traveling with baby essentials: 5-6 months

I flew with Quinn by myself again this month.  It was definitely worth it.  Matt was going to be away for a wedding that he was in, so I figured I might as well go hang out with my family up north instead of stay at home alone with the baby.  Things went pretty smoothly.  The first time I flew with Quinn was when she was three months old.  I did things a little bit differently this time around now that she is a few months older.

These are some items that I found to be the most helpful while traveling with a baby at 5-6 months.  I also answered some more detailed traveling questions below.

1. I don' why, but babies seem to LOVE these simple links
2. The Ergo Baby Carrier is still one of my favorites, and is easy on the back.

3. We just bought this Baby Jogger City Mini.  It's not really for jogging, although I have gone for a short jog with it.  You can fold it up with one hand!!  It's wonderful!

4. I wish I had a Chicco Hook On Chair. We put Quinn in the exersaucer to feed her baby food, but this portable high chair would have been nice.

5. Q's teething got worse while we were away.  I was really glad I packed teething tablets. Seriously, babies change overnight!

6. I always bring single-serve powder packets in case I need them.

7. Quick Clean Micro-Steam Bags are a quick way to cleans pacis and bottles.  You can use one bag 20 times!

8. My sister brought this Bumper Jumper when she travelled to Florida with her family.  It's a great  space saving substitute for a big exersaucer or jumperoo.

9. My Dad bought this rattle for Quinn.  A few toys small toys like these were perfect for keeping Quinn entertained on the plane.

10. I bought a car seat travel bag to help carry and protect the car seat since we decided to check it at the airport.  It actually worked out well because my luggage was overweight, and I was able to throw some stuff into the car seat bag to even it all out!

What gear did you bring for carrying the baby?

I brought the car seat (without the base) in a car seat cover bag (some have roller wheels, others you can wear like a back pack) and our new City Mini Jogger with the Ergo underneath it.   Most car seats can be installed without the base.  I prefer to not bring the base because we end up changing cars a lot anyway, and it's just one more thing to lug through the airport.  (Just follow the installation instructions carefully.)  We have a Graco SnugRide car seat, and it installs well without the base.  I chose to bring the big stroller, as opposed to our Snap n' Go, because we planned to be outside a lot and I didn't want Quinn to be stuck in the car seat for walks, etc.  When we got to the airport, we checked our suit case and car seat bag.  I kept Quinn in the stroller until it was time to board.  At that point, I put her in the Ergo carrier so I had my hands free and brought the stroller to the service counter where they gave me a baggage claim ticket.  They went ahead and checked it right at the gate.

What baby items can I buy when I get to my destination?

My mom already has some baby gear at their house, like an exersaucer and crib, which made it a little easier for me to pack.  For a baby that is five months old, it's helpful to have something to keep them entertained.  Luckily, they aren't really on the move yet so it doesn't take much!  My sister used the Bumper Jumper (above) with her little one who loves to jump and wiggle.  The nice thing about it is that it's small enough to travel with.

Here are some things that I found were just easier to buy when I arrived to my destination:

Diapers

Wipes

Formula

Baby Food (Quinn is just starting solids, so I didn't need to bring puffs or one of those pouches on the plane.  I did bring some baby spoons.)

What were your sleeping arrangements with the baby?

For sleeping, I always bring Quinn's Sleep Sheep from home.  I think it helps her feel more comfortable in a new place.  I have also heard of bringing a crib sheet from home because it smells familiar to the baby.  We don't especially love it when Quinn sleeps in our room....well, I don't because I wake up to every little noise she makes while asleep!  Most of the time we put her right outside of our room, or if there is a connecting bathroom, we try to get the pack 'n play in there.  The best part about the bathroom scenario is that it's really dark and the fan makes for a nice white noise.

 

I would be happy to answer any questions you might have about traveling with a little baby!  Just post a comment or e-mail me.

 

Follow OurLittleFamily on Blog Lovin'

charlie coco's giveaway // summer sherbet hair bow



 

This sweet little clip set could be yours!  Amber, from Charlie Coco's, is giving away this "Summer Sherbet" hair bow that can be used as both a hair bow clip or headband.  If you don't have a little girl of your own to adorn this cute accessory with, it would also make for a great baby shower, birthday, or "just because" gift!  I mean, it's FREE, so why would you not enter?!  Check out more of Amber's accessories here. 

Enter to win this hair bow by using the giveaway tool below.  Remember, the more times you enter the better your chances of winning!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

five fact friday

1-The other night I realized how ridiculous my bed time regimen has become.  Since when have I become such an old lady?!  Top off all of my vitamins with nasal spray, a bite guard, and glasses...and, well you get the picture...it's not pretty.
2-I can get Quinn to hold her bottle for about 20 seconds.  We officially stopped nursing about a week ago.  This little girl loves to mess around when she should be drinking her bottle!
3-Am I the only one whose "guest room" has become a laundry room?  This is just a glimpse of all the laundry that I should be doing right now from being on vacation.
4-Quinn is growing.  I think this is the fourth pair of pajamas where one of her big toes is now poking through.
5-I have some fun things to put on the blog in the next few weeks.  One of the more exciting things is a special giveaway tomorrow!  Make sure to check back so you can enter!

Linking up with Lauren from H54F!
 

lake michigan & a wedding // summer vacation

After nearly two weeks of spending time with family and friends up north, I am finally back!  It feels nice to be home, which is a good sign that I was truly able to get rejuvenated while away.  I am not going to even TRY to document all of the fun things we did.  But, here is a glimpse...

Caught up with my best friends from high school at a favorite spot...Rose's.

 This sums up Quinn on vacation.  There was a lot of stimulation!

It was so nice to have my mom around to help with Quinn, especially for the first part of the vacation when Matt wasn't there.

We brought Quinn to the beach for about an hour on most of our days at the lake.  It was very convenient that the cottage was so close to the beach.  Even when Q was napping, there was usually  someone at the cottage willing to keep an eye on her so we could still enjoy the lake and sunshine.

 Grandma Polly stopped by for a day on her way to Chicago!

Papa had neck surgery right before we arrived, so we enjoyed the extra time with him while he was at home recovering .

 

Quinn spent a lot of time with her cousins too.  They are the best! 

Pool time.

We celebrated Gigi's **th birthday.  (Like how I did that, Mom? :)  We went for a low key party this year.  "No major surprises" was the theme as a result of last year's shenanigans.

Matt and I took a mini road trip to Chicago for a wedding.  It was the first time I have ever been away from Quinn overnight.  Gigi did a wonderful job looking after her while we were away.

 

I hadn't been back to the Chicago area since we moved, so we had fun walking around and eating at our favorite places.  While we missed our sweet Quinn, I have to admit it was very liberating to be able to run around from place to place, baby-less.   

THIS was the dessert ROOM at Mark and Ellie's wedding.  Mind blowing!  

Their wedding was beautiful.  The best part...totally Christ centered.  It was so sweet to see these two get married.  We also enjoyed seeing some good college and Young Life friends, as well as some of Matt's family.

 

 

Goodbye, Lake Michigan.  I will see you again soon, I hope!  Speaking of Lake Michigan, did you hear about the three college students who paddle boarded across Lake Michigan?  They started in Milwaukee and ended on Maranatha beach! 

 

Yes, that was the short version of our vacation.

 

I am writing a post on "flying solo part II."  It was a little different this time around now that Quinn is almost six months old.  Let me know if you have an specific questions that I could address!