10 Tips for Traveling and Flying with Your Busy Toddler

Aloha! We just got back from our dream family vacation to Hawaii and it was so much fun! The only downside to our vacation is that it's so hard to travel with a toddler! Toddlers are too old to sit still and too young to watch a movie. We have learned so much from this trip than all the other trips combined since we had Jayden. (Yes, we did take Jayden to China when he was 10 months and I still say this Hawaii trip is the hardest!)  It was just so easy when Jayden was a baby!

Here are the tips we learned from our experience:

1. Pack lightly for yourself. We packed everything we could think of with us this time --worst decision ever! We just ended up juggling between bags and suitcases. We had 3 carryon suitcases, 3 carryon bags plus stroller and carseat. Oh, and we have to carry Jayden! Can you imagine how are we carrying it all through security check? Or even just to get from Point A to Point B? And with so many bags we had, it's almost impossible to know where everything is! We have to rebuy sunscreen because we just simply couldn't find them!

So please please get rid of all the "I might need this" items from your luggage. Anything you might need is very likely to be purchased at your destination. I made the mistake of bringing my big fancy camera. Yes, those fancy camera do take better pictures. But it's just so much easier to take pictures with your smart phone and not have to carry a huge burden around your neck!

2. Pack lightly for your baby. I know baby needs a lot of things, but only take the most essential ones. You really don't have bring a huge tub of diaper cream and 100 diapers in your suitcase! Always bring travel size baby items and only bring amount of diaper can get you through the first day or so. Then buy the rest of them at your destination.

3. Put your IDs and Wallet from reach of your toddler. I have been putting my credit card and ID in my phone case. It's just so easy to carry around! But the problem is, toddlers love your phone! They like to push all the button and play with it. Jayden actually took my credit card and ID out of my phone  while we were in our friends car. I also lost my mind the next day when I found out my credit card and ID are missing!

4. Make friends with people sitting around you on the plane. Jayden has been a huge pain on the plane! He goes up and down the seats, trying to escape from my arms when the plane takes off, crying for no reason. I can feel the tension built up around us. It was so stressful!

It's easier when people around us understand that you have a crazy toddler! They might not do much but at least they will understand! Plus there's always nice people like to play with your toddler so they can help you entertain your little social butterfly. I don't recommend doing those cute Pinterest bags (cute note, ear plugs, candy and etc.) Those are for Pinterest, not real life! Nobody ain't got time for that!

5. Yes, you have the privilege of priority boarding and priority security check! Almost all airports and airlines give family who travel with children 2 or under these privilege. Use it!

6. Window seats are wonderful for toddlers. Window seat on the plane can help entertain your little one for obvious reason: the view! Toddlers are often fascinated by what's going on outside the window. Another hidden advantage: toddlers love to play with the window shutter! Jayden really enjoys opening and shutting the window shutter ( Yes, it can get annoying but still better than a crying child)!

7. Make sure your toddler is not hungry. Happy tummy, happy baby! Toddlers (or everyone) gets grumpy when they are hungry. Feed your toddler enough before getting on the plane.

8. Try not to change your toddler's schedule too much. It's hard for toddler to travel. It's even
harder when their schedule get messed up. Toddlers that lack of sleep can cause a lot of "I want to pull my hair out" moments for parents. It's totally OK to miss a night show. You need a happy child for the next day.

9. Childproof your hotel room. Put away anything that could cause problems in your hotel room. Some hotel rooms put glasses on the coffee table that's completely reachable by your mobile toddlers. Make sure you put it somewhere higher to prevent any shattered glass or crying baby.

Jayden found ways to stand in the dresser drawer and actually tipped over this whole dresser!

10. Bring your baby carrier. Baby carrier is wonderful on trips! It gives parents the freedom of free hands and toddlers seem to be less fussier in baby carrier than stroller. Plus, there are some places will not let you bring your stroller in so baby carrier comes extremely handy! Your toddler can even take a comfy nap on your shoulders if needed.

Our baby carrier was a great lifesaver for us on the trip

I am a firm believer of traveling does marvelous to children. They can learn to adjust to new environment, explore new things and simply have fun. Traveling with children is hard, but so worth it! Hope you get to travel a little bit this summer!

Beautiful ocean view

In front of LDS Temple in Hawaii 

Mahalo and Aloha(Thank you and bye-bye )!

Happy Mother's Day!

It's 12:04 am and I am still up and thinking how should I write my first blog post. I am really a night owl. But being a mom, who isn't? Night time is the only time when I can sit down at my kitchen counter, sitting on my favorite bar stool, just to think about MY life. Yes, that's right, not my kid, not my husband, not my chores. Well, that's not true, I am actually still thinking about how my son should eat more veggies and how my husband needs to work out more. So yea,  I don't have a life.

I thought being married has changed my life so much. But comparing to being a mom? Not even close. Jayden is our "accident baby" AKA "a blessing". I was a business student and ambitiously interning at a big investment bank when I first got pregnant . I wasn't planning on having a baby for least another 2 to 3 years. But  Jayden just can't wait to come to the earth and meet his mommy-ME! 

I still clearly remember the day we found out we were expecting. It was a beautiful summer morning. The moment that testing strip shows two stripes, my heart started pounding like its out of control. Then I saw my husband's hand shaking, he was so excited and so speechless the same time. Then we just went crazy and keep asking ourselves "Are we really having a kid?"

I had a OK pregnancy and a tough birth. I actually don't mind pregnancy because I think walking around with a huge belly is a kind of a fun and cute thing. I also gave myself the privilege to drive those cool handicap carts at the grocery store because my backache.( My husband thinks that's the most scary thing ever since he believes I don't have a "sense of direction" part build up in my brain)

My birth was so hard. I set my mind on doing a completely all natural birth at a local birthing center. So epidurals are out of the question. I was 9 centimeter dilated when I went into the birthing center, then 24 hours later I was still a 9! Plus I pushed for whole 4 hours. It turned out Jayden's widest part of head was coming out first-Military Position that gave me such a hard time. 

Jayden has been such a bundle of joy. He's as cute as a doll. He is seriously the sweetest baby! He's 14 month now. The last 14 months were definitely my craziest months ever! I am constantly worrying bout how well he's eating, how much does he sleep, does he have any teething pain, how can I do better to teach/entertain him, is he too hot/cold, how to DIY natural remedies to fight a cold and etc! I love waking up to his little body lays right next to mine. I love cuddling with him. I love to play peek-a-boo with him. I love to hold his little hand. Jayden has been my little motivator to become a better person- more patient, more loving, more giving. 

The same time, I also like to remind myself how much I love my baby and my family when I was buried with dirty laundry, messy house, and hungry husband. I constantly finding myself worry too much, stress too much and go crazy too much. I also finding myself doing thing like talking super loud in supermarket to myself saying things like "Should mommy get some wonton wraps so we could make wonton soup?" Even when Jayden is home with my husband Joseph. I am also  starting to look for good piano teacher and research about preschools knowing full well my baby is only 1-year-old. Sorry baby, you hit the lottery of getting a tiger mother(even though my zodiac is Sheep) !

Enough with the ranting. Thank you for making me a mom baby Jayden, I love you so so much. 

And Happy Mother's Day to all the fellow moms out there! You are doing great!