Traveling With Kids - Tips for Flying and Cruising with Babies

The cruise was our first time traveling with the babies. We spent some time at the lake with them over the summer, but packing for that vs packing for a cruise was totally different. Family vacation at the lake = pack everything and then some. Family vacation on a cruise = pack only what you need to survive.

Brooke and Harrison are traveling pros by this point. This was their third time flying and they know the drill by now. (You can read about our first time flying with them here.) A backpack full of snacks, their Kindles, headphones, a couple books, and they're good to go. We did let them each have their own carry on suitcase this time, and as excited as they were about them, we still wound up pulling their suitcase through the airport the majority of the time.

We had never cruised before, so I did a lot of online research before we left. Some of the info I found was really helpful, and other stuff not so much. Here are the tips and tricks we found most helpful.

• Take a carrier and a stroller. Our Beco carriers were a must. Both Scarlett and Clark napped in them almost every day. We also brought two single umbrella strollers. We knew our double strollers were going to be too big for the cruise ship, although we did see another set of twins cruising in their Baby Jogger City Select. Both times we've gate checked strollers they have sustained minor damage. Keep possible damage in mind when deciding if you will bring a favorite, more expensive stroller.
• Wear your baby(ies) through security checkpoints. We didn't have to take them off when we went through security lines, which made for one less thing to worry about. When you have 4 carry ons, 4 kids, and 2 strollers, anything to make it easier is better.
• Have passports for everyone. Yes we could have traveled without them. You can travel to Puerto Rico and board a cruise ship without one. (you will need original birth certificates if you don't have passports) It made security easier and gave us peace of mind that if something were to happen and we missed our ship, we wouldn't be stuck in another country.
• Snacks, pouches, and sippy cups. Make sure you have lots of different choices when it comes to food and snacks for the plane ride. Fill sippy cups with water before you get on the plane. You want to make sure you have lots of options to keep your baby swallowing during take off and descent.
• Call the airline as soon as you book your flight(s) to get the baby(ies) added to your flight. We've sat both across the aisle from each other and in subsequent rows. I prefer subsequent rows because it lets the babies play with each other over the seats. Some planes have rules on where lap infants can and can't sit, so make sure to call as soon as you book your flight that way you don't end up being 20 rows apart.
• If you can avoid bringing your car seat, do. If you are driving to your port that's easy, just leave it in the car. If you are flying to your port city, look into travel options from the airport to the cruise port or hotel. See if shuttle or bus options are available. Also check with your hotel, if you're staying at one, to see if they can hold your car seat for you while you cruise. We didn't need car seats to take a taxi, but we weren't able to use Uber without them. This is another place where the carriers were handy. I felt much safer having the babies strapped to me while in taxis than I would have if they were just sitting in a seat or on my lap. I know how important safety is, and you should consider your comfort level when deciding whether to bring a car seat or not. In my opinion, there is no feasible way to take a convertible car seat with you and use it while in port. If your baby is still in an infant car seat and stroller system, you may be able to safely and efficiently make that work.
• If you don't already have baby friendly games or shows on your phone or tablet, make sure to download them before you go. A little screen time can be a lifesaver. The wifi on our ship was pretty slow. I could barely load Instagram. Forget downloading an app or streaming a show.
• Take a small container of laundry detergent. Cruise ship rooms are small and luggage space is limited. You probably won't have room to pack multiple outfits for each day. You can wash clothes in your bathroom sink if needed. On board laundry is available, but it's expensive.
• The same thing with sippy cups and utensils. You won't have enough room to pack a cup for every day, so take a small bottle of dish soap along.
• If you're staying in a hotel before your cruise, see if you can ship items to your hotel. We shipped a box of diapers which saved us so much room in our suitcases. FYI - Amazon Prime ships free to Puerto Rico.
• Take crib sheets/pack and play sheets with you. Our hotel didn't have the right size sheets available on our first night there, and the cruise line was so worried about liability they wouldn't give us any bedding, including sheets, for the pack and plays.
• If you have a balcony room on the ship, consider bringing a small inflatable pool. Check your ship's policy, but most cruise ships will not allow babies and toddler who aren't fully potty trained in the pools. Some ships have splash pad type areas, but many don't. We didn't use our pool, but it was nice to know that we could have set it up on the balcony if we wanted.
• Call the cruise line to verify which amenities will be available for young children. We called potential cruise lines to see what nursery and babysitting options were available on the ships we were considering. We ruled out a potential ship and itinerary because there were no babysitting options available. Some cruise lines also offer room delivery for items such as diapers, formula, and baby food.
• Check to see if there is a toy lending program on your ship. We didn't  check out toys because we barely spent any time during the day in our room. If you have multiple cruising days, it's probably worth it to check out toys if they're available. RCL ships do have toys available to borrow, and you can obtain them through Adventure Ocean, their kid's club

