Ry’s 1st Road trip was technically the time we drove to Maryland (a 3-hour drive that turned in to 5 hours because of how many times we had to stop lol) during Halloween weekend. I learned so much during that trip which made her longest trip to Maryland and then to Jersey last week a lot smoother. Lol! Anywho, last week was Ryann’s 1st Thanksgiving! She met so many family members and learned that unless she is home with us, there’s no such thing as quiet. Haha.
Preparing for the trip:
I decided to pack Ry’s things the night before. (Because I always procrastinate, and I honestly didn’t have any other time to do it) I made sure I packed extra clothes, I took a new pack of pampers and wipes, and I packed her safety kit just in case. I also packed a few blankets. Sidebar: Once I finished packing her things, I got in the bed totally forgetting I had to get my own things together. Lol! It takes some time to really process that you are living for a whole other person. Haha. I also brought my breast pump in case I wanted a glass of wine or if Joel and I decided to visit some friends without Ryann. I decided to pump to have a bottle and brought the travel bottle warmer. (Last time I forgot, and we had to keep stopping so that I could feed her) I went over in my head about a million times if I had everything I needed before we left the house. (Of course, to find out later that I probably should have packed more clothes for her. Smh.)
During the drive:
It was a nice day out and we left at a reasonable time. (No time was really reasonable because it was the day before Thanksgiving when EVERYONE was traveling lol) I sat in the back with her so that I could keep her company and feed her. As soon as we got in the car and on the highway, Ryann was ready to eat. I fed her a little bit of the bottle and then she was coo’ing away until she fell asleep. Ryann is what they call a “car baby”. When the car stops, she goes off. The minute it’s moving again, she’s happy. Lol! We only had to stop on the way there one time. And that was for my husband and I to use the bathroom. Once Ryann woke up, she was chillen at first and then she started to cry again when she got tired. Anyone else baby gets really fussy when they can’t have your boob and they’re tired? Ryann GOES OFF! About 6 hours later, we arrived to our 1st destination. (Maryland)
Here are some things I would suggest when preparing to travel with a baby or small child:
- Giving yourself a good amount of time to pack. (This means, DON’T BE LIKE ME! Lol!)
- Pumping before you leave to have a bottle for the ride. (Make sure you’re keeping track of the time you pumped and how long the trip is because your milk is only good for a certain amount of time) This will also help with not having to stop to breastfeed.
- Bring snacks and possibly food to avoid stopping and making the trip longer.
- Have someone sit in the back with the baby. (If you’re not traveling alone)
- If you’re not using pacifiers, have something for the baby to suck on. (My friend suggested a teething ring, but I didn’t have one for this trip so when she got really fussy, I just gave her my finger)
- Put the window down a little bit to keep baby cool and for the outside sound. (Ryann is a hot baby and she sweats so fast. I put the window down a little bit and I think she likes the sound of outside. Especially when it’s raining!)
After we spent Thanksgiving night at my husband’s Aunt house, we headed to New Jersey the next day to visit my sisters and Grandma. We got up early so we can get dressed because we were taking pictures. The drive was about 2 hours, so Ryann ended up falling asleep pretty fast and staying asleep the entire ride. We took pictures (which was a terrible idea to do on Black Friday lol), went to see my Grandma for dinner, and hung out at my sister’s house for a little. Below are some pictures from our family pictures. Ryann cried most of the time and was OVER IT. Lol!
The following day (Saturday) before we left, we got to see my father in law, as well as my husband’s Granny and siblings. Joel, Ryann, and I literally matched the entire weekend. Lol! My best friend always has jokes because even before Ryann, Joel and I use to match all the time. I guess that’s something I’m not letting go. *Shrugs*
To sum up Ry’s 1st Thanksgiving weekend: It was full of love, laughter, and LOUD folks. Haha. My poor baby was so exhausted because she is not used to being around so many people. She barely took naps because for some reason she always thinks she’s missing out on something. Lol! She went from arm to arm in every house we visited. The minute we got home she ate from my boob and went right to sleep… for a couple of hours. Lol! It’s safe to say we will not be going anywhere for a while, and I am looking forward to spending Christmas right here, in our own home!
How was your Thanksgiving? (If you celebrate) Also, can you offer any more suggestions when traveling with small babies? I would like to know as we have so many plans to travel with Ry. As always, like, share, comment with any questions!