for us.

The final thing I will tell you about traveling with a toddler is that you should bring your own sheets, blankets and if your child has a favorite stuffed animal, bring that too. The hotels or resorts will supply you with sheets for the crib or pack n play that your child will be sleeping in, but they don't have the comfort of home. I found that my child slept soundly while cuddled up in a pack n play with the blankets he is accustomed to.

I wish you luck on your travels and I hope that you create hundreds of memories with your little guy or girl. Take tons of pictures and enjoy the adventure.