Mom Blog and Baby Blog | Baby Bunching

10 things we loved about blogher

Baby Bunching just returned from BlogHer 2010 in the Big Apple, and to say that we had a blast would be an understatement.  The conference itself was a wealth of information and contacts, but given that we are BFF’s, our favorite part was that we got to spend an entire weekend together without interruptions from any children at all.  This was especially important to Cara, who still carries guilt that her eldest child’s meltdown of nuclear proportions totally wrecked our last attempted reunion with all the kids earlier this year. 

We met so many new faces we can’t keep track of them, but we also saw some old friends.  Cara realized a longtime dream of meeting the hilarious Stimey, a favorite blogger and fellow Baby Buncher and mom of three boys. We had the good fortune to end up sharing a breakfast table with uber-Buncher Sierra Rix, who has guest-posted on this blog before.  We got to say hi to the Justices, organizers of the super-fab Blogalicious conference.  Linda even got to run past Bruce Jenner in Central Park, while Cara was tickled by a chance encounter with Mrs. Potato Head at the lunch buffet.  Linda enjoyed a great ride up and back on the Hershey's S'more Road Trip to BlogHer, where she met BabytobeTV and found out that she, too, is a Baby Buncher. Yes, a good time was had by all. 

Top Ten Things We Loved About BlogHer/Baby Bunching Reunion 2010:

1.  It was in New York. This was especially a bonus for Cara, who had only visited once before - with a strap-on four-month old in the Bjorn. To enjoy the city kid-free was decadent, to say the least.
2. Soaking up the contents of the Metropolitan Museum of Art over a leisurely two-day period - without kids. 
3. Standing in line at the Gershwin Theater in the hopes of winning the $25 Wicked ticket lottery.  No, we didn’t win - but we had a damn good time standing in line - something we never would’ve been able to do with our kids.
4. Killing time waiting for Wicked tickets drinking Wickedtinis at Azalea (right next door).  Admittedly, we did think of how much the kids would get a kick out of this oddly eerie illuminating green glowing beverage.  But it was still nice to be able to sip them at a leisurely pace in a real, live grown-up bar.
5. Cocktail-hour reunion (courtesy of Facebook) with one of Cara’s dear friends from grade school on the roof of the Dream Hotel.  Drinks, 20 years worth of catch-up chatter, and a serene rooftop location.  No need to further explain why the kids wouldn’t have been welcome here.
6. Cocktails and dinner with Linda’s brother, replete with leisurely people-watching over coffee from the cafe. 
7. A run/walk (Linda and Cara, respectively) through Central Park.  Could’ve done this with kids, but there would’ve been a lot more whining about the lack of available water fountains there.
8. A stroll through crowded, pulsing Times Square and brief stop in the M&M store there.  We were really glad the kids weren’t there for this one.
9. Scoring free conference swag toys for our kids.
10. Going home to our kids.

So yeah, there were a lot of cocktails now that we look at it.  But we also responsibly attended every conference session and even split up so that we could soak up as much information as possible.  We’re looking forward to synthesizing what we learned and strategizing to bring you a new-and-improved Baby Bunching community.

bunking with your bunch

With the summer travel season upon us, my Bunch has been on the move quite a bit lately.  For one reason or another, on at least half a dozen occasions over the past few months we have found ourselves bunking with one or more of our children in a hotel room, rental house, relative's home, etc.  This past weekend, we found ourselves (yet again) crammed into a hotel room together.  Yes, that's right - all five of us. If we're staying somewhere for a few nights, we spring for the extended-stay/suite-type places.  But for a quick overnight on a drive to somewhere, we're trying to minimize cash layout on the drive there so we can save money to do the fun stuff once we get there.

The Bigs have mercifully reached the age where they can sleep A) in any bed or on a pallet on the floor and B) in the same room with each other, both of which make things a LOT easier.  Although they get pretty cranked when "on vacation" (which they define as sleeping anywhere except home, no matter the location or reason), they're definitely old enough to understand that when lights are down and Mom and Dad use a firm "go to bed" tone, it's time to go to bed.

