Herding Cats, or Traveling with Littles

I made the (slightly insane) decision to travel to my parents' with all three kids a few weeks ago. By myself.  I should state for the record that my children are 4, almost 2, and 7 months.  And we were flying on an airplane. Oh, and I was in a boot for a stress fracture.  Good times.  I was able to get a non-stop flight, and the flight to my parents is only about 2 hours, but then there is a two hour drive from the airport to their place.  So a good day's travel, when you count in the time to get to the airport on our end, and needing to get there early for check-in, etc.  We've always flown with our kids, and taken big trips with them, so actually, this trip wasn't really so different, but I've been compiling a list of tricks and tips to flying with small children, especially solo.  So without further ado, here they are! (you're welcome).

When packing:

Pack light.  I usually pack three days worth of clothing for each child, plus an extra set of bottoms in case of accidents or diaper disaster.  I pack two sets of jammies, plus night time diapers/pullups.  I always bring just one day's worth of regular diapers, and plan to buy diapers when we arrive--it saves so much space!  (If we are going to visit family, I just order the diapers on amazon and ship ahead).  Ditto for things like formula canisters.  I bring enough for a day, and then plan to buy when I get there.  My kids have one pair of shoes per season, so they just wear those on the plane.  Thankfully the TSA guidelines have changed now and children under age 10 do not have to remove their shoes.  I usually take one medium size suitcase for all of us that I check, and then a backpack for a carry-on.  I put the boys' toys and books into Piglet's school backpack and had him carry it, since he is big enough now to manage that.  When they were younger, I just put everything into one carry-on bag.  I also had a small canvas sack with snacks.  When we travel as a family, I take two small carry-on size roller suitcases (that we check), plus one carry-on backpack, one canvas bag for toys, the Volo stroller, the ERGO, and a plastic grocery sack for snacks.  If we are travelling with a car seat, we use a Pac Back to carry it.  Just beware that when you carry a carseat this way, you are VERY deep and have a wide turning radius.  If we have to travel with two car seats, we use the Pac Back and a handy little t-strap that attaches to any roller suitcase to turn it into a carseat stroller.  I also use one of those lightweight bags to wrap any car seats in before checking them so the seat doesn't get so dirty.  They pack incredibly small.

Pack smart.  I've never been one of those moms who travels with everything but the kitchen sink, and I don't do it when I travel either.  For the plane, I try to bring a small assortment of light books (those thin paperbacks are ideal, or those mini-board books), plus two toys each.  This past trip I brought about seven light paperbacks, four toy cars (they were in sets of two so the boys couldn't fight over them) and two squishy sponges (they are good for kids to have a tactile thing for their hands).  In the past, I've tried to get novelty items for the plane ride, but new toys frustrate my older son at first.  It is better for us to take toys that are broken in a bit rather than having a frustrated child on our hands.  I also bring extra clothes in case of accidents or diaper disasters.  Pack the lightest thing possible--a sleeper for the baby (so you don't have to deal with separates and undershirts, and so forth), extra pants for the diapered toddler, extra pants and undies for the potty trained boy.

Pack food.  I don't let my kids snack at home, but I find that, with travel, having small snacky-type foods on hand can really help smooth transitions, waiting time, and other points of travel pressure.  This time I brought bananas, granola bars (the chewy ones, since they are slightly less messy), sippie cups (with water), and goldfish-type crackers.  On the way back, I substituted pretzel M&Ms and grapes as our snacks.  Try to avoid anything that needs a utensil (like yogurt) or leaves a lot of crumbs.  I also tend to avoid "little" snacks that just end up falling on the floor (like Cheerios).  We tend to book early morning flights, and so I usually plan to get breakfast at the airport, which, in addition to being a treat, has the doubly nice effect of giving the kids something to do for a while while we wait.

For the airport:

Dress your kids alike.  Preferrably in bright colors that are easy to spot in a crowd.  This past trip, I dressed both boys in red t shirts, blue jeans, and blue zip-up sweatshirts.  Birdie was wearing a red/white outfit.  My kids all look alike anyway, but I've found that in airports (as on playgrounds), Popsicle colors are best.

Don't count on help.  But be ready to accept it if offered.  I've had flights where no one helped me (like when I was 31 weeks pregnant and traveling with Piglet and Boo by myself; Boo was a squirmy 14 month old lap child and I had no lap).  I've had flights where the flight attendants thought it would be a good idea to keep the seat assignments that placed my husband, myself, my four month old baby, and 2.5 year old son all over the plane, and did nothing to facilitate seat changes until we made a major nuisance of ourselves.  I've also had flights where the flight attendants tripped all over themselves to help me out, offering to hold Birdie while I used the lav, or giving me my on-flight seltzer in a cup with a lid without my asking for it.  But you never know what you are going to get.

