Things I've learned while traveling with a toddler

We flew to Chicago on Monday. The plane ride wasn't terrible but as expected Emi didn't want to be held. She wanted down and wanted everything that she wasn't supposed to have. 

We have been in Chicago for 3 days and today we're driving to Indiana. 

Here's what I've learned so far:

1. Technology isn't effective on a plane. Emi doesn't have the attention span and she didn't want to wear the headphones so the laptop/DVD/iPad I packed were ineffective and just made everything heavy!

2. Snacks work. But squishy snacks do not. I had nutrigrain bars that were smashed and fig cookies that are ruined. Gold fish were great and animal crackers were great. The puréed pouches were awesome. I've never given those to her because they gross me out but she loves them.

3. Kids can have allergic reactions to things they have used before. Emi had an allergic reaction to sun screen that she uses almost every day. It was scary. 

4. Even if you're well prepared things are going to go wrong. I caught a stomach bug on day one. And it was my bday! :(

5. Blow outs are worse in another town. 

6. You can't operate on other people's schedules with a baby. 

That's what I've learned so far. 

What's for Dinner?

Monday:

Breakfast- eggs and fruit

Lunch- April Palmer's chicken spaghetti (I didn't get this done last week) 

Dinner- pizza for Anthony's bday

Tuesday:

Breakfast- eggs and fruit

Lunch- Left over spaghetti

Dinner- Memaw's slow cooker sloppy joes

Wednesday:

Breakfast- Smoothie for me and waffles for Emi

Lunch- sandwiches

Dinner- It's our anniversary so we'll probably go out. 

Thursday:

Breakfast- blueberry breakfast cake

Lunch- Memaw's chicken pot pie (recipe for my cook book I'm making)

Dinner- Mexican cornbread

Friday:

Breakfast: left over blueberry cake

Lunch:  Left overs

Dinner: Grilled pork chops and squash/zucchini from the garden.

Saturday:

Breakfast: 

Lunch: sushi for my birthday!

Dinner: Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken

Dessert: Memaw's double chocolate coca cola cake!

Sunday:

Breakfast: maybe pancakes

Lunch: Home made pizza

Dinner: left overs since we leave to go out of town tomorrow!

What are we doing this week?

I have already found it helpful to have activities on hand ready to go so that no one complains about being "bored" and Emi doesn't have a melt down because she has too much stored energy. I don't like to be married to a plan so this may totally fail, but hopefully it will keep us busy without busting the budget. I'm titling this post what Bella asks me every weekend, "What are we doing this week[end]".

Monday:

We're going to start taking walks right after breakfast and then Emi can take her morning nap.

Mother Goose Library time- 11:15-12:00

Grocery shopping

Exchanging clothes for Bella and shoe shopping for summer/camp

Afternoon swimming!

Tuesday;

Training for me! :( Stupid trade days!
Bella will hang at the house and probably swim and watch TV and nap- typical teen summer.

Emi will go to Rose Ann's to play with friends. 

Dinner with homegroup!

Wednesday:

Morning Walk- Emi and I may feed the ducks

Bella is leaving for Burnet.

Meeting mom at the Dallas aquarium.
Miranda is coming in town.

Thursday:

Morning walk

Afternoon Swimming
Lolli and Pops are coming over for a cookout for Father's Day/Mother's Day Celebration with Miranda.

Friday:

Morning walk

Barnes and Noble to read and look for books

Splash pad in Highland Village Shops

Saturday:

I will be taking Emi to Lolli's because we are going out for Anthony's birthday party

Sunday:

Sleeping In!
Church

Picking up Emi

We will be packing Bella for church camp.

What's for Dinner?

Piccolo Cafe didn't go well last week, because Anthony thought my meals were too high for the budget so I ended up scrapping it altogether. That caused us to eat out a lot. After 2 breakfasts, more than 3 lunches and at least 3 dinners out this week I think it's easy to say that sticking to a menu and eating as many meals at home as possible, would be better for the budget and the waste line!
So we're going to try again!
We're also doing a family recipe each week. I want to make a family cookbook for Christmas this year, but you have to make recipes and take pictures so I'm going to start that this week too. 

Monday:

Breakfast- eggs and bacon or bagels

Lunch- sandwiches 

Dinner- Tacos

Dessert: Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

Tuesday:

Breakfast- bagels

Lunch- I have training so I'll be eating out, Bella will eat a sandwich and Emi will eat at cafe Rose Ann!

Dinner- Dinner out with our homegroup- Palios!

Wednesday:

Breakfast- Cinnamon muffins

Lunch- April Palmer's chicken spaghetti

Dinner- Spicy Chicken Enchiladas

Thursday:

Breakfast- Cinnamon muffins

Lunch- April Palmer's chicken spaghetti

Dinner- Burgers and home made fries with mom, dad and Miranda

Friday:

Breakfast: 

Lunch: left over chicken bake

Dinner:  Creamy Chicken Bake, brown rice and broccoli 

Saturday:

Breakfast: Eggs and bacon sandwiches

Lunch: I'm sure we'll be tired from Friday so who knows. 

