Mom Blog and Baby Blog | Baby Bunching

baby bunching Q/A: hotels

Q: Anyone attempt vacationing at a hotel with your bunch? Which hotel chains let more than two little ones stay in your room or have great yet affordable family suites? Any other tips or alternative suggestions are so welcome.

A: This answer will differ depending on your budget, the age of your kids, where you're going and who's going with you. If you're able to spring for a suite, great. If you're able to get two rooms, even better! Sometimes bringing an aunt, uncle or grandparents help because then you can spread the kids up a bit and still have a place to hang (with adjoining rooms) after 8 p.m.

Places like an Embassy Suites or Homestead Suites give you a little more wiggle room since you can at least put the kids on the sleeper sofa, pack 'n play or the floor (depending on their age) and you and hubby can escape (into the other room) to actually watch a movie, read or hang out without having to tip toe around too much. Embassy Suites usually throws in free happy hour and breakfast which is a bonus. Even a hotel with a balcony often give some options for after you put your kids to bed.

Unless you're staying at someone's house, and many times that can be even worse, you're going to be crammed it and you're going to have to be flexible and have a sense of humor.

Remember that lodging away from home, in the long run, is a growing experience for everyone. Kids need to learn how to adapt to new situations. If you anticipate it will be a horrible experience for all, stay a brief amount of time and head back. Sometimes being on the road is better than being crammed into a small space with multiple kids....at least until they're older.

Get your gear loaded up because you probably need extra equipment to lodge your Bunch for the night or two. Bring the bed. We're big fans of the pack n' play. But we just saw this inflatable toddler bed featured at Cool Mom Picks. Genius! It might help reduce the number of portable cribs you have to stuff in the car. Sleeping bags are great too. The roll-away beds can be more uncomfortable than you think and kids think sleeping on the floor is an adventure. Then you can get away with sleeping more kids. And don't forget the Noise machine. If you don't have one, get one. It makes sleeping away from home easier if you can drown out the noise.

We'd love to hear from those who travel around which hotel chains you always rely on for your Bunch.

boostApak: ready for it here in the US

This past week we hauled our Bunch off to grandma and grandpa's house for spring break. We discovered something amazing! Traveling with our kids has become not just manageable, but almost (dare I say it) fun. Yes, I admit that my kids are older: 7 and almost 6. However, in the past two years things have become easier and one reason is needing a lot less gear and that this year everyone was finally able to kind of go with the vacation flow.

Right before we left, I did a quick scan of travel with kid websites and ran across this amazing piece of travel gear that I have not yet been able to track down in the US--the BoostApak by Trunki But since we have so many readers from the UK and Australia, where I think this is sold, I'm hoping some of you can chime in on what you think about it. Because we think this is a must-have item for those of us with an older Bunch.

Love this idea because it's a car booster seat and back pack in one. This would have made our trip through the airport easier. But now I'm thinking this would even make carpools after school even easier. Kids bring their carseats with them to school as a back pack. Now that kids have to be in booster seats until they are in college, practically, this might make being in one a little more cool. Maybe.

 

traveling with your bunch: the epic journey, part 2

By Rachel Ostlie

[Editor's note: If you missed Part 1 of this amazing journey, go back and check it out as we think it's worth the read.]

In my last post, I described the epic journey my family (husband, daughter age 3, son age 21 months) took through four cities and three countries of South America.

Here are some more lessons and tips I learned through the four weeks we gallivanted around the globe. Don't miss the first 6 from tips.

7) Come prepared – The Boy Scouts had it right, it pays to be prepared. While of course you will want to be prepared with shirts, pants, underwear, socks, bathing suits, toiletries and perhaps voltage adapters, there are other things you may want to consider when traveling abroad. The first I would suggest is a first-aid kit. I don't know about your family, but my kids are disaster magnets when we are in some unknown city with no clear directions to the closest hospital. The kit should contain basics like disinfectant, triple antibiotic cream/spray, bandaids, and baby tylenol, as well as a dose of any medications your family uses regularly. Other items (that we did not bring or ran out of on the trip) that were almost impossible to find included Baby Orajel teething gel, flouride-free training toothpaste, and swim diapers. Bring these along- it will pay off!