Be a pack mule.  Whatever you carry on, you need to be prepared to carry it yourself through security and onto the plane, in addition to corraling your kids.  My general rule of thumb is to completely contain the most rowdy child (currently, this is Boo, the almost-two-year-old).  So my plan for security was as follows (and it worked out rather well): I put Boo in the ERGO on my back,* and Birdie in the Maclaren Volo stroller.  (The Volo is, in my opinion, the best airport stroller because it is lightweight, folds with one hand, has a shoulder strap, and can hold a range of ages/sizes; just leave off the rain canopy).  Piglet is now old enough that I can trust him to walk alongside and not wander off or take off down the concourse without me.  I put the backpack in the underbasket of the Volo (it was a tight fit, but worked), and hung the canvas bag of food from one of the handles.  Piglet carried his own backpack on his back.  When we get on the plane, I put Boo in the seat, and switch the ERGO to my front and put Birdie in there.  I gate-check the stroller.

Take the patdown.  I have had four children without drugs and breastfed three of them; I can handle a little patdown.  What I cannot handle is two children running amok while I try to corral the baby, the stroller, and the carry-ons.  I've always kept my children in the ERGO to go through security.  Sometimes they pat me down, and sometimes not.  Depends on the airport.  Since I travel with bottles, sippie cups, and Birdie's medication, they always have to test everything, but I've never found that to be a big deal.  Keeping the rowdy child on my back makes everything much easier.

*TMI alert.  I should add that I am completely versed in the art of using the bathroom with a child on my back, front, or both.  This is a crucial skill to learn when traveling with little ones.

Take potty breaks.  This sounds like a no-brainer, but if you have a potty trained (or training) child, it is best to take more breaks than you absolutely think you will need because it is almost guaranteed that your child will inform you that he has to go "really bad" just as the plane is taking off.  For a potty training child, even if he is accustomed to underwear, I think a pull-up is the sole of discretion in these matters, because believe me, you do not want your child to have an accident on an airplane seat.  Small children are prone to distraction and get messed up when out of routine, so even very reliably potty trained little ones can sometimes have problems when travelling.  Oh, and use the family restroom.  I can't tell you how many airports I've been in that don't have a changing table in the ladies'. (Seriously. What.are.they.thinking?)

On the plane:

Use a CARES harness.  Skip the car seat.  I've found that my older toddlers do much better on a plane in a five-point harness. The CARES harness gives you that without the bulk of a carseat.  They are FAA approved, weigh about a pound, and take up no space in your carry on.  We have two, although Piglet is basically old enough to manage without it now.  I've always had the babies in the ERGO for flights.  The flight attendants do make you take them out for take-off and landing, but otherwise, it is okay to keep them in for the duration.

Distract, distract, distract.  We don't use media as a distraction device for our children, so for those out there who forgo the DVD player and iPad as ways to keep the children entertained, I suggest keeping the distraction level high.  I know it is exhausting and hard (especially when you are a traveller like me, who just wants to sit and read a book, or sleep on the plane), but believe me, the quieter you can keep your kids on the plane, the better the ride will be for everyone else.  People are more likely to help you out if your kids are well-behaved.  (Obviously, expectations of good behavior start at home, but that is a whole 'nother discussion).  I give out books, the small number of toys I've brought, I let them tear up the in-flight magazine, or look at the emergency landing fliers (my boys are totally fascinated with these), dole out snacks, and, yes a harsh word or two to keep them in line.  I'll admit, the flight itself is usually not that great, but it is still better than the two days of driving or week on the train that would be the alternative.

Be prepared for blow outs.  I don't know why this is, but I've noticed that babies are a little prone to diaper blow outs on airplanes.  I don't know if it is the change in air pressure or what, but be prepared.  I usually put a spare sleeper in the backpack I carry on, just in case.  A few plastic grocery sacks are usually a good idea as well, for wet or soiled garments.

Don't sweat the small stuff.  So what if your kid has to walk off the plane without pants, or a shirt, or is sitting in the stroller in just a diaper?  So what if they spend the whole flight munching on stuff you'd never give at home?  As long as your child is comfortable and reasonably quiet, don't worry about it.  I'm assuming that most of us are not traveling to Siberia in the depths of winter, so I think getting a change of clothing from the checked luggage on the other end will be perfectly adequate.

