When Peter and I were planning our trip to Hawaii I was scouring the internet to find tips for flying and vacationing with a baby. I found a lot, but we didn't use all of it. Here are 5 things that helped us the most through the flights and spending a few beautiful days in Hawaii.
Get a suite: I think that was the best decision we made on this trip. It was so nice during nap times and bed time that we could put her in the living room and close the door. It allowed us to still be able to have evenings together and not just watch tv when she was napping during the day. We stayed at the Andaz Maui and LOVED it. We were able to get a suite with a pool attached so it was amazing being able to swim and hang out while Ellie was sleeping.
Entertainment on the plane: We brought 2 new toys and 2 new books for Ellie on the plane to help pass the time. It was nice that when she was bored with her regular toys we could bring out some new ones and it helped her stay busy. I am also a firm believer and a cup (or water bottle or any of big piece of trash) being the best toy for a baby. No one wants to deal with a bored baby on a plane!
UPPAbaby Travel System: We use the UPPAbaby Mesa and Vista at home and I love it so much I didn't want to use anything else for travel. What's awesome about UPPAbaby is that if you use their travel bags and something happens during air travel they will replace it for free. Our airline actually broke our stroller seat on the way to Hawaii and all I had to do was call them, let them know the situation and they sent us a new seat for free! The Mesa carseat is also great because we were able to use the hotel car service and just put her use her carseat without the base.
Nanny at the Hotel: Okay. This one I was really nervous about. When we checked into the hotel the staff let us know that they do have a kids club, but it's only for kids 4 years and older. However, they did tell us about a company they work with called Nanny Connection that we could use. We waited until the last full day to use them because I was nervous about it and thought it was going to be crazy expensive. Turns out, we had the BEST lady come to take care of Ellie for a few hours while we relaxed on the beach. She had been a Doula for over 20 years and was the nicest, best lady ever. We wanted to take her home with us! Next time we will definitely be using them before the last day,
Ergobaby: I decided to wear Ellie through the airport just because we had enough to carry and I didn't want to push a stroller around. I loved it because both hands were free, I didn't have to take her out to go through security and she was able to sleep comfortably on the plane in it. Ellie isn't the baby who will fall asleep in your arms anymore (insert crying face emoji here) so the only way she would sleep is in the Ergobaby. I was able to walk up and down the airplane or just rock her in the seat and I was still able to read my book and have kind of a moment to myself.
I will end with two things. One, kudos to everyone who travels with babies! It can be exhausting and daunting, but it's doable! I am excited to continue traveling with our little family. Second, I think that Cary from The Real Housewives of Dallas said it perfectly. A vacation with your kids is a trip, not a vacation. We loved showing Ellie the ocean and going swimming and just seeing her see Hawaii, but it is not like the vacations we had before her and that's okay! Especially with the time change and trying to stick to somewhat of a schedule it was exhausting. It just made us realize that a vacation with just Peter and I are even all the more important. So go! Travel with your baby! You can do it and you'll love it!