We went into our cruise with zero expectations of how it was going to go. We planned as best we could, but as every parent knows, things don't always go as planned. It was a lot of work and I'm glad we did it, but it would have been so much easier if they were a few months older. When I think back to our first time traveling with Harrison and Brooke, it was a cake walk compared to this trip. It's exponentially easier to travel with 2 year olds than it is 1 year olds. My biggest tip of all is to make sure you are up for the challenge of traveling with a baby. I am a very laid back, go with the flow kind of person, and my kids are too. If I were more of a control freak, I probably would have been miserable the entire time. If it seems like too much work, wait a year, and then plan that family vacation. If it seems like something you're down for, plan ahead, go with the flow, and have a great time.

Have you cruised or flown with a baby or young toddlers before? Any must haves or tips you can add to this list?

Family Vacation - Part 2

If you missed part 1, you can find it here. It covers our time in St. Kitts, Antigua, and St. Lucia.

Jan 6th - Barbados - Barbados was our last port of call. We went in with no plans for what to do while there. We had originally hoped to visit the Mount Gay Rum distillery for their Bajan buffet lunch tour, but the days they offer it didn't match up with when we were there. I stayed in the room with the kids each night after they went to sleep, so the night before our stop in Barbados, I researched while they slept. I wasn't impressed with any of the beaches, it's hard to top the beaches we'd already visited, but luckily I came across Harrison's Cave. Not only did it look cool, but I felt we needed to go since it shares a name with Harry. After breakfast we grabbed a cab and headed toward the cave. It is a 20-25 minutes drive there. Simon, our driver, did a great job telling us about the history of the island and how moving to Barbados increases life expectancy 15-20 years. The cave was really neat. The tour consists of a quick video and then a tram ride through the cave. The tour lasted 30-45 minutes, and the kids enjoyed it except for the 15 seconds they turned out the lights and we sat in complete darkness. After the tour we did some walking and were hoping to find monkeys. The walkway we needed to take was closed and without cell/internet coverage on the islands, we went the wrong way and didn't realize it. What did we do before cell phones? Oh right, Mapquest.

We had planned for my mom to sit with the kids after dinner so Robbie and I could enjoy some adult entertainment. There were so many things on the ship we didn't get to take advantage of. Scarlett had other plans though. She had a double ear infection when we left and was on antibiotics for the whole trip. She was particularly congested this day and had already coughed so much she threw up twice. Once on our bed, and once all over me. Yay motherhood. Half way through dinner it became obvious the babies weren't going to make it, so I took them back to the room to put them to bed. Everything was going fine until they had dozed off, in our bed, and Scarlett started coughing. I had to sacrifice my dress in order to save the bed, and she and I both wound up needing a shower. After that ordeal, We didn't end up going out.

Jan 7th - Cruising - Both babies were up bright and early again, and Scarlett was thankfully feeling better than the night before. Since the whole last day would be spent cruising back to San Juan, we had a pretty relaxed day. We walked around the ship a lot and checked out the babies and tots play area. It was just a room with a few toys, but it was nice for the babies to get to play with toys instead of the trash can in our room. We got to watch the parade of flags where all of the crew's countries are represented. The Philippines was the most represented country among the crew. On days at sea the kid's pool is open all day, which meant swimming and sliding for the big kids. The babies weren't allowed in any of the pools, but there happened to be a shower next to the pool that was perfect for them to splash in for a few minutes. We made a quick visit to the helipad before doing our nightly dinner and bedtime routine.

Each night during dinner our room attendant straightened the room and left a towel animal on the bed. The kids of course loved them. One night after dinner Harrison walked into the room and started yelling. He came back to the door, threw his arms out to block us from coming into the room and said, "Mom, you can't come in, there's a dinosaur in the room!!" He was so excited and serious about it. It was hilarious.

