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Getting oldest ready for a trip is easy. Pack the Wii, charge the Gameboy and get all the games. Grab the daily face wash. Argue with him about taking a book. Not a problem.
Husband? Just make sure he has his socks and running shoes (and pack some nice shirts because he forgets) and we’re done. Nana needs a reminder for her medicine, this I can do.
But little one, our youngest who came into this world less than 1,000 days ago, well, he’s a little more work. Tons of time. And a lot more of my sanity than I should be dishing out this time of year.
It takes two days of prep. This includes making one list of what to bring and another of what I sure the hell better not forget. Then I figure two more days of actual work. Packing bags with things he may miss if they’re sitting in a suitcase somewhere. Then it's just a matter of figuring out where in the world everyone else’s stuff is going to go.
Little one requires six bags. Extra diapers and wipes. Food that he’ll eat if he won’t eat anything else. His crayons and paper. Then there are the crucials (I’ll get to them in a minute).
Did I mention that he needs one entire car trunk for just his stuff?
Now, when he was a baby I knew we’d need a carload of accessories. But he’s older. No need for the stroller or the baby swing or the three diaper bags. I distinctly remember when my oldest was younger that my packing for a trip got oh so much easier once he hit two. But oldest never really was attached to things. Sure he liked his Telletubbies and Woody from Toy Story. That was it, though.
Youngest likes his things. He takes them with him everywhere he goes. Not just his favorite green blanket, but three others that go with it. Not just one or two books, but a whole stack. Not one plastic animal, but three buckets full. I mean, pig would be lonely without horse and sheep and lion.
Then there’s Fa-Fa. A little black dog his aunt gave him when he was a baby. Must always have Fa-Fa. Repeat after me: Must Have Fa-Fa. This stuffed chocolate lab puppy goes everywhere with him. No way would he sleep without it. Which is why, in these last few days before we head to my in-laws for Christmas, that dog doesn’t go far from my sight. I panic if I don’t see it.
We lost it one other time, and it wasn’t pretty. Not much sleeping went on. Just periodic cries of “Faaaa-Faaaaa."
Trouble is, Fa-Fa has a new friend. Elephant. Must have elephant alongside Fa-Fa. And elephant really likes Teddy and Bear (two stuffed brown toys, not one) and they enjoy ‘Raff’ (Geoffrey the Giraffe). Don’t forget snake. You have to have snake, because before little one lays down to sleep he gets to scare mom and dad with snake.
Yes, our house really is a zoo.
And soon the car will be. All headed to Grandma and Grandpa's. Where we will visit with family for one day. The next day I will make my lists, of the things to bring home and the things I better not forget. The day after that I will begin loading everything into the car, along with all the new things he now takes with him everywhere.
Finally we come home where Fa-Fa will hopefully stay nice and safe, never to be lost.
Sound like when I pack to send the kids to grandma's for the weekend!! It takes me 3 bags, most of which are for Emma!! She has so many toys that she just has to have!!This sounds so familiar. My two year old has a group of toys we just call his entourage. You don't go anywhere without Tag, Elmo and Doggie. And those don't count whatever various blocks, toys or otherwise he is quite sure he will die without if they are not in the car with us on the way to Target...Happy travels! Isn't traveling with young ones an adventure in itself!? I see young parents traveling with babies and I think, "Been there, done that." It's SO nice not to have to pack diapers and all that!Your little one sounds like me when I was a kid. I had to bring Everything! My daughter on the other hand is happy with a color wonder and any stuffed animal. She's 3 though so maybe it will get easier for you next year. Good luck.Hope you got back home with everything you brought! We do the same thing, and we have no toddlers, or even pre-schoolers. I keep thinking I'll quit trying to reinvent the wheel each time we go somewhere and just pre-print a list, but the list keeps changing. My husband can just grab the kids and go. Me? I have to have the water bottles, snacks, extra sweater, etc. just to go to the store! I think it'll take a while for the feeling of needing to be extra-prepared to go away. I guess my wish to be prepared is my own "Fa-Fa."
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