Baby, on the other hand, is still too young to get it and he is difficult in a hotel room.  So difficult, in fact, that I am straining to remember how we managed to cram into a hotel room with TWO babies.  Oh yeah, we didn't.  We were pretty much on a two-year travel moratorium during our prime Baby Bunching years, but we did have a few occasions where we all had to bunk together and here's what I remember (and still look for, when making reservations) as keys to success when traveling with baby(ies).

1) Pack N Play is critical.  Either call ahead and make sure the hotel has one or bring your own, no matter what it takes.  You may be able to get away with letting one Baby (or Toddler) snuggle in your bed, but you will not get even half a wink of sleep if the entire family is there.

2) Get two beds. That way, if the PackNPlay thing doesn't pan out and baby is scared of sleeping in an unfamiliar environment alone, you can at least split the difference with your hubby and divvy up between two beds instead of cramming the entire family into one huge one.

3) Get creative with asking for alternative room layouts.  One of the biggest problems I have getting my babies settled is that they settle easier and sleep better in rooms by themselves.  Short of getting two hotel rooms (which seems a giant waste if 50% of your family is under the age of 2 and doesn't appreciate the extra space), a hotel stay means that they will not be able to have their own rooms.  But there are a couple of things you can do to mitigate this. Although it sounds gross, hotel rooms frequently have bathrooms large enough to fit PackNPlays and that is the first place I look for the possibility of creating a "separate" space.  Typically, scoring a room that is handicap-accessible significantly increases your chances of a larger room, so ask for it and if they have enough, they may give you one. Another possible "bedroom" is an over sized closet.  At the very least, see if you can get a "suite," which isn't always the exorbitantly-priced, multiple room affair - sometimes it's just a half wall separating the sleeping area from a small "living area" - for not much more money.

4) Bring the creature comforts.  Even if the hotel has a PackNPlay, bring your own crib sheets, blankets and favorite stuffed animals.  Few hotels have sheets that fit the crib - they just double-wrap the mattress in regular sheets, so having your own bedding on hand will increase your wee one's comfort level.  Don't forget the white noise machine if your baby needs one - it may be annoying for you to fall asleep to the sound of a waterfall, but at least you will get SOME sleep if your little one sleeps instead of cries all night.

5) Max out the amenities.  If there's a pool, use it.  Get the babes good and tired in the hopes that they will just crash from exhaustion, not caring when or where they sleep. 

6) Just plan on going to bed early. My husband finds it hard to wind down at night without reading or watching TV. That's unfortunate for him, because my Bunch finds it hard to wind down if he is reading or watching TV.  If you can score a room with an outdoor balcony, you might be able to slip out and talk quietly or read for a bit.  Otherwise, just call it a day when your Bunch does - heaven knows you'll need need the rest to be up for whatever they throw your way tomorrow (or in the middle of the night).

These are my best tips, but we STILL struggle with this, and most of the time check out having slept minimally.  If you've figured out how to make family-style bunking work, DO TELL!

baby bunching Q/A: solo travel with 2 under 2

Question via FB from reader Marilyn.  Cara takes this one, as she has traveled with her Bunch and the Caboose a fair bit, both solo and with extra hands.

Q: Any tips on flying with 2 under 2 without my spouse? This 4 hr flight is going to be the longest flight of my life!

A:The first thing to remember is that your mantra for the flight is "This, too, shall pass."  No matter how bad things get, keep repeating this yourself.  While 4 hours is eternity when you're managing two babies in a confined space on your own, it's a blip in the grand scheme of things.  And be sure to keep your sense of humor.  Because sometimes, you gotta laugh or you'll cry.  Attitude is everything when flying solo!

We did a post awhile back on this topic, so we've linked to that for you.  It pretty much boils down to this:

1) The more tools (i.e. strollers and car seats) you bring to keep babies restrained, the better.  If you're traveling by yourself, you can only have one lap baby even if they are both under 2, so you have to buy one seat - bring a car seat for it.  Double stroller is a must, unless you have an infant carrier or sling of some sort - in which case, umbrella stroller for Big is preferred, with Baby strapped on to you, leaving your hands free to maneuver kids, strollers and car seats.  You may have multiple kids screaming at once, but it's always better if one of them is strapped in as opposed to wiggling (or worse, running) around on a plane or in the airport.