Jan 8th - San Juan - We had to have our luggage out of our room the night before, and we had a set time we had to get off the ship. We ate breakfast, said some goodbyes and were off the ship and to our hotel by 9:30am. Our hotel was great about letting us check in early, and checking bags for our family that was still with us even though they weren't staying at the hotel that night. The kids got to play in the pool for a couple hours in the morning before they all took a nap. Harrison and Brooke napped for almost 3 hours, so by the time they woke up it was time to get dinner. There was a great traditional Puerto Rican restaurant within walking distance from the hotel. Casita Mirimar came highly recommended from the hotel staff, and it did not disappoint. By far, the best meal of the trip. Seafood stuffed avocado, pumpkin fritters, sangria, tres leches cake. All so delicious.

We flew back the following day and were so happy to be home. All 4 kids did really well on the trip, but by the way home the babies were tired and just wanted mom. There was definitely some crying on the flights home, but we managed to get them both to sleep on both flights. My parents were on the same flights home, and having my mom as an extra set of hands was priceless. Somehow it always happens that as soon as both babies are finally asleep, one of the big kids needs to go to the bathroom. 

We made it back to Fort Wayne, picked up the dogs, and had everyone in bed by 9:15pm. The babies are still working on getting back to their usual sleep routines. We are no longer waking for the day at 5am, but after a week of sleeping with mom and dad, there's some definite separation anxiety when we lay them down in their cribs. Overall it's back to life as normal after vacation. H and B are back to school, laundry is done, and I'm already dreaming of another vacation, or at least for summer to get here. 

Traveling with out family was amazing, and definitely something we'll do again in a few years. This cruise was on RCL Jewel of the Seas, and while we had a great time, it wasn't really a baby friendly ship. If we cruise again we'll pick a different ship or cruise line. Disney anyone? The cruise was a really great way to get a taste for each of the islands. They were all great, but St. Lucia and St. Kitts are the two I'd really like to visit again. The locals had a very relaxed vibe, plus the islands were gorgeous. 

Where are your favorite tropical vacation spots?

Need more vacation pics? You can see the rest of our pics here.

Family Vacation - Part 1

My siblings have been pushing for a destination Christmas for quite a few years now. The last few years have been full of weddings, babies, relocations. 2016 was pretty wide open though, so this holiday season seemed like the perfect time to make this family vacation a reality. We decided on a Caribbean cruise the first week of January. A cruise was perfect for a large group, 12 adults, 3 kids, 2 infants. It gave us all the freedom to customize our rooms and activities while still getting to spend time together as a family. As it turns out, my younger brother and and my SIL weren't able to join us :( , but we still had a big group of 15 total.

We were able to fly out of Fort Wayne for about the same price as flying out of Indy or Chicago. We flew out at 7:50am on New Year's Day. An early flight on NYD meant everywhere was still closed, except for the Starbucks inside our local Kroger. Thank goodness for coffee and breakfast sammies at 6:30am when traveling with 4 kids. Also, not having to drive a couple hours before our flight was amazing. We had a layover in ATL, and landed in San Juan just after 4pm. All of the kids did really well. I even managed to watch most of Bad Moms on the flight from ATL to SJU. My parents were on all of the same flights as us which was a huge help. I came down with a migraine after traveling all day, so I missed out on the first evening of vaca. Our hotel had a great pool and a lobby bar/restaurant, so everyone stayed in at the hotel while I slept off a migraine.

Jan 2nd. San Juan - The babies were up bright and early after a not great night's sleep. We all met for hotel breakfast and then Harrison and Brooke took off with my siblings while Rob and I hung back with the babies while they took their morning nap. H and B got to check out Castillo San Cristobal. The new governor's inauguration happened to be on this day, so Old San Juan was extra crazy while we were there. It made it a little difficult to get around, so Robbie and I missed out on the Castillo. Once we did meet up with everyone we walked around Old San Juan and grabbed lunch at Mallorca before heading to the cruise ship. The first evening on the ship was spent checking out the different decks and getting settled. I wish we would have been able to see the ship take off, but all of the kiddos were so tired, so we were in our room before the ship left port. We definitely felt the boat moving all night however.

