This was the first flight we’ve taken since our baby has been eating solid foods.  We took a variety of foods because our son had never eaten store bought baby food, so we weren’t sure what he would like. We definitely learned some things along the way.

• Happy Baby Organic Baby food
• Sprout
• Organic Baby Food Gerber Baby
• Mum Mum Wheat Teething Bisquit
• Ella’s Kitchen Organic Baby food
• Earth’s Best Organic Teething Biscuits
• Pedialyte (singles juice boxes and powder)

On our way to our destination we flew at night – here are some things we did to make the trip more enjoyable:

-We took our stroller (Bob Revolution) and gate checked it.  It is necessary to have somewhere to put the baby while getting checked in and going through security. 

- We all dressed in sweats or comfortable clothes

- We took a pillow and a blanket (kept the blanket in the carry – on overhead because it was stuffy on the plane, but it was nice to have just in case.)

-Axel was given a new book for the flight that kept his attention for quite some time: The Quiet Book.  

This flight was fairly easy because he slept most of the first leg, all through our layover (in the stroller), and all of the second leg.

Our return flight was during the day.  Axel only napped about 45 minutes on both legs of this journey so most of our time was spent trying to keep him occupied.  Fortunately we were prepared.  Here are some things we did:

- We had to leave for the airport at 4:00 am so we kept our son in his pajamas until our first layover.

- We took our time with everything.  There was no need to be in a hurry, so if Axel was interested in the in-flight magazine we let him look through it until he was done.  He was given another new book for this flight that was still in a plastic package so we let him play with it in the package until he lost interest, then we opened it so he could read it.  (Peek-a-boo Elmo - loved this one too!)

- We brought snacks that Axel had never tried before.

- Before the flight back home we went shopping for some new toys for Axel to play with on the plane.  We purchased three items – a turkey baster, a $1 calculator, and an $8 universal remote control (he loves the remote).  We would give him a new ‘toy’ when we could tell things were headed south.  It worked beautifully.

Overall, the trip was a success largely due to planning, preparedness, and a large diaper bag.

 Okay, so the Timbuk2 medium tote is not really a baby bag, but that’s one of the reasons why we like it.  It’s very well built, with hardy fabric and all metal hardware.  This bag will last for a long time and can be used during travel and camping for years to come.  Forgot to mention that it has two short shoulder traps and one longer, removable shoulder strap.

So my husband came up with “Urban Hiking”.  We plan ahead and map out our route.  Sometimes we start from home and sometimes we drive a little ways and park somewhere.   We always wear comfortable hiking clothes and shoes.  We carry a back pack with water and snacks.  We bring the Bob stroller, and make sure baby has everything he’ll need.  It is no different than a hike in the woods – just instead of trees there are cars, and instead of wildlife there are people.  

We’ve explored interesting old neighborhoods, downtown areas, commercial areas, and just parts of town we’ve been curious about.  Sometimes we’ll plan a hike that has a fun eatery or park half way so that we can take a nice break.  Sometimes our hikes connect in with the city’s trails or greenways.  We’ve decided that just because we don’t live in the wilderness anymore doesn’t mean we can’t get out and explore.  

Urban Hiking has been a great way for us to get to know our new city.  

We love children’s Carhartts for many reasons:

- They are made from the same tough fabric as the full size version.

- The hardware is heavy duty and won’t bend or break.

 - They hold up in dirt, brush, and rolling around in the grass.

 - They won’t tear or wear out easily.

- The infant sizes have easy access snaps between the legs.

- They wash nicely, and wear comfortably.

- They just look super cute!

These Carhartt bibs are excellent for babies and kids that play outside – comfortable, yet tough and rugged. They come in sizes 3m and up.  Our son, I’m sure, will have a pair in every size.

• model cleaning up so that your child can see how you do it
• cleaning up is part of play so make cleanup fun
• and be consistent so that your child will be instilled with this skill and maybe even start doing it on their own in the future.

[via Unclutterer: Encouraging young children to clean up their toys]