Back to reality after a ten day mini hiatus to travel to Toronto for some serious business planning and some intense family visiting. It was super strange to be completely off the grid for a full five days – but it was a great opportunity to reset and rejuvenate ahead of what is turning into a full Spring season ahead. (And yes, we are still without playroom floors, but sub flooring and the rug are on the way this week!) I realized yesterday that LB is 17 months and in the span of her life, I’ve flown with her five times round trip – which is more than most toddlers! I sort of have it all down to a science and yesterday’s flight home was the most calm and simple journey ever. So I figured I’d ease back into my week by sharing my Top Tips for Plane Rides with Toddlers. 🙂 
My first tip is probably sorta obvious – but pack snacks. Lots of snacks. And go for snacks that won’t make a massive mess if they are thrown at you, at someone else, down the aisle or if they are crushed into your sweater or jeans. I guess what I’m saying is don’t bring things like grape juice and yogurt. Bring things like Cheerios, rice puffs, crackers, granola bars, apple slices. I even draw the line at banana. Despite LBÂ loving her bananas, they are gooey and get gross really quickly. The last thing you want is to be wrangling a defiant tiny person covered in goo. So tip one is pack goo-free snacks.
Along those lines, dress yourself for possible disaster. I always have a scarf and then two ‘barrier’ items in case I ended up ‘toddlerized’. This time, I wore a cardigan and a light long sleeved shirt. The scarf works well because it doubles as a snuggle blanket for those few fleeting moments of quiet and stillness in the air.
In terms of navigating the airport, well that is just something you have to prepare for in advance. I dress LB in separates for air travel and not a onesie or footie jammas because it’s much easier to swap bottoms or a top in the event of an accident than to deal with snaps and zippers and feet. Much easier. We also use our Ergo Baby Carrier in the airport and a luggage cart until we get to security. Speaking of which, if you bring bottles of formula, breast milk or water/liquid – be prepared for security to want to swab them. And by that I mean, make sure the lids are on tightly – cuz those security people at Pearson don’t give a hoot if your milk spills all over while they make sure you aren’t smuggling. Don’t get me started y’all.
It’s okay to use your screen. NO ONE WILL JUDGE YOU. In fact, we downloaded about four episodes of The Wiggles and a couple ‘toddler’ apps onto both our phones. LB’s attention span is five minutes at best – so having some tv or an app she can click and swipe can be the difference between a melt down and a giggle. 
And lastly, this is a tip we learned as LB moved from babydom to toddler-hood; ditch the diaper bag in favour of a carry-on back pack. We shoved a couple Ziploc bags of treats, toys, and a few books into a back pack, along with her coat, hat and the Ergo Baby once we were at the gate. It’s much easier to carry a baby while wearing a back pack versus a shoulder or cross body bag.
Now that I’m home for a long while, with no plans to travel until the summer time – I’m refocusing on the house and getting it in gear. I’m spring cleaning and refreshing a bunch of spaces and I’m so excited about things to come! Later this week, I’m sharing my latest experiences with Lunar Abundance Planning and then next week, some simple decor updates in the living room and guest bedroom.
-E
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