Jan 3rd . St Kitts - Robbie and I had a snorkeling shore excursion planned for this day, but it got cancelled. We decided to hitch on to my older sister's plans for the day. We found a wonderful cabbie named Mr. Rogers who told us all about St Kitts as he drove us to our destination. We went to Shipwreck Beach Bar in South Friars Bay. The restaurant was great and very kid friendly. Awesome fish and veggies tacos. Hot dogs and chicken tenders for our picky big kids. As an added bonus, there are monkeys and mongooses that live in the woods and come down close to the restaurant. We thought this was way cooler than the kids, but what do they know. ;) We didn't bring swim suits, which was a mistake, because the beach was great. H and B were completely soaked and covered in sand. They played in the water and sand, and we searched for shells and bottle caps. There were free lounge chairs with shade which was perfect for nursing and napping babies. Mr Rogers was back to pick us up on time, we found all of our drivers to be great about being on time for return trips, and we headed back to the ship. It was the last day of Carnivale, and I wish we would have had more time to check it out. The kids were ready to get back to the ship and have a snack before dinner.

Jan 4th Antigua - As was the case every morning, the babies were up by 5:30am. The pack and plays weren't very comfy, so they slept in our bed every night. We were waiting for the breakfast buffet to open every day at 7am. This day we ventured to Darkwood Beach. Everything we read said the beaches of Antigua were fabulous, and they did not disappoint. We were able to rent lounge chairs for $5 each and arrived early enough to get "public" shade. Darkwood Beach Bar and Restaurant serves onto the beach, and was very kid and adult friendly. The water was turquoise blue, and had the perfect amount of waves. All of the beaches we went to were on the Caribbean side, and none of them were to difficult for the kids to handle. Clark spent a good portion of his day napping in the shade, while Scarlett was having too much fun to rest. Harrison and Brooke swam with their cousin and uncles and we could barely get them to stop long enough to eat and reapply sunscreen. They learned how to body surf the waves and chicken fight. We found some really great shells and coral, but they won't let you take it back on the ship. Our driver was on time to pick us up and get us back to town. 4:30 was our departure time each day, so we didn't get to stay anywhere later than 2 or 3 pm. We definitely could have stayed at this beach all day. We did dinner in the main dining room each evening, and then it was bed time for the babies, and Harrison, immediately following dinner. Brooke and her cousin went to Adventure Ocean, the kids play area, each evening after dinner. Harry just wanted to stay with us and get extra sleep.

Jan 5th St Lucia - We arranged a private catamaran tour along the coast with Mystic Man Tours. We got to snorkel, see most of the Caribbean coastline including the Pitons, enjoyed lunch and rum punch punch while sailing, watched flying fish, had a mini dance party on the boat. I can't speak highly enough about this experience. We got to see so much of the island, and I can't wait to go back someday for an extended period of time. I took at least 50 pictures of just scenery. Mountains, trees, quaint villages, boats lining the shore. It was all so beautiful.

Part 2 coming tomorrow.

Lake Getaway

Fourth of July week at the lake. One of my favorite family traditions. Both of my sisters and their families came in for a visit. The kids and I packed the van to the gills, and off I went with 4 kids and 1 dog for a 9 day vaca at the lake. Rob didn't have the time off work, so he stayed at home with Jules.

Friday morning we started off with a trip south to check out a Minion silo that had been in the news recently. We made a pit stop to one of our favorite donut shops, and then we headed north for the lake. Friday was all about getting settled in, and then the real fun began.

Saturday my sister and brother in law ran in the 4th of July 5K. Harrison, Brooke, and my nephew, Charlie, got to run in the kid's race which was just a few hundred feet. That afternoon we took the kids to the annual 4th of July parade. The big kids loaded up on candy, and the babies freaked out over the loud sirens. That night was the town fireworks. We woke the babies up so we could all go, and headed out on the pontoon for a cruise and to watch the show. I think the babies were more interested in the fireworks than the big kids.

Sunday was spent swimming, cooking out, and boating. Sunday night was the night for fireworks on the lake. We started to do the sparklers and fountains we bought, but we quickly decided just to watch the shows going on across the lake. Our pier is a prime sopt for watching some of the best private fireworks shows on the lake. Sitting on the pier and watching fireworks with H and B is my absolute favorite thing about Independence Day weekend.