Dinner: Going out for Anthony's bday

Sunday:

Breakfast: Biscuits 

Lunch:

Dinner:

12 Month Stats

12 Month Stats

Weight: 18 lb 7 oz. Only 4 oz more than last time.

Height: 29.75"

Percentiles:30% in weight/70% in height.

Eating:

She’s eating pretty much all normal food. She’s drinking from sippy cups and feeding herself. I try to feed her veggies and meats myself though so I make sure she eats them.

Bedtime:

Closer to 8:00 this month.

Awake:

She’s still up by 6:30. She caught another stomach bug and cold this month so she did sleep in a few times.

Naps:

Still struggling with this one especially on the weekends. She’s only taking about a 45 minute nap in the morning and then 2-3 hours in the afternoon depending on the day.

Diapers:

Still size 3. We’re getting our wear out of these!

Clothes:

Mostly 12 months. Some 12-month pants are a little baggy but 9-month clothes are too small.

Favorites:

She loves standing. She loves to eat and feed herself. She loves her baby doll.

Dislikes:

She doesn’t like bath time still. Sometimes she hates is less than other days, but for the most part she hates it.

She has been really frustrated with everything this month. She can’t express what she wants and she can’t walk so she was upset a lot this month.

Latest Accomplishments:

She took her first steps this month. Then a couple days later she caught a stomach bug and then she hasn’t been well since.
We now have 10 teeth. The top molars and 2 more bottom ones came in. Those were rough.  

Struggles this month:
She got 4 more teeth this month and they were awful!
She caught another stomach bug and another cold.

She had an ear infection at the beginning of the month.

Basically this was a hard month!

First bluebonnet experience at the Bluebonnet Festival in Burnet

This would have been such a cute picture if mommy hadn't ruined it!!

First Easter

First experience with live bunnies. She had no idea they were there! The plastic eggs were way more entertaining!

First Easter basket

Her hair is finally long enough for pigtails 

First wedding as a flower girl

Such a cute flower girl!

The beautiful smash cake that she had zero interest in!

Just a couple professional birthday pics. I haven't gotten them all back yet.

One of my favorites!

Her party cupcakes

I think they were a hit!

She was double fisting it!

Opening her gifts

She loved her happy meal!!!

I can't believe how much she's changed!

11 month stats

11 Month Stats

Weight:

Eating: She eats 3 meals a day. She eats pretty much everything we eat. She doesn’t like to eat baby food if we’re eating because she wants to be a big girl.
She’s almost completely off the bottle. At day care she only uses the sippy cup and at home she only take a bottle at night and we’ve started weaning her from that too! L It makes me sad that she’s so grown up!

Bedtime: She’s in bed between 7:00-8:00. Since the time changed and it’s light longer she has a hard time sometimes because she knows it isn’t dark.

Awake: Most days she’s up by 6:30, but the last few days she’s been sleeping past 7:00. I’m hoping she’ll sleep until 8:00 this summer!

Naps: She’s been struggling with morning naps lately, but her afternoon naps have been 2+ hours. I guess we’re getting close to dropping the morning nap although I was hoping to keep that through summer.

Diapers: Still in size 3. I hope we stay in those a few more months, because I have several cases.

Clothes: Mostly 12 months clothes. 9 Months are too small but some 12 months are too baggy. She’s sorta between sizes right now. She’s not a fan of wearing shoes. She loves to hold them and play with them but not wear them!

Favorites: She LOVES her baby doll! She lights up every time she sees it and we pretty much take it everywhere now.

She still stands up on everything. She’s very close to walking but she doesn’t realize it.

The morning started to get rough because she wants down while I’m getting dresses but I can’t watch her so I discovered that if I strap her in her chair on the bed and let her watch Mickey Mouse Club she’s happy.
She also likes the Wicked soundtrack. When she’s fussy in the morning, if I play it she’ll calm down.

She LOVES berries! She pretty much swallows them!

Dislikes:

She hates having her hair rinsed in the bathtub.

She hates eating baby food when other people are eating big people food. She has to feel like she’s a big girl.

Latest Accomplishment:

It was really more of the same this month. She’s constantly standing on everything. She’s eating everything in sight. She practices saying “da-da” and “va-va” but still no “mama.” She still claps all the time.
Other than that there really isn’t anything new.

I cannot believe she turns one year next month and that we only have one sticker left! I can see why people have babies so close together over and over. I am irrationally emotional about her turning one year. I know I have enjoyed and participated in every moment I physically could, but I still feel like it has just slipped away from me! She has made life so much better and I know every year I’ll feel the same way, but hopefully I won’t be so emotional!

These are awful but she's teething and had a fever so it was the best we could do. I may try again tomorrow. 

She wouldn't take them without the sock monkey either. 

Emi didn't even realize that the bunnies were on her. She was only pacified by the eggs. Right before she was in total melt down mode but the eggs made everything ok!