8) Go small – While it is important to come prepared for all eventualities, it is also important to go small. Less stuff you bring means less stuff you drag around. Though our destinations had varied climates, we managed with two small suitcases, two umbrella strollers, two cloth Beco baby carriers, two toddler backpacks stuffed with toys and books, one laptop bag, and one large backpack stuffed with books, a spare change of clothes, food, and the first aid kit. Many items you can plan on buying at your destination; disposable diapers are at the top of that list. Souvenirs do not have to be bulky either. Take lots of pictures and videos, and buy things that are memorable and useful.

9) Bring bribes – If you are a no screen time and no junk food type of mom, an epic journey might be just the time to bend some rules. When sitting in one space for hours on end in the airplane, a movie or an electronic game can make a kid's day. Fruit snacks, lollypops, or gum for older kids could mean the difference between happiness and insanity for all parents involved. Other ideas include stickers (they take up no space at all!), coloring books, chenille sticks, and little toys to distract antsy hands and minds.

10) Take risks – Putting your family in danger is not a good game plan. Doing something that might usually make you uncomfortable, or trying a new food, or attempting to speak a language when you sound ridiculous are all excellent risks to take. Let the kids climb a little on those tall rocks. Laugh with people when they laugh at your pronunciation. Drink (or is it eat?) the mote con huesillo beverage that appears to be taken from a biology lab jar. Above all, try something new! If you wanted to stick to safe and secure, then it is better to not step outside your front door.

11) Pay for your water – The United States is fairly unique in the world for its ability to provide water at nearly ever faucet you encounter. If you are visiting another country, especially for a short time frame, make sure to buy all the water you drink to prevent lots of not-fun diseases. Don't be shy about buying water either... A week into our trip and my husband and I realized how desperately we missed water. We were accustomed to drinking it at every meal, and ordering it as our only beverage at restaurants to save a few bucks. It seemed silly to pay for water when we could pay just as much for a fruit juice or carbonated beverage, but we learned we enjoyed water more. Our bunch also learned to be a little more patient with the lack of water at their every beck and call, so we all gained in the process.

12) Pay in dollars – When traveling outside the USA, it is difficult to know how much currency to exchange, and when to pay with a credit card. Though every charge on your card will result in foreign transaction fees, you might be able to protect yourself against an exchange rate that hurts you by paying in dollars. Before you pay, just ask if the restaurant, hotel, or store will put the transaction through using dollars instead of the local currency. Sometimes they will even give significant discounts for having a strong dollar come straight into their coffers.

13) Stay in sometimes – After you spent a ton of money on airfare, and researched all the best options for fun, it is tempting to drag your bunch around non-stop. This is, after all, the epic journey of a lifetime. However, it is advisable to just stay in sometimes (especially if your bunch is still on the younger side!). Let the kids play with their toys quietly, or watch a movie, or play a game together as a family. Sometimes the best memories are made from times like these, when you are truly separated from the world. And everyone will be fresher and happier for it.

14) Believe – Believe in your capacity to be the supermom that you are, weathering every unforeseeable difficulty. Believe in your kids' flexibility as they meet new people and places. Believe in your husband's choices when he lets your little one careen down a hill or pet a dog or climb on a fence. And believe in your family, that not only will you survive this epic journey, you will conquer it and enjoy it!

Rachel's bunch (daughter age 3 and son age 22 months) have visited seven countries in their short lives. They will be moving to a new country in the fall, bringing the count up to eight.

traveling with your bunch: the epic journey

By Rachel Ostlie

My family recently returned from what we deemed our “Tour de Latinoamerica,” a marathon vacation to four cities in three countries, involving a total of ten flights. Both my husband and I grew up in South America, and our parents still live there (though in different places than where spent our childhood) so we wanted to visit all the places and people dear to us. Plus, this was our first chance to show off our adorable blonde bunch!

Long car trips or flights are nothing new to us, but international travel with children was a whole new animal. One unforeseen hassle ended up being our 22-month-old lap “infant,” whom we have never paid a cent for in North America, was charged anywhere from 10-25% of the full fare on most international carriers. What really made it an issue (apart from forking out more money) was the fact that we purchased our tickets online, and when we found out about various airline's policies, it was impossible to purchase an infant “ticket” without purchasing an adult fare simultaneously. This meant my husband had to figure out the status of our youngest at each check-in, while I desperately threw fruit strips, stickers, and lollipops at the kids to keep them happy during the wait.

