Monday Madness

Today hopefully will not result in madness, but just in case...

My mother in law drove up from her house (5 hours away) to come and pick up my kids and I to go back to her house. I know what you're thinking... You're thinking, "What the heck are you thinking going on the road with 2 kids for 5 hours?!"

Well you're right, but it wouldn't be a first. We have flown with our kids and have done road trips with them as well. My daughter has flown on an airplane at least 9 times already in her 3 years of life.

How do I do it? Well, breastfeeding always works on planes. My daughter slept on every flight until our last one at Christmas. But now with 2 kids it's a little more difficult, and I have not yet gained enough courage to fly on my own with 2 (one is a little easier).

So, Here's some tips for traveling with little ones!

1. A week before your departure, list everything you'll need to take and start gathering it right away.

2. Pack everything you want easy access to on the road separately so you're not forced to dig around in your suitcase en route.

3. Schedule your departure to ensure your children catch some quality zzz's on the road. Although, for me I have always tried to have the kids nap around my schedule...more of a compromise really.

4. If you're traveling with toddlers and younger kids, try not to drive more than two to three hours in one stretch. Expecting young kids to sit still that long is unrealistic, and honestly who likes to be in the car that long to begin with. If you're pregnant, get out and stretch at least every 90 minutes! But then again you'll probably have to pee every 30 :)

5. If you're traveling with someone, like your husband, switch off duties.One can drive while the other will be in charge of snack distribution, storytelling, and toy rotation. I usually put my daughter's car seat up front with my husband (with the air bags turned off) while I sit in the back with the baby.

6. Keep snacks handy! Favorite treats that travel well: string cheese, rice cakes, pretzels, bagels, sandwiches, apple slices, bananas, granola bars, cookies, raisins, cereal-Os, and puffed corn snacks. My daughter can't be without milk, so we take a small cooler and some milk in the car where I can easily refill her bottle.

7. Portable DVD players, which are truly very inexpensive now, or Ipod's are a life saver. You can upload their favorite shows and let them watch the whole way. Sesame Street has about 15 full length shows on Itunes you can download, for FREE! Now that's unheard of :)

Here is a list from the Babycenter website that I found Useful:

The BabyCenter Seven: Things you'll be glad you packed

1. A portable potty and T.P. If you're at that stage, this is priority #1.

2. Pillows. It comforts kids to have their own and they make the backseat much more comfy (can also be used to create a barrier between sibs!).

3. A plastic bucket — for carsick emergencies. Need we say more?

4. Peppermints, ginger ale, and saltines. These natural motion sickness remedies tame tumultuous tummies.

5. A ball to throw or kick at rest stops.

6. Plastic zip bags to hold everything from errant game pieces to crayons or leftover snacks.

7. A nightlight. Hotel rooms can be very dark at night.

So enjoy! And good luck!