2) Allow PLENTY of extra time for checking baggage, getting through security, boarding, etc.  Like double the time you think you need.  Plan for the desk agents to act like they have never seen a carried-on OR checked car seat before and attempt charge you for it (even though most airlines don't).  Get to the airport early, go straight through security.  Get on the plane first, get off last.  Get There Early and Take a Leisurely Pace is your middle name this trip.

3) Hire help.  If you're on your own to drive there, do Park-N-Ride and take a bus to the terminal.  The nice little bus driver/porter will handle all of your baggage for a small tip.  Curb check the luggage - don't stand in line.  It's well worth the daily parking fee and the extra $2-$5 a bag to have someone else take care of bags.  With two kids, you have enough to take care of.

4) The two worst parts of traveling solo are security and boarding/de-boarding the plane.  TSA and flight attendants are useless.  Fellow passengers may or may not take pity on you, but you don't really want them touching your kids, so that's fine.  Do yourself a favor and check all bags except for the diaper bag so you don't have to hoist anything into the overhead bin while dealing with a car seat, a toddler, and a baby in a Snugli.   Do whatever you can to minimize carry-ons, whether that means paying the checked bag fee or wearing the same outfit all week.

5) Speaking of carry-ons, yours are for your kids and not you.  You need your ID and wallet, and maybe some lipstick.  Leave your romance novels and iPod at home - no time for that. Stuff the carry-ons with snacks, diapers (pack double what you need in case of unexpected flight delays), loveys, extra outfits for everyone and distractions for your Bunch.

6)Put everyone in a diaper or Pull-Up.  It sucks if you are potty-training your toddler, but a 4-hour flight is not the time to put potty training skills to the test.  If your Big has to go, the chances of you fitting in the small airplane bathroom with her (not to mention Baby strapped to your chest) are slim.  So go before you get on the plane, but put on a Pull-Up for backup, just in case.

May The Force be with you.  And remember - this, too, shall pass!

baby bunching Q/A: carseat logistics when traveling

In honor of kicking off summer vacation season this Memorial Day weekend, this question came from Buncher Jen as a follow-up to our post on traveling by air with your Bunch. 

Q:  We have a bunch of 3 (with 33 months between them). The oldest is 4.5 (in a booster) and the youngest are 2.5 & 1.5 (in convertibles). We are flying nonstop from Austin to Seattle & bought tickets for the 4 & 2.5 year olds and the youngest is a lap child. Do I really need to take all 3 carseats? For the longest part of our trip, we will be with family who can loan us all but one carseat so my temptation is to take only one convertible. However, what do I do for the last leg of our trip when we will be in San Francisco for the weekend without the family? I'm not exactly comfortable putting all 3 kids in the back of a cab without carseats, but is that a better alternative than spending an hour doing public transportation when it is a 15 minute cab ride? Also, are there legal requirements for children in the back of a cab? Maybe they're required to be in a carseat (in which case we can only take minivan cabs)? I'm really conflicted about how to handle the carseat situation and would appreciate any advice you might have. I hate to think about traveling with 3 little ones, 3 carseats, 2 strollers, luggage, etc. 

A: This is a complicated situation, and yet we experienced an almost identical one when we traveled last Christmas. I'm going to answer it the way I tackled it and perhaps others can chime in with alternatives. First of all, given the age of your middle child, I would consider bringing a car seat for that child on the plane because 2 1/2 is a difficult age to control and keep still on a long flight.  I always found with my kids at that age that it was easier just to to tell them they had to be buckled in just like in the car - that way it kept them from going crazy and wanting to squirm around like fools on the plane.  

