If you were following me on Instagram, you would know about our recent trip to Seattle. This trip was different - in a good way! This was our baby’s first trip. Overall, it exceeded our expectations.
Going into this, I knew that traveling with a 3.5 month old would not be simple. I told my husband about how excited I was to face this challenge. I tried my best to be prepared for what Josephine’s personality had in store for us. I opened my mind to be willing to learn and discover new tricks on how to deliver on being a super mom, hehe. Without a doubt, I do not like sharing advice unless I’ve experienced it myself.
This is how it all went down:
Before leaving to airport, Josephine decided that she’ll be good without food and rest. That entire morning I tried to feed her and put her to sleep - but I had no luck. That’s the part that frustrates me most. Little baby is already acting like a confident teenager that claims she knows best! Lol.
Not too long after, she snacked and napped at our gate. I would prefer that she ate and slept instead...
One thing to keep in mind while traveling is the baby’s endless curiosity. The reason why she has a hard time focusing during meals at new locations is because she’s a curious little George (anyone remember Curious George?). There are times when we call her, “Georgephina.” She’d rather learn about the world than eat! The distractions never stop and she has the world’s full attention. She makes me laugh a lot.
I was planning on feeding her again during take-off because that’s what other moms recommended. She was wide awake and alert and had no interest in eating at the moment. I kind of let that one go since she wasn’t complaining about her ears popping. The pacifier did it’s job and she kept swallowing her spit. Wooh! That wasn’t bad after all.
The entire flight, Teddy and I took turns holding her. She even fell asleep in our arms. She still refused to eat well. She adores people-watching and her favorite new toy.
Once we landed in Seattle, the pressure of keeping her well-behaved was released. Our friends, Andrey and Luda brought us a car seat and a stroller to borrow for the weekend. Once Josie was put into a car seat, she dreamt.
We had a busy schedule that entire weekend. Our goal was to see as much as we can in two days. I would say that we killed it! We squeezed out all of that lemon juice. We explored and ate on repeat. Josie’s feeding sessions happened in the car for the most part. It was impossible to feed her in public due to the “Georgephina Effect” that kicks in. At least she napped more than ever. She was tired like the rest of us.
When it was time to leave back home, we were sad to leave our friends behind. After two days, Josie became comfortable around them and she filled the room with giggles and smiles. I believe that this trip helped teach her how to interact with people she’d just met. She’s never seen this many “strangers” in her life. She was laughing and smiling at our kind stewardess on our flight back home. When it came to feeding, the same story happened on the flight back. She was napping more than eating during the flight. Towards the end, she was already extremely tired and wanted her crib back. In addition, it was past her bedtime!
During this entire trip we tried to maintain Josie’s bedtime routine. Josephine always came first! Anything and everything required for our sweet child to stay comfortable. She went to bed according to Central Time as opposed to Pacific Time. She had her swaddle, pacifier, and lounger to remind her of home. Once her head touched the Snuggle Me Organic lounger, she would immediately closed her eyes. Got to love a baby on her well-adapted routine. Life gets so much easier that way.
Would I ever travel with a three month old again? Definitely! Except, I wouldn’t be too harsh on myself about being late to nurse her or putting her to sleep on time. It’s “ok” to be a “good mom” sometimes. The natural “super mom” in me needs a break sometimes. However, the guilt of “taking it easy” haunts me down until I slip on my superpower costume. I was born to be a mom! I love it so much!