And when all else fails, just feign sleep and pretend the granola-smeared rowdy things in the seats next to you belong to someone else.

Learning to live with restlessness

I've moved more than 20 times in my lifetime.  Twelve of those moves have been in the last decade.  My husband and I have lived in the city now for five years, and that is the longest I have lived anywhere.  So it should come as no surprise that I periodically get itchy to move.  It usually happens to me at about the two year mark, but our two year mark in Philly passed with nary a twitch, so that kind of overshadowed any urges to move.

Now at the five year mark, I find myself increasingly restless.  There are things that drive me crazy about Philly, and there are things I love.  My husband and I have increasingly broached the formerly unthinkable "suburban question" as we run into the schools issue that plagues most city parents.  Do we stay in the city and take our chances on getting into one of the good charters, or pay an arm and a leg for private school (and when one starts thinking about doing this for multiple kids, it gets pretty expensive pretty fast)? Do we move out to the burbs for the good public school, but add in a train commute, less walk-ability, more isolation, etc. It seemed to go against everything we thought we wanted.  And yet.  The prospect of the suburbs was tantalizing also--a place for the boys to run around, the ability to separate them in the house, fewer stairs to navigate, easy parking, a garage...all the reasons people like suburban living, especially with small children.

Until this weekend, I honestly couldn't say that I had an answer to that question.  I felt that the schools issue was a wash, since we now have several different school options in the city with which we are comfortable.  I knew that a suburban move would mean giving up our fantastic babysitter, and while I know I could find another one, I'm attached to my current one.  It is hard to find a sitter as reliable and easy-going as she, but it would be even harder to find someone who can also handle my intense, spirited kids with aplomb.  We would probably have to give up our absolutely fantastic pediatrician, who currently has offices three blocks away and is incredibly available after hours and by e-mail.  We would lose the lovely neighbors on our block--relationships cultivated over five years time that now mean we can knock on almost any door on our block if there is a problem and have someone willing to help out.  We have no family in the area, so these sorts of considerations are important.  The whole thing just made me feel unsettled and awful.

This weekend solidified everything in my mind.  This weekend, Birdie's current respiratory infection took a turn for the worse and I found myself bundling a fevered, vomiting, coughing, miserable child into a cab at 2:00 a.m.  We got to CHOP in under 10 minutes, and were being evaluated in triage by 2:15.  Because she was in respiratory distress, we were treated exceedingly fast.  She ended up being admitted, and I'm writing this blog post from her hospital room.  I realized that we need to stay in the city for her.  We need to be close to her doctors, to the hospital, because I know this isn't the last time we'll find ourselves in this position.  Her pulmonologist has repeatedly mentioned five years as the time it will take for her to be able to manage her condition without hospitalization.  I need to be able to take care of my other children, and being less than ten minutes away gives both me and my husband the flexibility to do that.  He works near the hospital and, with his bike commute, it is easy for him to rearrange things to pick up Piglet from preschool, or sit with Birdie at the hospital, or whatever.  My sitter can stay all day at a moment's notice.  I can go home for a few hours to shower and make arrangements, fold laundry, visit with the boys (who get a little freaked every time we have to do this), etc.  This is what is working for our family now.

I could see us shifting to a different house on this end of town at some point, but for now, our house is working for us, and our neighborhood is a great fit.  Yes, there are times I have Rittenhouse Square envy, and yes, there are times when I wish we lived in a ranch style detached house, but then I remember all the things I love about the city, and all the reasons to stay, and I realize that this is the best thing for us.  I love running into friends and neighbors at the local grocery store, or on the street, and I like that I can get places without taking out the car. While I don't love all the cab fares I pay lately, I realize that it is nice to have the option.  While I sometimes think it is harder to get out with three little ones, once I am out, I can go more places with them than when I am in a suburban setting.  So after tallying the balance sheet, and considering the pros and cons, I'm finally settled.  After living so many places, I should know by now that no place is perfect.  There will always be greener grass somewhere.  It is a matter of deciding what is most important and learning to live with the rest.

We are staying in the city.  At least for the moment.

French Flair

I've had this card in my head for almost a week now, and finally got around to making it last night.  The layout is from a completely different card I saw recently, but I thought that it would work well with Artistic Etchings!  I recently purchased this set, and I gotta say, I don't know why it took me so long to get around to this one--I really like all the elements in it.  I ended up making my own background with the little flourish in the set, plus the script writing in French Foliage.  It is subtle, but I really like it.  And since there are a lot of collage-like elements in front, I didn't have to be so fussy about whether the lines were perfectly straight.  Because I'm a quick and dirty stamper that way. :)

I decided on the congratulations sentiment because our dear friend just earned her PhD yesterday and I thought this would be a great card to give her for the occasion.  I'm sort of hoping she doesn't read my blog regularly so she'll see it in person before online, but even if not, it is still fun to get a card!