The booster for your oldest child is actually quite lightweight and not that big of a deal to bring (maybe you don't need it on the plane, but you might as well bring it on the trip). And if your child is big enough--height wise--you might just bring the seat-only part of the booster. When we traveled with two boosters this past Christmas, we were able to fit both of them in one car seat travel bag and check them - it was way less hassle to carry them than I thought it would be.  Most airlines are not SUPPOSED to charge you for checked carseats - however, we experienced much confusion on the part of both gate agents and curb check both going both there and back.  One of them was going to charge us $25, but for my husband's frequent flier status, which allowed us to squeak through.  So check the charges with your airline first and get to the aiport WAY early both ways so that you can mess with the confusion that a checked car seat inevitably causes.  If you brought all 3 seats, you just have to check the baby's and you can bring the other 2 on the plane (we always just strapped a seat to each of our backs or tied to stroller somehow).  

In answer to your cab question, yes - California requires car seats in cabs.  Conversely, BART (subway) and MUNI (bus) do not - but as you pointed out, public transportation and your Bunch is a whole 'nother ball of wax.  I have heard that some cab companies DO furnish car seats, if you call in advance and request.  But I've never tested that out myself - maybe another reader has and would be willing to share?  

What it boiled down to for us was bringing all 3 car seats.  Between our 2 cars and 3 children, we have approximately 17 car seats of every type, so we always just select the lightest, narrowest, easiest to install ones for when we travel.  I'm not sure what your San Francisco plans are (are you visiting places where you can just take the car seats out of the cab and leave them at the front of the Children's Museum while you tour or are planning on hiking Fisherman's Wharf with 3 car seats strapped to your back), but my guess is that with 3 kids these ages, you're not going to "do" San Francisco at the breakneck pace that you would if you were just with hubby. So car seat logistics are just gonna have to be part of the plan. Sucks.  On the bright side, we lived in San Francisco for a summer when my kids were just the ages of yours and it is an FABULOUS place with so much to see and do (even for kids).  I'm willing to bet that even factoring in a few car seat snafus, you will have an amazing trip.  Good luck and have fun!

product review: polar gear baby portable booster seat

The further away Linda and I get from the baby years of our Bunches, the harder it gets for us to stay on top of handy new gear (sooo....sad because we are lovers of the gear!).  That's why we rely on readers and friends to keep us up to speed.  I was super pumped when friends of mine recently visited from the UK with this nifty little gadget in tow. and knew I had to share it with you girls. 

In my 6 years of parenting I've used a boatload of booster and highchairs, but I've never owned or seen one of these.  With family scattered around the country, we get around quite a bit given the number of small children we have and I sure wished I'd known about these babies 4 years ago - they fold up quite compactly and are lightweight enough to stuff one (or two!) in a suitcase or even a large diaper bag.  My friend's active 21-month old was fastened quite securely and at no point did she seem in danger of falling out.

Seemingly widely available in the UK, I had no luck finding these online here in the states (eBay, maybe?).  The First Years does make a similar counterpart, but there are a few complaints about flimsiness, safety concerns, and poor inflation on the bottom so I'm not sure how they compare.  Chime in if you've used either model!

Baby/toddler gear is an estimated $8-10 billion dollar market, and on my third time around this block I'm acutely aware of how much I overspent on the first two trips.  But this is a product I'd happily spend my money on if I didn't already own three travel boosters.

solo ops 201: surviving a deployment

(Editor's note: While this post is about an extended military deployment, Michelle's tips for making it through really apply to any short-term or long-term absence of a spouse.)

By Michelle Routhier, Manaical Musings on Motherhood

In the military, any business trip is called a TDY (temporary duty).  My husband's job has always had him TDY alot.  During our first year of parenthood, he took 11 business trips, totaling about 60 days give or take of our older son's first year of life.  His first trip left me alone with a 7 week old in a foreign country, and I was scared to death.  Soon, I developed my own routines of how I would manage  when he was gone.  I relied heavily on frozen food and mac-n-cheese and seldom showered.  My husband's current TDY took him to Afghanistan for approximately 200 days, not counting the 4 weeks of training he was TDY before he left for Afghanistan.  It was pretty clear that I couldn't live from the beginning of October to the end of May on chips and salsa and frozen food.  I am not yet at the half-way point of the deployment, but still picked up a few pointers.
 