You can view the above as Baby Bunching Epic Travel Tip #1) Know the airline's rules about infant travel.Here is some more knowledge gleaned from our month of travel, and I'd love to hear any more that those with multi-stamped passports have to add!

2) Be flexible – Of course this tip is a given, but it is SO TRUE. Flexibility when you are not in your own home, let alone your own country, is a must. Prior to this trip, I was concerned what all our “schedule-is-out-the-window” and “take-life-as-it-comes” would do to our toddlers, but I was pleasantly surprised. They were willing to take it all in stride, and our type-A firstborn had only one meltdown related to lack of schedule the entire trip.

3) Bring stability along – Temper the need to be flexible with the opportunities your family has for stability while traveling. Make sure to bring the kids' favorite toys and books, or even a picture of a beloved playmate. Try to establish some routines, even if you can't keep your normal ones. We started a daily habit every night before they went to bed: reading a Bible story to the kids, letting them color a related coloring page, giving them a sticker and a gummy vitamin, and singing the same songs, then brushing their teeth. Maybe for your bunch having the same thing for breakfast every morning would be nice, or keeping a strict naptime. No matter what, small points of stability can be found anywhere you go.

4) Be educational – Though the kids might not be going to their mommy-and-me classes, or may be skipping school days altogether, there is no reason not be educational on the trip. Take advantage of the new places and things you'll see. Our kids learned about sea lions and seaweed, farm animals and produce, and most of all, about airplanes. I printed out a few coloring sheets for each country we visited with the map, flag, and national flower or bird; older children might enjoy fact lists or worksheets. Of course everyone enjoys a good book to help them connect what they are learning to what they already know. Growing up in a big city where about thirteen stars are visible each night (per the Chicago Planetarium), an evening of stargazing in a remote desert was a huge deal for our three-year-old. It helped that we had read How Big Is A Million? by Anna Milbourne the weeks before, so she was excited to see a million stars.

5) Mooch off friends and family – The independent American in us is usually quite averse to anything that resembles charity, but if you have friends or family available on your trip, feel free to mooch off of them. Staying in a home is infinitely cheaper than staying in a hotel, and you might even gain some cultural experience for yourself and the kids. Having a family member show you the local spots could teach you a lot more than the Lonely Planet guidebook. Of course, relationships can bring hassle, and it's up to you to decide what living circumstance would be best for your family. But we found that for our family, the benefits outweighed the trouble.

6) Do your homework – If you are a do-it-yourselfer, or a travel nerd, then you might want to disregard the suggestion in number five. The last big trip my husband and I took was our “babymoon” to Morocco and Spain. We had friends in Morocco, but in Spain we were on our own. We brought along Lonely Planet guidebooks for both countries, asked a lot of advice from those who had traveled there before, and meticulously planned our trip. At the end of our four weeks in South America, I realized that I had missed a little bit of that independence, and a lot of the learning experience and socio-historical background. Next trip I'll remember to do my homework ahead of time.

Stay tuned for the next post, where we'll cover packing, bribes, and risks...
 
Rachel is a happily baby bunching mom of two, with another baby on the way. She has been either pregnant or breastfeeding for the entire past four years (minus one month).

how alamo car rental almost ruined spring break...until great wolf lodge saved it

Editors note:  Y'all know we don't get paid to review stuff here on Baby Bunching, which means we can be totally honest and tell you about our love/hates.  This is a story about both.  Just a heads-up that this post is targeted towards older Bunchers who may be considering family vacation options.  But younger Bunchers take heart as well - we saw lots of babies here and the youngest of my crew (just 2 1/2) had a blast - so you're not far off from a visit to Great Wolf Lodge!

Last week was Spring Break.  With some pre-paid tickets to Disney that we needed to use up, we made a last-minute decision to head on over to Orlando.  Last minute + grandparents who decided to tag along and help out = astronomical air fare, so we decided to rent an 8-passenger vehicle to get us all there (from Texas).  Grandma was kind enough to do the research and scored a Yukon with unlimited mileage and no extra fees for interstate travel. She booked it online, reserved it with a credit card, called an hour beforehand to confirm availability, and then headed on over to pick it up.