And because I love you, I even have a supply list!  (Go me.)

Supplies:


Paper: Poppy Parade (retiring next month...sniff, sniff), Basic Black, Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake 
Stamps: Artistic Etchings, French Foliage, Occasional Quotes (retired hostess set)
Inks: Poppy Parade, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede (for sponging edges), Black Staz-On
Accesories: Paper snips, sponge wedges, 2 3/8 scallop circle punch, 2" circle (using circle cutter, but could use Circles #2 die), top note die, dimensionals
Vintage Trinkets
Basic Black satin ribbon, Very Vanilla taffeta ribbon

Quick Takes: Bright Week Edition

--1--

Christ is Risen!

El Messieh Kahm!

Christos Anesti!

Christos Voskresee!

Christos A Inviat!

(I could go on, but let's just call it a day, shall we??)

Yes, friends, it is Bright Week!  That lovely week of Pascha, where all fasting is forbidden, and cookies for breakfast are practically mandated.

--2--

I was feeling all bright and shiny until approximately 7:32 p.m. on Tuesday night when Birdie spiked a fever and started coughing to beat the band.  Apparently her last two colds were flukes and this was another Big One.  By Wednesday mid-day I was wondering whether she was going to need an admit to CHOP.  Thankfully, between our pediatrician and pulmonologist, we were able to get her stable and keep her at home.  She still sounds awful, and clearly doesn't feel well, but I think perhaps the worst is behind us.

--3--

Last night was my husband's annual Dinner and a Murder event.  Every year he offers the evening up for the charity auction held at the law school.  This year, the students from the Supreme Court clinic won the listing, so seven of them came over last night in costume to play How to Host a Murder, the undead edition.  We've done this so many years now that we are starting to run out of editions to play.  My husband took the mummy role this year.  In previous years, he's played a smarmy 1930s businessman, a rootin'-tootin' cowboy (complete with pink cowboy shirt), and a 1950s teddy boy.  While I enjoy the actual party (I don't do much except cook and serve the food), this is probably the last year for it, as our children are getting older and more numerous.  But a good time was had by all, and I got to try out making the wonton wrapper mini lasagnas that having been making the Pinterest rounds lately.  Didn't get to try my handiwork, but they were certainly a hit! (And easy too!)

--4--

Last week I got around to watching Bride Flight, this absolutely gorgeous Dutch film about three war brides who emigrate to New Zealand shortly after WWII to be with their husbands or husbands-to-be.  On the plane with them is another man who is also emigrating to make his fortune, and the rest of the movie is about how their lives intertwine over the next 15 years.  I'm curious to read the book now, after enjoying the movie. (Fair warning: there is a fairly explicit scene about 2/3rds of the way through the film, so if that sort of thing bothers you, fast forward or skip this one)

--5--

My book club is reading Bringing Up Bebe for our May meeting, and while I started out interested, I'm three or four chapters in now, the woman is starting to irritate me.  I agree entirely with the so-called French approach to parenting that includes limits, making the children understand they exist for the family, not the other way around, patience as a virtue and so on. Where I come from, that is just common sense.  :)  I'm hoping the book gets better.  In any case, I'm sure there will be a lot of fodder for discussion!

--6-- 

****

--7--

And for a card.  CASEd this one from the talented Ann Schach. I just changed the sentiment and colored the pearls with a colored Sharpie.  I'm sort of sad this set is retiring--it wasn't a set I was initially drawn to, but I've found more and more uses for it as I've played with it more.  It's going to stay on my shelf for now--too many masculine cards to make, not enough masculine stamps!

Climbing the Castle Walls

Good afternoon!  I am just returned from a week long trip to my parents' (flying solo with three children under age four wasn't exactly my idea of a good time, but I couldn't really work out a way to fax us there...)  Anyway, we had a chance to catch up with my parents and my sister, plus my other sister brought her three kids down on Thursday to spend the weekend.  The cousins all had a blast running around and playing together--reminded me of my own childhood playing with cousins.

We girls also threw my parents a surprise anniversary party Friday night--they've been married 35 years this May! I have to say, we got them good!  My other two sisters did all the heavy lifting on the party--I just showed up with my kids and helped a bit with the set up, but it was a lovely event, and I think my parents had a very good time.