1. Simplify Your Routine--If you normally read your toddler 5 books, sing certain songs, and ensure he/she is tucked into bed following a precise routine, you'll probably want to start thinking about what you can change.  You need the routine simple for two reasons: you might not have time to do all the steps while your baby is screaming or you might need a mother's helper to put the toddler to bed, and the fewer steps to teach, the better.  If the holidays come up during the deployment, you might want to simplify your celebrations.  It makes sense to decorate your house, but you don't need to use every decoration or go all out.  For me,  decided to skip a 1000 mile trip to visit family as my bunch does not travel well when there are 2 adults and 2 children, and I knew travelling alone would leave me more stressed and missing my husband more.
 
2.  Prepare Your Troops--Both of my boys were non-verbal when my husband left, so most of our preparation was visual.  I videotaped my husband reading several of my toddler's favorite books.  He now often points to the computer and asks "more Daddy?" meaning he wants to watch one of these video clips.  I also play the video clips for the baby while he sits in the highchair.  www.militaryonesource.com has a multitude of FREE deployment resources, and the best one for the preschool set is a Sesame Street DVD where Elmo's Daddy deploys.  For about a month, my toddler requested that video several times a day.  You can buy a stuffed "Daddy doll" with a picture of Daddy in uniform at this website:
https://www.hugahero.com/  You can even buy a voice recorder for the dolls, so your husband can record a special message for your bunch.  I got my boys their own Daddy doll, so they can keep him in their crib.  You can also make a personalized board book at:  http://mycustomstory.com/shop/storylines.  I'll admit that I was too sad to write the storyline for it, so I sent in pictures I wanted to have in the book and a general idea about Daddy going to Afghanistan and returning home safely and they wrote the story for me.
 
3.  Ask for Help or Buy the Help You Need--I was very specific when telling people what would help me most.  I had lots of offers to baby-sit, but my younger son does not take a bottle, and my older son does not do well in unfamiliar settings, so babysitting actually causes me more stress.  The help I need is meal delivery as I have a hard time finding time to cook.  It became obvious during my husband's training that people could occasionally bring me meals, but I would need to have a more regular plan, so I hired a mother's helper to come around dinner time.  It gives me an extra set of hands so I can throw a quick dinner together and she sticks around to help me put the boys to bed.  Initially, I felt bad spending the money, but without that regular help, I would have lost my sanity weeks ago.
 
4.  Take Pictures and Videos--Your days will sometimes drag on and other times fly by.  You will spend your days changing diapers, feeding, cleaning up, more diapers, and chasing, and during all that monotony your bunch will continue to grow.  You'll want to record your days for your husband who will be missing lots of milestones and changes, but for yourself too as you will be elbow deep IN raising your bunch and won't see the subtle changes or will be likely to forget.

Michelle is the mother of 2 boys, 19 months apart in age (2 years old and almost 1 year old).  Her husband's job in the U.S. Air Force has taken the family to Florida, the United Kingdom, and now Alabama.  To read more about her thoughts on baby bunching, deployments, special needs parenting, visit: http://routhierfam.blogspot.com/

doing disney baby bunching style

Reporting live from Disney World for Spring Break 2010, I'm noticing a TON of Baby Bunchers (and even a fair number of uber-Bunchers who have Bunched more than once).  I was, in fact, surprised by the number of Bunchers I've seen until I remembered that my own kids were 1 1/2 and 3 the first time we came and we've been every other year since then.

I've found that the notion of taking toddlers to Disney elicits very polarized reactions among mom friends.  Most moms either seem to feel that there is no easier place to take a pack of babies than the happiest place on earth OR they feel they would rather endure having hot irons poked into their eyes than doing Disney with tiny children.

I personally feel that Disney can be quite enjoyable, even when your Bunch is tiny, if you plan appropriately and have appropriate expectations.  With your Bunch in tow, you will not ride Space Mountain 45 times in a row and then hit Pleasure Island till 4 am, even if you have grandparents along to assist you.  If you only have one shot in your lifetime to go to Disney, then I for sure recommend waiting until the kids are a little older.  But one of the perks to going when they are young is that kids under 3 are free, and at $80 a ticket, per day, that's a significant cost savings if you can stomach dragging your double stroller from Tomorrowland to Adventureland. 