And this is where the story gets nasty.

Upon arrival, Alamo car rental company offered us an upgrade to a Suburban for only $100, an offer we gratefully accepted.  But then they couldn't find the Suburban.  Or the Yukon.  Fortunately, we were at the airport rental location, so the manager quickly went around to all the other rental car companies to find a car.

Unfortunately, since the entire state of Texas goes on Spring Break during the same week and approximately 50 percent of Texans were also undoubtedly Orlando-bound with grandparents in tow, there were no cars to be had.  A frantic call to 1-800 numbers of three other major car rental companies confirmed our fears - that we were SOL. The Alamo manager, poorly schooled in the art of customer relations, provided the following proposed "solutions":

1) We could wait an extra day to leave and they would "try" to get us a car.  A promise we (understandably) didn't feel held a whole lot of credibility.  The only thing worse than telling your kids you can't leave for Disney is making them wait around to leave for Disney for a whole 'nother day and THEN telling them they can't leave for Disney.

2) They could give us TWO cars.  At regular rates, of course.  With gas hovering around $4 a gallon, chartering a freaking private jet would've been a cheaper options.

We briefly discussed the possibilities of taking our own two cars (which hadn't been serviced, since we weren't planning on driving them across five states) or leaving someone behind (Grandpa was overwhelmingly blackballed) but found neither of those satisfactory options, either.  If it was the kiddos' first trip to Disney, I would have WALKED there, come hell or high water, but given that they've been several times, we decided to break the news that we would have to postpone the trip.

Fortunately, Grandma was thinking on her feet and booked us a trip at Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, Texas - just a few short hours away.  And this is where the story gets happy again.

Talk about exceeding expectations.  This indoor/outdoor water park is the ultimate resort for kids, and manages to pamper parents a little along the way.  The place was spotlessly clean and since only guests of the hotel/resort can use the water park, crowd control is kept to a very reasonable level.  The park features several dining and drinking options, with familiar, family-friendly brands such as Pizza Hut, A&W hot dogs, Starbucks, and Jose Cuervo.  Each morning and evening there is a character-driven show, plus a night-time story hour, which children are welcome to attend in pajamas (much to the excitement of my eldest child, who I fear will show up for his own wedding in pajamas).  Add in a scavenger hunt (plan ahead - it was all booked by the time we registered), an arcade, spas for both kiddos and adults, and even an evening kids club (for an extra charge) so mom and dad can catch a break - Great Wolf is practically a cruise ship on land.

Having been a former teenage lifeguard, I am not a fan.  But the lifeguards at this place give new meaning to the word hyper-vigilant.  One lifeguard at the Lazy River attraction was so laser-focused on manning his bend of the river that I actually wished he would relax a little - he was totally stressing me out with his quick, spaz-pacing of his zone. But once you become a parent, stress is a constant state, so I felt oddly reassured by our shared anxiety over my children's safety.  

There are water amenities for everyone - death-defying water slides, a water obstacle course, a hot tub, a wave pool, a lazy river, a water fort - and even a miniature version of all these for the wee-est ones!  Attractions are graded by height/swimmer skill level and your kids are banded with appropriate wrist bands when they walk in the door.  Life jackets (clean! in good condition!) are available free of charge in a  variety of sizes.  And did I mention there's an outside replica of practically the entire park as well?

The 50 percent of Texas that was not in Orlando was at Great Wolf Lodge, so in our last minute haste to book a room, all that was left was the super posh Grizzly Bear Suite.  Admittedly, the price tag attached to this baby would've given me pause, but fortunately for us Grandma was not above throwing money at the problem to make things right for the kiddos.  Our two-bedroom suite had a little kitchenette and slept 8 (with a  pullout sofa in the living room), so there was plenty of room for everyone.  We lucked out because Grizzly Suite patrons can apparently check in whenever they want, but even regular guests can enter the water park at 1 pm, even though they may not be able to check into their room until 4 pm, depending on availability.  You can swim until 9 at night, and then stay until 9 the next day (although you have to check out of your room by 11 am).  So although it's not cheap, each one-night's stay is accompanied by a full 1.5 days of water fun! 

