We just got back from our first major trip with Babes. We flew to see Mark's mom in Florida. This was Livia's first time flying and that was an adventure in of its own. I did lots of reading and worrying before we left. I read other mom's tips and tricks. I worried about how she'd handle all the new sights and sounds (as well as being thrown off her game with a totally new schedule).

My big goal was to try my best to keep her on a somewhat normal schedule while we were visiting. Well that plan went out the window the morning we left. Our flight was at 5 a.m. and we were going to wake Livia up just in time to do a quick diaper change and put her in the carseat before we had to leave for the airport. Well, she decided she wanted to get up when Mom and Dad got up...meaning 2:00 a.m.

But she was a little trooper. She flew like she was a pro and we didn't have any issues on the way to Florida. On the way back, that was a different story. She needed to be entertained a little more and all she wanted to do was get down and move. I told a friend that flying with a baby is like flying with a baby shark; 1) everyone looks at you with fear in their eyes when they see you boarding with a baby, 2) they do nothing but flop around trying to get away, and 3) they are fully prepared to attack the closest person to them with their ear piercing screams. Maybe we're the only ones that felt like that.

I did keep mental notes on what worked and didn't work for future reference.

1. Fly when baby will fly best. Livia is a morning bird. She is the happiest in the mornings and less likely to throw a fit. That's why we decided to fly early early morning in hopes that she'd sleep a little on the plane (she did) and if she was awake she'd be happy (she was).

2. Use premade formula (if you are a formula user). This one saved our lives! Enfamil has 8 oz bottles that just need to be shaken and added to a bottle for baby. It was so much easier than worrying about getting bottled water after going through security and powder getting everywhere.

3. Know the TSA rules for formula and breast milk. I made sure to go onto the TSA website and look at the rules for bringing premade formula. They said it wasn't an issue as long as you informed the TSA officers of the formula and kept it separate from your other liquids and gels. I kept the formula and her food pouches in a separate gallon baggie and pulled it out when we went through security. No problems at all. I did print off the rules from the website and had them with us just in case we ran into any issues.

4. Take off and landing. I had read to give baby a bottle during take off and landing to help with ear popping. We had a bottle ready each time but she never needed it (remember...acted like a pro). I had also read a little Benadryl before flying would help baby. I did extensive reading on this and also called our doctor. Giving your baby Benadryl before flying comes with different thoughts and opinions, but in the end we felt like it would help her. We gave her the recommended dosage and we didn't have any issues.

5. KNOW YOUR SUITCASE WEIGHT LIMITS. Ugh. I fail at this every.single.time. It just drives Mark up a wall. I say I'm going to pack light every time and end up over packing every time. The original plan for us was to use a large suitcase for all three of us. I didn't want to deal with all this 'stuff' and also a baby. Well....that plan backfired. We were over by 10 pounds when we got the airport and didn't have an extra bag to break up the load. So we ended up paying extra. So, I'm still working on this one. Need to figure out a way not to pack so dang much (Mark would say just don't pack so much!).

6. Check your baby items. Our airline will check baby items like strollers and car seats for free. We did this on the way home with the large carseat (a Christmas gift from Grandma!) and we gate checked our stroller. See my must have items when traveling with baby for stroller and car seat bags.

7. Buy what you need when you get there. We were lucky and going to Mark's mom's house so we had access to a full sized fridge, washer and dryer and the luxury of a house vs. a small hotel room. Mark's mom was awesome enough to pick up diapers, formula, wipes, and food for us before we got there. I just sent her a list of what we needed/used and she picked it all up. It was great! I just packed the minimum of what we'd need to get there and in case we got stuck in an airport overnight or something. Otherwise, it was awesome to have a case of diapers and formula ready for us when we got there. Mark and I decided that from now on we'd order what we need online from the closest Target and just have it ready for pick up when we get there. Totally worth it.

8. Just go with it. I used to love traveling and flying, but somewhere along the way it started to become a little bit of a pain. And flying with Baby....no easy task. As much as you try to read and prepare and get all the cool gadgets, at the end of the day you just have to sit back and let it all unfold. Remember you are on an adventure and whatever happen will. While there were times I was frustrated, tired, stressed, and overwhelmed I tried to remember that this was Livia's first flying trip. It would be something we could tell her about later. And I that I was on vacation! You can't be stressed on vacation. (However, the idea of needing a vacation after vacation has taken on a whole new meaning for Mark and I now that Livia is our little world traveler.)