I know it has been a while, but a lot has happened during that time. So now I am returning. I have "checked out" from just about everything except for the basics, but I realized I need to get things moving again. After the trip I took with my daughter and mother-in-law to Oklahoma, things were just...well, I don't know how to describe it. We were there because the hubby finished training and we wanted to see the graduation ceremony. He started his advanced training after that weekend, but we wanted to make the most of it. I guess you could say I was still getting back into the single married life.
I have to say that traveling with a toddler isn't as difficult as people make it out to seem. The hardest part is literally keeping them entertained and well rested. I went through site after site, talked with people who have traveled with kids before, and made countless lists prior to packing my things. It took about a week for me to actually pack up everything. Not fun. I will say this from my experience. I won't do it that way ever again.
I will say that lists are great. I had one for every "category," because I was packing for two and had no idea how much I would need. There was the list for clothes, hygiene, entertainment, and other. I split those in two, one side for me, the other for my daughter. After that I actually broke them down into sections. Example: clothes includes day wear, nightwear, and underthings. I even had to break it down by day so that I knew we had enough. Ha ha. I guess you could say I was a bit obsessive about it. I tried different types of lists, it the point, and the one that worked the best was the daily one. Especially when I was packing for my one-year-old because there is a need of extra clothes and things. If you don't like to write it all out I would suggest at least laying everything out so that you can see it all there for each day.
PACK EXTRA! I packed at least an extra outfit for each day for her and I used just about all of it. Mix and match clothes are great, too.
As far as things to entertain the kids with, just keep it simple. I had a great tip that you should buy one or two small toys or books for them and not give it to them until you leave. This went really well. If you are gone for more than a few days, pack a few more, but to be honest, they usually are happy with just a few.
I'd also say that carry-on luggage is too much of a hassle. I had a checked bag and a carry on. I could have easily reduced it to just a checked bag and my purse and have been just fine. I hated toting around another piece of luggage along with my little one. If you can afford the checked bag fee, I say do it. You won't have to worry too much about space and what to pack, and you'll save yourself a load of grief.
Lastly, snacks. Yes, you can bring snacks on the plane. If it is for the kids then it has to be reasonable amounts and you have to show them when you go through security. I had some in my carry on and some extra in my checked luggage. Next time I'll nix the extra stuff. It just got in the way and since we were eating out there was always plenty of food while we were there. The amount in the carry on was enough for both flights, to and from.
My lesson: pack extra clothes, but lighten your load everywhere else. Oh, and check the weather report for your destination ahead of time (and for what it'll be when you return if you can) so you can plan your wardrobe accordingly. The most a person should ever worry about while traveling is having a good time.
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