In summary, Great Wolf Lodge:

Clean - check
Safe - check
Fun for all ages - check
Value for the chunk of money - still a check

Great Wolf is one place we'll definitely go back to!  My mother, who reads this blog, made me delete the part where I tell Alamo National where they can go.

baby bunching Q/A: best stroller option for the airport

If you are one of the lucky Bunchers who will be traveling by air this holiday season, which begins next week by the way, you may be struggling with what kind of stroller to bring. We have received multiple versions of this question in the last week.

Q: I need some advice for traveling with my Bunch. We are heading cross country in a month and are staying for 2 weeks. My boys will be 1 year old, and just over 2. We are flying from VA and connect in Chicago. My double is a Baby Jogger Classic, and it's just way to huge and heavy to fly with. The last time we did this we brought the single Zooper and I wore the little one, but that was when he was 4 months old, he's to heavy for all day baby wearing now. I'm considering getting another travel stroller before we leave. Any suggestions? Should I get another double, or maybe just an umbrella single, since I'll be traveling with my husband?

A: Most importantly, you need some way to secure and transport all member of your Bunch. In these days of tight luggage restrictions, you may be tempted to forgo a stroller if your kids are big enough to walk.  Do not delude yourself into thinking that your two year old, who behaves like an angel at the mall, is going to happily hold your hand and walk through five airport terminals to get to the gate.  Even the most well-behaved toddler will either bolt or refuse to walk in this situation.  Your mode of transportation will depend on the ages of your kids.  When the baby was very tiny, we found it most convenient to throw him in a Baby Bjorn and put the big baby in the stroller.  When they got a little older, the double stroller became handy.  

However, a double stroller is not necessary, and may not even be preferrable for airport travel. If your youngest is younger than 1, you might try some kind of backpacky like thing (a Kelty or even the Ergo). But we support two umbrella strollers if in doubt. Why? They are cheap, light and can pass through most doorways and into bathroom stalls without too much issue.  

So yes, our recommendation on this one is to take your single and get another single umbrella or just suck it up and get two umbrellas to save yourself the headache of ruining your current single. With more and more people gate checking last minute large bags, the baggage guys probably have less patience for any precious strollers that come their way. They will be flung on like the rest of the luggage. Since you're staying for 2 weeks you will probably need a way to transport babes once you're there so if someone else will be with you at all times, go for the two singles. If not, you may need to reconsider a double on the other end.

However, if you're looking for an "excuse" for a new stroller (like we need one of those) this new one from Maxi Cosi might be a fun option and one that you can use after the airport nonsense. Or if you are insisting on a double, a Sit n' Stand might provide you with some options along the way. Linda personally bought a double Jeep twin lightweight stroller for an international trip five years ago. The thing was light and easy to collapse, but the first trip across the Atlantic resulted in a casualty that meant the thing never folded right again. 

baby bunching Q/A: bunching alone in a new place

Q:  My husband is active duty military and while I am able to stay at home with my children, his job requires his absence for extended periods of time on a regular basis, not to mention the fact that when he is at home, he regularly works very long hours and  often leaves before my oldest wakes up and comes home right around bedtime. I would like to know if you have any tips that would ease the transition of settling in with the new baby, or bedtime, mealtime etc. with my oldest (and surviving the baby bunching scene alone). The two will be 15 months apart and I should add that we just moved out of the country, so in addition to the already momentous transition, we also are very far from family and don't really know anyone where we live yet.

A:Congrats on your impending arrival, and how fun that you'll be living overseas. I also raised my two kids overseas, and arrived in a new country when my youngest was 7 weeks old and my oldest 17 months. While challenging, it was an experience I wouldn't trade for anything.

You have a few questions here so let me address one at a time. First of all, surviving the early days alone. Settling in alone will be challenging.

We always like to offer a few tips:

• Get your toddler on a bedtime routine now! This will make things SO much easier later if you can count on the fact that he/she will be in bed at 7:30 and you're not still screwing with toddler AND baby at 10 p.m.
• If you can get someone to come help you out, like a grandmother or an aunt for the first few weeks, that would be worth it. Flights are often cheaper in the winter and having extra hands if hubby is not there, will at least help you get the lay of the land of this Baby Bunching lifestyle.
• Don't be afraid to not do it all. If your toddler doesn't get a bath or eats mac and cheese 4 nights a week, don't beat yourself up over it. No one can do it all, especially alone. So cut yourself some slack. (This will be ongoing motto you have to repeat to yourself.) 