Every time we go, I learn something new about doing Disney with very wee ones.  I'll share a few nuggets of wisdom here and also hope that any other seasoned Disney travelers will chime in with theirs.

When we go to Disney, depending on whether we have grandparents with us or not we stay in one of two places:  either an off-property extended stay hotel with a kitchen suite and 2 bedrooms, or one of the super affordable, kid-friendly Disney Value Resorts. Each has their own perks. 

The extended stay suite has plenty of room, free (nice) continental breakfast, and a complimentary nightly happy hour (a really nice perk to help bridge the gap from an exhausting afternoon to an exhausting evening for bedraggled moms and dads).  We like to stay in ones along Lake Buena Vista Boulevard, which are just a few minutes drive from Downtown Disney and the parks - very convenient. Most of them run shuttles to the park as well.

When staying on-property, we stay at one of the Disney Value Resort hotels, and at $89 a night the last time we went, I predict we will stay in one of these until we win the lottery and move over to the Grand Floridian. I will say that they are definitely budget rooms. The towels (which you use for the pool and the shower) are thin and postage-stamped sized. The beds are not the most comfortable. The parking is halfway across the universe from some of the rooms in the mega complex (although we were far from our car but close to the pool!). But these drawbacks are all offset by the pluses. My favorite things about the Disney All Star Resort we stayed in:

• In true Disney fashion, spotlessly clean with hyper-friendly/helpful staff.
• Massive pools with vigilant lifeguards! Seriously, in three summers of swimming with my kids I can't remember the last time I saw a lifeguard that was actually GUARDING my kids! These Disney guys are on it. Don't forget your swim diapers/plastic pants - they are required.
• Food court with wide variety of kid-friendly foods (and healthy options as well).
• For $12 or something like that, you can purchase an insulated Disney mug that you can refill unlimited times during your visit (only at the hotel) with soft drinks, lemonade, hot chocolate, coffee, and icees (my kids' personal faves). Plus, if you keep it with you at the parks you can fill it up at water fountains rather than lug around 15 bottles of water.
• On-site video arcade. My kids are still young enough that they don't care if you have quarters to actually make it GO. They will fake speed-race each other for hours.
• Free shuttle that leaves every 20 minutes to/from all the parks and Downtown Disney. SUPER convenient. We had planned to drive to the parks so we could be on our own timetable, but a friend said the shuttle was easy as pie and it was!
• On certain days of the weeks, certain parks open early or stay open late ONLY for people staying on Disney properties. This alone made it worth the stay at this hotel. On the Magic Kingdom extended hours day, we went to the park, came home for a nap when the kids melted down, went back at 6 pm and closed the place down at 11!

OK so now onto some other handy dandy tips we have learned:

