The first step was gathering everything but the kitchen sink and putting it on the dining room table. This is what I wanted to pack with me in the carry on so that I would be prepared for ANYTHING.
Lots of dry snacks/food
baby oatmeal
baby food tubs and squeeze containers
lots of diapers
lots of diaper wipes
lots of diaper wipes
2 bibs
plastic spoons
wallet
sunglasses
wrist splint (it's purple)
2 sippy cups
1 blanket per boy
1 change of clothes for Little Mr.
2 changes of clothes for Little Brother
camera, extra battery
tons of stickers
tons of binkys
extra chapstick
baby medicines, thermometer
nursing cover
DVD player with Curious George DVD, kid sized headphones, charger
cell phone charger
cell phone charger
pipe cleaners, sticky wickys, magnetic sticks
too many baby toys ;)
paper and pens, small ziploc of crayons
doggy backpack toddler leash
Little Mr's "Woof" and "Oo-Ee-Ee" (stuffed dog and monkey)
bucket of plastic fish
5 books
flat car puzzle with pieces in a ziploc
This is what I was left with. The items in the front were reject items that either got eaten before we left, or went in the suitcase. :)
This was a dry run to see if I could carry it all. The diaper bag was packed as if it was a normal day, so it wasn't heavy. Little Brother is on my front in the Moby wrap, the diaper bag is over my shoulder and the backpack was comfortable even with the Moby on. I called it a success! Little Mr. would wear the Thomas toddler backpack and we'd all be able to walk through the airport just fine. Thankfully we were also planning on taking the double stroller with us and gate check it.
We didn't fly out till the 4th, but I decided to head for the Seattle area early to beat some bad weather that was in the forecast. I left late on the 2nd, and instead of beating the weather, it beat me! When I drove through Bellingham, they had already had snow for quite some time, and it was snowing for about 30 minutes of my drive. When I got to the Seattle area, the traffic was wonderful other than the normal area where it is slow almost any time of day... right where you have a perfect shot of the Space Needle! So I went against my better judgement and snapped a shot of it.
Little Brother shared my bed for an hour or two the next morning. He was just getting over being sick, so I think he needed to cuddle. I will forever cherish this photo with his arms spread out wide to each side, it was such a sweet moment.
Grandma J came to visit with us!
The boys had lots of fun moments with their two P cousins!
Little Mr. collected his first egg. He was so proud of it! Aunt S has two really cute chickens that he just adores.
This toy kept his interest for the better part of an hour I would say. It was incredible.
I didn't get any good shots of cousin S or of my sister and brother in law who so graciously opened up their (close to the SeaTac airport) home to us. However, I can't thank them enough for their hospitality. I 100% could not have done this trip without them. The help I received the morning I flew out, alone makes my sister in law deserving of a metal lol. No one likes to get up at 3:30 am to deal with kids that had to be woken up and help load a car in freezing temperatures! My time in their home was so relaxing after the very hectic and at times stressful week I had just survived. I know that sounds a little dramatic, which I tend to be at times... but I had been home alone with the boys for almost 1 week, after a sickness that had already kept us home for several days (the flu) and then we caught another sickness that kept us home, Little Mr. fell and badly bit his bottom lip, all while I was cleaning and packing and preparing etc. Looking back on it now, it is almost comical lol!
Anyways, thank you S&S!
I think u deserve a metal too Chatty! Whew! So glad you had a helpful and relaxing send off. :) ~ SJo
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