Mealtime, bedtime, new baby and toddler will be chaotic no matter how you slice or dice it--with or without help. It's all part of the game.  But in fact, the first few weeks, what we call the quiet period, may be easier than you think when baby is sleeping all the time. Bring in extra troops when hubby is back traveling and baby has suddenly discovered his lungs.

Baby Buncher Michelle wrote a great post about surviving a deployment that might offer up some other great tips.

From what I have learned about overseas life and hubby being gone is the support system often tends to be BETTER overseas than here at home. People are ready to engage and help out when they can. So it might actually be better that you're there with a closer-knit support system. Immediately join whatever mom's group you can now to get your network in place. Having people bring you meals and stop by to help you entertain two kids is a HUGE help. 

We have so many moms on this site with traveling dads, we'd love to hear your stories as well.

travel for two, two for travel: by car + plane

By Rachel Ostlie

[Editor's note: This is Part 2 of a travel. Find out a bit more about Rachel's lessons learned from a previous trip. Holiday travel, here we come!]

My second trip was a combo car-airplane trip, and significantly less eventful since my significant other came along. Two babies and two parents is fairly manageable.

We were off to visit my relatives in British Columbia, but airfare is much cheaper through Seattle, so we planned to fly and then drive up past the border. The trip going there was better planned: we had a four-hour flight, followed by a nice break in the Seattle area (including lunch at the Space Needle) and then a 2.5 hour drive to Canada. The kids did well with the short spurts, and little baby even slept on the plane. The biggest bummer was that my 2.5-year-old daughter fell on some steps as we were exploring Seattle and cracked her head open. We ended up driving around for two hours, being given directions to one hospital and getting lost, stopping at a pharmacy that couldn't help us, going to a clinic that wouldn't accept children under the age of six, visiting hospital that only accepted patients with a certain type of insurance, until finally being taken in at an ER. Thank God that most emergency rooms take anyone, I didn't have the kids' insurance cards on me and had to fax the info when I returned home.

Another upgrade from the previous trip-- my husband got an iPad. We put a few videos on it, and while I'm not big on my kids watching TV (we don't even have one in our home), this was a good time to make an exception. No installation necessary.... I just strung some yarn between the driver's and passenger's seat and hung the case on it!

Our return trip from Canada was a little more rocky, involving an early morning, my husband's passport that had expired, a border that didn't open til 8, forgetting to fill the rental car with gas before returning it, and checking in a mere two minutes before they closed our flight. We were grateful, however, for our effective packing. With all the security checkpoints and the cost of checked-in bags, I believe we found the sweet spot for travel with two parents and a baby bunch.

Our equipage consisted of: two rolling carry-ons (one with babies' clothes and one with parents' clothes), a backpack filled with activities/toys for each child, a latop bag for the dad, a backpack/diaper bag for the mom, an umbrella stroller with a hold-on handle, and two carseats in bags. The carseat bags were a life-saver, because you can check them in for free. We went ahead and tossed in our extra shoes and toiletries, saving us the hassle of stuffing them in the carry-ons, and then taking them out at each security checkpoint. (Note: I wouldn't abuse of this, since the spirit of the law is to help parents with kids. Packing your baby's entire library in a carseat bag would be fairly suspicious and may result in paying luggage fees.) Also a life-saver was the hold-on handle (from www.greaterthanonekids.com, but if you're crafty you could make your own). Most of the time I had little baby in the umbrella stroller (which fits through those x-ray machines) and big baby holding on to the handle, which was colorfully made to look like a bee. Any extra hand counts when you are running through an air terminal, I can tell you that!

Lessons learned:

1. Get a GPS or learn to use the one on your phone. You never know when you will have a sick baby that needs medical care in a strange city. 

2. Bring some basic first aid items along wherever you go. You never know when you will have a sick baby that needs medical care in a strange city. 

3. Bring your insurance cards along wherever you go. You never know when you will have a sick baby that needs medical care in a strange city. Do you see a theme?