• Always go to Disney in the middle of January, which is when we went last time. There is NO ONE there. The longest we waited for a ride was 10 minutes. Seriously.  This time (the first week in March) lines were a little longer, but since our spring break was earlier than most, we still only waited 20 minutes at most attractions.
• Unless your child is in junior high, always bring a stroller. Last time, ours were almost 4 and 2 1/2 and we debated only bringing one because usually both of them want to walk (or run!). We ended up throwing in a second cheapie umbrella stroller at the last minute and we used the both all the time - especially getting around the massive hotel grounds! Since we brought inexpensive ones, we didn't worry about leaving them parked for hours at the park while we did rides or having them get wet in a short downpour that occurred while we were there.  This time, we only brought the one (for the Caboose, who wasn't born yet last time) and we regretted it - I wished we'd had another for the big boys (now 4 1/2 and 6) to trade off for.
• Speaking of strollers, if you have two singles and enough adults to push them, they are easier to maneuver through the crowds than one double. 
• Plan ahead and pack rain slickers, sunblock, and hats for everyone and shove them in your backpack. The weather turned on a dime and we were caught in a downpour, but I busted out our handy-dandy rain slickers and we kept on trekking. They sell them at the parks for a fee, of course, but if you can remember - bring your own!
• Ditto with snacks/lunch for the kids (don't forget the hand sanitizer!). We packed fruit leather, goldfish, and PB&J for the kids, which allowed us to feed them when they were hungry (during peak lunch line hours) and buy us some time to eat later, during off-peak hours. Less time wasted waiting in line.
• Don't forget your camera. If, for example, your husband packed the camera but for some absolutely ridiculous and inexplicable reason left the camera BATTERY in the hotel room, it will cost you $19 to buy a disposable camera. No joke.
• One thing we learned new this time about the Magic Kingdom is that you can hop on the railroad at the Main Street entrance and it will take you all the way back to Toontown at the back of the park, saving a lot of walking.
• If the kids are melting down, go back to the hotel and rest. This is when your extended hours pass from your Disney property comes in handy!
• There is an infant ride/wait feature, which we didn't use since the lines weren't long. This means, for example, that Mom can ride Space Mountain while Dad waits in a special area with baby and then they can switch without waiting in line twice. I'm not sure what the "infant" age limit is on that, but kind of a cool feature.
• For rides with super long waits, get Fast Passes,which will allow you to get in a shorter, expedited line at a later time.  Ask how it works at the park - it's a lifesaver when it comes to managing your line wait time.
• Any other questions you might possibly have will certainly be answered online by the Walt Disney World's Mom Panel.
• Finally, do NOT ride Stitch's Great Escape at the Magic Kingdom. In this 4-D experience Stitch will belch a hot dog on you and it is absolutely sickening. Our 4 year old, who adores Stitch, is scarred for life.

to travel or not to travel

We narrowly escaped having to go anywhere this holiday season. No car trips, no plane rides. No public transportation so to speak of. It rocked! This was the first year we made everyone come to us. Selfish? Perhaps. But boy did it just seem so much less hectic--except for all the cooking, baking and cleaning.

My reason for this, you may ask. (aka Why was I a giant Scrooge about this?) We're in a new house this year with a bit more room to celebrate. Our kids are prime Santa age and well, I just said 'Bah Humbug' this year to getting out and about. I hate dealing with sleep issues and airline delays. Actually last year we toyed with taking everyone on a Christmas cruise in some warm climate. But decided that wouldn't work for us right now either.

Being at home comes with its own set of consequences....cabin fever. We were snowed in for several days leading up to Christmas which prevented kids from going to school (so I could do last minute errands) and making us lose that loving feeling earlier than I had anticipated. Today we're resetting the house as Christmas Part 2 begins when the in laws arrive for a week. So the cooking, baking and cleaning go on . . .

Cara on the other hand has become a travel guru in the past few weeks and I bow down to her ability to cope (Ok, yes, she did have cocktails on the 5-hour plane ride but still). She has become the resident expert in travel.

Tell us about your holiday travels (or not traveling) and what you learned for next year.

woes of a traveling baby buncher

Typically here on Baby Bunching we aim to offer two things: 1) tips and tricks for survival and 2) support.  However, I feel compelled to forewarn you that today's post is strictly a vent.  Rest assured that we will offer plenty of tips and tricks for making the most of the holiday season with your Bunch, but today's post is just a bitch-fest from Cara about how much it sucks to be a traveling Baby Buncher.  If you are one of those blessed enough to live near family and avoid traveling for the holidays and cannot in any way identify with this post, consider this a small gift from God to make your life as a Baby Buncher infinitely easier.

We have just returned from a perfectly lovely long holiday weekend, where a number of our very dearest family members worked so hard to put on a picture-perfect Thanksgiving, followed by the absolutely delightful holiday weekend wedding of my sister. They were really, really lovely events and by all accounts were enjoyed by all in attendance.  Except for me and my husband.

You see, we dragged our Bunch and their little brother, The Caboose, over 600 miles by car to attend said events.  We briefly contemplated traveling by air, but decided that this had the capacity to be a disaster of even greater proportions.  Traveling with my kids sucks because:

1) Packing in and of itself is a multi-day affair.  No matter how organized I am, we just have a lot of stuff.  It takes awhile to pack the pack-n-play, the sleep aids (oscillating fan, white noise machine, etc.), the portable booster, the stroller, the diaper bag, the toy bag, the food bag, the overnight bag (so we don't have to drag everything into the hotel on the way up) and the freaking suitcases full of clothes.  And the youngest is even old enough that we have dropped the pump/formula/baby food bag.  I am absolutely mortified to say that my MINIVAN is actually not a large enough vehicle to transport my crew and their gear.  Traveling by plane would be even worse, as at $25 a checked bag, it would be cheaper to charter a plane to transport all this shit than fly commercial.