Amidst all that hustle and bustle, my niece celebrates her 8th birthday this coming weekend, and my mom was planning a little party for her right after we left for the airport.  I knew exactly what card I wanted to make for her--I had seen it on Lisa Young's blog before I left and filed it away under "things to do when I get back from the trip."  So that was first on my list this morning (after a Goodwill drop off, post office run, and grocery store run).  I had a lot of fun with this card!  I changed a few things because I didn't have all the punches/dies/stamp sets that Lisa used, but I still think it came out very cute.  I don't have the letters die, but I used My Digital Studio to print out the letters using the sans serif alphabet stamp brush set, and then used those as a template to cut out the real letters with blushing bride.  (I would have just printed the letters in color and then cut them out to save a step, but I discovered that my printer was out of color ink--boo).  In any case, I think that worked pretty slick, even if it was a bit picky to cut out.  Luckily her name is short.

We are at the start of Holy Week (Orthodox Easter is a week off the West this year), so I may not post again this week.  To my Western Christian friends, Christ is Risen!  To my Orthodox Christian friends, a blessed and peaceful Holy Week to you.

The Flower Show

Good morning friends!  Today's card parade is a flower show.  I made most of these cards as part of my demonstration for the Philly Inker's Spring Fling at the beginning of March.  It was kind of fun to clean out my 3d flower idea file!  Unless otherwise noted, the flower ideas come from Valita's Fresh Folds (she is absolutely brilliant at punch art flowers), and the inspiration for many of the cards came from her as well.  The fancy flower punch roses have been all over the blogosphere for some time, as have the pansy butterflies, so no idea who to credit with those particular pieces of brilliance.  The butterfly punch poppies are my own creation.

Tulip is made with the owl punch using a template.  Leaves are made using a large circle punch/circle cutter. 

Hydrangeas made with the full heart punch 

 An original (gasp!) design!--I used the floral fusion die to make the flowers (I sueded the layers first and then crinkled them before layering everything together)

CASEd from Linda at Linda's Stampin' Loft.  Flower is made with the bird punch.

Daffodil is made with the 1 1/4" circle punch 

Another original design! Poppies are made with the butterfly punch.

 Rose made with the owl punch and large scallop circle punch.

These flowers are also made with the full heart punch and boho blossoms punch (for the centers), but the tips of the petals are pinched and cupped before assembly. 

Flowers are made with the boho blossoms punch and the large center flower is made with the scallop circle punch. 

Flowers made using the boho blossoms punch.   

The handmade basket of flowers isn't original to me, but my particular iteration is unique. The flowers are made with the fancy flower punch.  For detailed instructions on these roses, just google "fancy flower punch rose" and you'll get several different step-by-step tutorials.

CASEd from Julie Gearinger.

Flowers are made with a 1 1/4" circle punch.

Quick Takes, Spring Edition

--1--

Spring has sprung and my puffy swollen eyes are testament to that fact.  I generally like this time of year for the light, the pretty flowers popping out all over, and all the reasons most people like spring, but given the fact that it never really froze this winter, the pollen is out in force already.  I'm dreading the rest of the year.

--2--

Birdie caught a cold last Friday night and we spent a rough four or five days coaxing her through the crisis.  I'm so tired.  

--3--

 This sound ridiculously extravagant to write about, but we are sort of considering hiring a night nurse for a few nights a week just to get through this.  Because even when she isn't sick, one of us (or usually both of us) are up for literally hours with her every night.  Neither my husband nor me is particularly functional right now.

--4--

I'm so grateful to all the dear ones who've written to me, called me, brought meals, given gifts of food, etc. during these last weeks.  I'm simply stunned and overwhelmed by all the generosity of our friends and family as we work through what it means to have a chronically sick child.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

--5--

Who has seen the Hunger Games?  I read the first book for my book club and can't decide a) whether to read the other two and b) whether to see the movie.  These books seem like the anti-Twilight to me, and while I appreciate a good story, and I generally like distopian literature and extended allegory, lately I'm more in the mood for fluffy stuff.

--6--

Two cards to share today (because I don't have a sixth quick take).  This first one I CASEd from Julie Davison--I immediately loved her idea to make a digital hybrid card with My Digital Studio and decided it would be my swap for the April Philly Inkers meeting.  So easy and fast!  (Although I did run out of red ribbon three cards from the end and had to substitute a button for the knot).

 

--7--

I don't remember where the inspiration for this card came from, but I just love it.  Minimal stamping (although the hand stitching took a bit), and yet so nice!  I'm all about the flagged sentiment lately.

That's it folks!  Go see Jen for more Quick Takes!