4. As mentioned in the previous post, get a portable DVD player/iPad/something.

5. Bring an extra sippy cup or buy the disposable multi-pack kind. Our daughter lost hers mid-trip and we spent a lot of time cleaning up spilled drinks.

6. Have plenty of snacks and toys. The winners on this trip were pretzels, stickers, and pipe cleaners. You can seriously do anything with pipe cleaners... make glasses, a tiara, or bracelets, practice shapes, make cars or animals to play with each other, share with other kids, etc.

7. Be creative with your packing, and decide if maxing out your carry-on allotment is worth the hassle. My husband and I grew up overseas and are seasoned travelers, so we enjoyed the challenge. Others may prefer to relax a little more on their trip.

8. Be creative with baby transportation. Double strollers are not airport friendly... so consider options like slings, soft-frame baby carriers, hold-on handles, and sturdy umbrella strollers (which you can check in at the gate).

9.  Pace yourself. Give breaks to babies and parents (sitting in a vehicle or plane does not count) for everyone's mental sanity.

10.  Do not expect to enjoy the travel, but find joy in the small things (like naps, being prepared with extra napkins for that spill, or being together a a family).

In the end, traveling with your bunch is much like any other day: Be prepared. Expect the worst. Hope for the best. And enjoy the ride.

travel for two, two for travel: by car

By Rachel Ostlie

Traveling with two toddlers is a Herculean labor. Traveling with two toddlers in our post-9/11 world is even worse.

I had the problem privilege of multiple trips with my bunch this summer and early fall, and I'd love to share my stories with anyone who will listen. After all . . . it's always fun to laugh at another mom's trials.

The first, and most painful, was a weekend car trip. My husband had work, so he couldn't make the 850-mile trip to a college friend's wedding. Thankfully, since I live in a major city (Chicago), my friend had another friend in the area willing to drive. So after a play date and numerous emails to hammer out the details, two moms and three kids (ages 30 months, 13 months and 9 months) left at 5 a.m. to the Deep South. Now, I had spoken to this mom-acquaintance and suggested an early start, saying,“This way the kids will sleep for the first three or four hours of the trip, and it will make things go much easier.” But after moving my kids from their beds to our car and to her car, they were less than drowsy. And her daughter wakes up at 5 am EVERY DAY. You have to wonder why she didn't share this with me!?! The end result was three kids wide awake at 5am, and two moms hitting the road with even less sleep than usual.

We tried to be wise, stopping every so often for diaper/potty breaks, and taking long lunches (curse you, McDonald's, for having an outdoor play place with searingly-hot rubber flooring!). But the trip dragged on and on. Each traveler contributed to the problem. 10-month-old darling was as sweet as can be when my older ones were awake, as she was not much of a crawler and used to sitting around. In fact, she was really entertained by the big babies. But if they were asleep, she began to whine and scream out of boredom, waking everyone else up. My rambunctious and adventurous 13-month-old, already a strong walker, was dying to get out of his car seat in the first thirty minutes. No amount of singing, toys, cheerios, or fruit snacks could placate him for long. My toddler girl, used to having a space of her own, was ready to start a nuclear war after her brother's repeated incursions into her car seat territory. I was in the passenger seat, twisted around like an acrobat, trying to keep everyone happy. Which meant that my fellow mom had to drive. And drive. And drive. Midnight approached and we hit construction traffic in Atlanta . . . and then we finally arrived at our final destination around 1 a.m.

On the way home, less than 48 hours later, my mom-acquaintance strongly suggested that we break the trip in two. A reasonable request, given that I drove less than an hour on the way there (due to baby demands and bleary night vision from glasses I never wear). So I bit the bullet and agreed. She had a restful night in a hotel room with her daughter. I was up most of the night, bouncing between my toddlers who were amused by the new location, each other's noises, and mommy's determination to get them both to sleep. But the return trip was much more tolerable, and I am grateful that I got to see my friend get married.