2) One of my children (typically the baby and sometimes myself, too) gets sick every time we travel.  Can I just say how great it is to spend the beginning of every trip not sleeping for 3 days and checking out every Urgent Care and pharmacy in the flipping country!??!

3) Once we get there, we are in vacation mode but we still have children.  We have so many awesome, well-intended relatives that offer to help out once we get there, but the bottom line is that the kids are still our responsibility...in an unfamiliar, unstructured, un-baby-proofed environment.  The scenario is always the same:  lovely event that has all the makings of a good time.  Long-lost relative/friend that i haven't seen in forever sidles up and says, "It's so good to see you!  How've you been?"  I begin to answer the question and then notice that one of the children has crawled/toddled/sprinted (depending on age) out of my line of vision.  Excuse myself to chase after said child, calling, "Great!  How have you been!  Would love to hear!"  In a decade, maybe, when I can have a freaking uninterrupted conversation.

4)  Despite the abundance of free babysitters, there is no break.  This is because all of the stolen moments that hubby and I count on to get us through the day (nap time, computer time while boys are at school and baby plays quietly in baby-proofed area, early bedtime for kids, hot bath and wine after kids go to bed) never happen because there is a flurry of fun activities that keep us from sticking to our schedule.  And what kind of a Grinchy parent sends their kids to bed at 7 pm when there's a flock of relatives that only get to see them twice a year lining up to play with them?

5) Fortunately, we have awesome family members who are always willing to babysit.  Unfortunately, we are bone-tired and passed out on the couch before our kids have even begun to wind down for the evening.

6) On the ride home there is no backup.  Only hundreds of miles of open road and three small children yammering for snacks, videos, potty breaks, and release from car seat harnesses.

7) And when we get home, it's immediately back to the old grind.  Which almost seems relaxing after a "vacation".

the bunch is 'shackin up' for the holidays

Traveling to visit family shouldbe an easy affair since it is your family. [cue: crazy laughter!] Holiday traveling is about bonding with one another in more ways than one. Quirky habits are unveiled to the world when everyone is stuffed in a room, sleeping on the floor and maneuvering the day on little sleep. Linda's kids (now 4 and 5) have only recently adjusted to 1) sleeping in the same room/bed 2) sleeping in a new place. Previously, in any new location, they would go to sleep late and wake up extra early leaving everyone tired and irritated for the first 24-36 hours anywhere. Cara's kids were conditioned from the beginning to sleep anywhere on anything. Linda is jealous.

Baby Bunchers have unique considerations when it comes to lodging because they can't risk A) their kids waking each other up, B) their kids waking other people up, C) other people waking their kids up. As we all know, the Baby Bunching machine is a finely oiled one, and it typically doesn't allow for sleep cycles to stray off course.  Sleep deprivation + Baby Bunch = nuclear meltdown.

Keep a few things in mind:

• 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.

• Think outside the box on sleep arrangements. Perhaps toddler could sleep with a favorite aunt or grandma. Baby isn't picky about surroundings, many times a closet or bathroom will keep toddler (or older kids) from waking up the baby. Maybe even you can be the one to take to the floor on an inflatable bed in the living room. Don't feel confined by the number of bedrooms of a house.

• Get your gear loaded up because you probably need extra equipment to lodge your Bunch for the night or two. 1) Bring the bed. We're big fans of the pack n' play. But we just saw this inflatable toddler bedfeatured at Cool Mom Picks.  Genius! It might help reduce the number of portable cribs you have to stuff in the car. 2) Noise machine. If you don't have one, get one. It makes away from home easier if you can drown out the noise.

• Bring your sense of humor because not everyone will have one. Getting baby and toddler to sleep in a new place can be challenging.