The rest of the week was spent doing much of the same. Swimming, cooking out, boating, not getting enough sleep. Robbie was able to come up and join us on his days off. One of the mornings he was there I even got a chance to ski. Yay!

The lake house is basically two rooms, so all of the beds are in a shared sleeping space. I didn't want the babies to fuss and keep anyone up at night, so it was pretty much a mom and baby sandwich all week long. They'd start in their pack and plays, and by 11 pm, we'd be snuggling the night away. Harrison and Brooke each got their own air mattress for the week, which they thought was great, even if they didn't exactly stay on the mattresses all the time.

One day we ventured back to The Fort to hit up the zoo. Another day we drove up to Michigan to visit with my aunt and uncle at their lake. We hit up the local ice cream shop for corn dogs and sundaes one afternoon. We tried to see hot air balloons at a local festival, but the weather kept them from taking off. Instead we ate festival food and the kids got to have some carnival style fun.

It was a great week that ended too soon. Getting to see Harrison, Brooke, and Charlie run around together for a whole week was worth every minute of lost sleep. Although I'm sure the baies might think differently. Scarlett and Clark were great all week considering how much we messed up their schedule. As long as their milk supply was close, they were game for just about anything.

We made it safely home Saturday afternoon just in time for a quick shower and the big kids to go see Finding Dory. We all had a major vacation hangover for a few days, but we're finally getting back into our usual daily groove. I know my kids and I will get to enjoy a couple more lake weekends here and there over the summer, but nothing beats morning skis, lake hair, sun tans, and living in swimsuits for a whole week, especially when it's done with family. I'm already looking forward to next year when Scarlett and Clark are able to enjoy it a little more.  I love that my babies get to be lake babies just like I was. Until next year, HL.

37 Weeks

How Far Along - 37 Weeks!! Full Term!

Babies' Size -  Both babies were measuring 6lbs7oz at our ultrasound on Friday. 

Total Weight Gain - This week has been another up and down week in the weight department thanks to swelling. This morning I was up 52, and I think that's pretty accurate. 

Gender - Boy and Girl!
Names - I think we know what their names will be, but I'm not feeling a big connection between the babies and their names. It will definitely be a post birth decision.  
Maternity Clothes - I'm glad I only have a week left, because even my maternity clothes are barely covering this belly.  
Cravings - Soup! It hasn't even been that cold here, but I'm all about soup. Chick Fil A's chicken tortilla is one of my faves right now. I also had a sushi craving this week, which was satisfied immediately. It will be nice when I have more than just a couple safe sushi options to choose from.  

Symptoms - Lots of swelling, pressure, round ligament pain, Braxton Hicks, and heartburn. The heartburn has been a real bitch this week. It doesn't matter what I eat, when I eat, or how much I eat, the heartburn is there. Pass the Tums and Zantac please!
Sleep - Still lots of tossing and turning, but I'm thankfully getting a decent amount of rest. I had one night that required a couple hours of upright sleeping, which I'm not a fan of. Although, I'm also not a fan of side sleeping. I can't wait to get back to sleeping on my stomach and back. 
Miss Anything - Energy. I am thankfully still feeling really good in the morning, but by lunchtime I'm pretty well spent. Thank goodness for kids that still nap. 
Stretch Marks - No new ones, but I definitely have them. 
Looking Forward To - Christmas! All of our shopping is done, presents are wrapped, and now we wait. I am so excited to have this last big holiday with Harrison and Brooke before the babies arrive. As excited as I am to meet the babies, I'm enjoying every last minute I can with my first babies. 
Best Moment This Week - Getting to enjoy a movie date with Rob today. Movie dates when I'm about to pop seem to be our thing. With H and B we went to see The Avengers a week and a half before they were born. Today it was Star Wars. I miraculously made it through the whole movie without needing a bathroom break. Impressive, I know. ;) Also, making it to 37 weeks is HUGE! 

Appointment Notes - All looked good on our ultrasound. There was a little confusion over fluid levels that had us freaked out until my OB talked to the u/s tech to clarify. We have another ultrasound tomorrow to make sure all looks good to hold out to the 28th. Mostly they'll just be checking fluid levels and positioning. I won't be seeing my OB tomorrow, and when I left my Friday appointment, she said I'll see you on the 28th. It's great to know she feels as confident as I do that we'll make it to our scheduled section.