Lessons learned:

1. Get a portable DVD player/iPad/something. I borrowed one from a friend the night before, and it didn't work!

2. Be as open as possible about expectations when traveling with non-family. 

3. Have plenty of snacks and toys, especially new toys or toys you hid from your children for the past month.

4. If stuck with two babies in one motel room, consider using the bathroom as a second “bedroom.” 

5. Be flexible with others in the same high-stress situation as you.

6. Be creative when it comes to caring for your kids.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of Rachel's adventure.....

solving your sleep challenges

Had I known before I had babies what level of sleep deprivation I was facing, I'm honestly not sure I would've had the guts to take the parenting plunge.  I've always been a girl who needs her sleep - never 12 straight hours, but the recommended solid 8.  Now, 6+ years into this parenting gig, I'm running on all cylinders at 6 and can make due with 5 consecutive hours a night for about 3 weeks before I crash - and then start the cycle all over again. 

I do feel compelled to give my children credit by saying that they are all good sleepers (or, rather, have been trained to be good sleepers).  Certainly, we have our fair share of bedtime battles (one more cup of water, PLEASE?) and the odd uber early rising or skipped nap, but for the most part they are pretty good. But like any other kids, they are thrown off by changes in routine due to illness, transition, and travel.  And since we are pretty much always either going through sickness, a major life change for someone (or all members of the family), or a trip - well, I guess that just explains why I'm sleep deprived despite the fact that I have good sleepers.

The biggest sleep challenge I face with my Bunch is travel.  Although our travel schedules slowed a bit until the youngest of our Bunch was two, with family scattered all across the country, two cross-country moves, and even a family reunion in another country, being flexible enough to travel has been a necessity for my kids.  Unfortunately, that doesn't always result in a good night's sleep for me.  Here are just a few of the sleep struggles we've faced when traveling with our Bunch and how we've solved them.

• Until about age 2, every baby needs a crib.  Lucky you if you co-sleep.  Otherwise, the best way we've found to get around this is to lug a pack-n-play along and borrow one (or a crib) on site.
• Until about age 2, every baby needs a separate sleeping area.  Be sure that sleeping accommodations either involve lots of bedrooms or closets/bathrooms big enough to hold pack-n-plays.  Is it gross to stick your kid in a bathroom?  Kinda.  But they can't touch anything from the pack-n-play and it means more sleep for you, so go with it.
• At any age, we need multiple rooms - otherwise mom and dad have to go to bed and rise at the same time as the babies, which means ZERO down time for mom and dad.  No parental down time + no sleep + babies off routine = disaster in the making.  When staying in hotels, we look for multi-bedroom suite set-ups (Embassy Suites is our fave).  After all, what's a little extra money at night in exchange for sanity the next day?
• Late bedtimes for my Bunch because exploring new places is so fun.  And really - who puts their kids to bed at 7 pm when visiting grandparents they only see twice a year?  After 6 years of traveling parent trial and error, we do now.  Put one parent in charge of gently reminding the other about the need to stick to sleep routines.
• Travel destinations are rarely baby-proofed.  To this day, even with older kids, I worry that once my babies outgrow the cribs, they will wander out of their assigned sleeping room and somehow get into trouble. Triple lock all doors and baby-proof as best you can (don't forget to watch out for TV cords they can trip over or dressers they can pull on themselves while you slumber peacefully).  If necessary, split up adult sleeping arrangements to be with/near each kid.  Recently, our kids all slept in the cushy king-sized Heavenly Bed while we slept on the lame foldout sofa in the front room of the suite.  That's because I didn't trust them not to get up in the morning and walk right out the front door of the hotel room without us hearing.  Safety first, at all costs.
• When my Bunch gets up, the whole house is woken up.  Put traveling companions on notice that traveling with you sucks - and this is just one of the many reasons why.  If they think they have it bad, they ought to try to be you - at least they get to go home to peace and quiet at the end of the trip.
• Somehow, no matter how hard we try, we are always one bed/sleeping space short of ideal conditions.  Be flexible and embrace the adventure.  We rarely allow our kids to sleep with us at home, so vacation is a good excuse for Hubs and I to split up in different beds and each snuggle with a kid.  And bear with the tiny feet that kick you and keep you up all night - consider it a flashback to sleeping while pregnant.
• We always think we've solved all these problems and we're gonna get more sleep.  Forget about getting enough sleep, even on vacation.  In 18 years, you can sleep all you want.  For now, live to serve your tiny masters.  Remember, they're only little once - fire up the coffee pot and enjoy it.

Baby Bunching wants to know:  what's been your biggest sleep challenge and how did you solve it?