Time To Ask The Internets

Sorry I've been so MIA of late. Things have been a little crazy around these parts. Our friend, the one we've been trying to help, has been doing some major fucking up of late and it's been spilling into our lives in some big ways. The latest thing? He broke into our house on Saturday while we were out (all he took, however, was the money he'd earned that we were holding for him to pay off someone. Yikes). Yeah, I know. Yeah, we're still trying to help him (within reason; he will no longer be working for our friends, or us, and we'll be keeping our help focused entirely on just keeping him clean and sober). Yeah, we're probably crazy (Sarah thinks so). Yeah, we're installing a security system too.  Why the security system? Because a week from today, we are leeeeeaving! On a jet plane! Don't know when we'll be back again!

Actually, I do know when we'll be back. We are flying from Philadelphia to Phoenix on Monday, February 11th (five hours straight through, baby, ye gods), renting a car and driving up to see our friend Dave! in Tucson for about a week, then driving to Albuquerque to see some family for a bit less than a week, then spending a night at the Grand Canyon (we will of course, in a nod to Charlie's hobby, be staying here although we can't ride the train--too long a ride for Tori, sadly) and then heading back to Tucson for a few more days before flying back to Philly on February 27th. Luckily, we'll be bringing the laptops, and staying in hotels with free wifi, so you should get plenty of posts and updates while we're on the road (with photos, natch). I'm looking forward to it, of course, but there are some things I'm not sure about.

So, my darling readers, time to tap your extensive knowledge! Here are the many, many things I know nothing about and would love to know about your experiences with. I will tell you what we plan to do as well.

1. Flying with a baby. I've read the horror stories, heard about folks being kicked off planes, and we're pretty worried about this one. Our flight out is at 8am, so we'll have to be at the airport at some ungodly hour (probably about 6 or 6:30). Our plan is to let Tori run like crazy in the airport lounge with one of us alternately chasing her, then once we get on the plane to dose her with benadryl (yeah, yeah, whatever, she takes it now and again without a problem and it's a FIVE HOUR FLIGHT). The laptops can show DVDs so that's good too, and she loves that movie Cars (I don't know why, either. It's a pretty talk-y movie for a kid her age. Luckily, I like it too) so we'll bring that and some other stuff for her to watch. We figure we can try to keep her entertained or unconscious through much of the flight. But it's going to be tough. We might have to find a playground in Phoenix to take her to before driving to Tucson, however.

2. Flying with the laptops. Seriously, what do you do? You can't put them through the x-ray machine, right? I don't want to look like an idiot here. Help.

3. Flying with digital cameras. Again, help? Do they go through the machine? Sarah put hers through without a problem.

4. The diaper bag. Is it a carry on bag? Does it eliminate one of your carry on options?

5. Toys. Should we not pack any toys and just plan to hit a dollar store once we're there and buy her some and plan to toss them before we come home? I hate the idea of flying across the country with toys. We don't mind bringing a couple of must-haves (Elmo that she sleeps with, her favorite books) but most of her toys are fun for about two minutes and then she moves on to the next thing. I mean, she'd probably have as much fun with the cups and ice bucket at the hotel as she does with her toys. What do you do?

6. Weather and clothes. For those of you that live in those areas, what are you wearing? What the fuck should we pack? I know Albuquerque has been really cold, but Tucson has been pretty nice compared to Philly.

7. Things that we shouldn't miss that we can do with a very inquisitive and climb-prone 20-month-old. If you know the areas, any suggestions would be appreciated.

8. Things that we shouldn't miss that we will love cause we're grown ups. Things that we can take Tori to and bore her with.

I think that's all, but if you think of anything else, please let me know. Tori did really well on our trip this summer driving to Michigan, but she's a different kid now; we had to hide the piano bench recently because she climbed to the TOP of the piano. No, I mean ON TOP. I think she might be evolutionarily closer to a monkey than either Charlie or I am (ok, that's not true; I was just as much of a climber). She's much harder to entertain and much busier than she used to be, so I know that wrangling her is going to be a lot of work on this trip. So any tips you can suggest will be very, very helpful. Luckily, with a little help from my fabulous sister, we managed to swing a deal on hotel rooms so we're actually in suites that allow us to have her in a different room so we'll all get to sleep at least. Sigh.

So. Advise away!

Comments

[chrystal]

Mighty Girl posted recently about this. Go check her out!

[chrystal]

http://mightygirl.com/2008/01/23/12-travel-tips-for-flying-with-a-baby/

http://mightygirl.com/2008/01/24/9-tips-for-quick-airport-security-screening-with-a-baby/

[mpatters]

This might be too obvious to say, since your from Albuquerque, but the zoo and aquarium are really great. I love the zoo. And I'm pretty sure that the Albu Aquarium is the one with the crazy eel tunnel, which is creepy and crawly and neato.

[Lili]

1)On laptops (from a frequent business traveler)- yes you can and must send them through the x-ray machine. It doesn't do any harm. Same with digital cameras.
2) Make sure to familiarize yourself with the latest and greatest edicts from the TSA about what can be carried on, in what amounts, and what types of containers.
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm
3)Diaper bag is a carry on- you are allowed only 2 carry ons including your purse and your laptop so pack wisely.
4) For clothes- dress in layers- it is warmer than the east coast but it gets cold at night.

[Abbie]

You can put laptops through the x-ray machine. They just ask you to unzip the bag and leave it open while it goes through so they can make sure you aren't concealing... I dunno. More than your statutory three ounces of liquid, perhaps.

It doesn't hurt the laptop. I've flown half a dozen business flights this year and everything was fine.

[Karen]

Cecily, don't know about the benadryl, but boob works great for nursing toddlers on airplanes. Plan on wearing appropriate nursing clothes and try to get a window seat for privacy.

As for toys, make sure you have something for the bathtub, and something for the airplane (baby crayons? Crayola magic sketch pad? puzzle?). The rest of it will come along as you need it.

When I traveled with my 22 month old to Italy (and brought her 4 year old sister along! and I was the only parent on the flight! and it was more than 12 hours long! and we had a layover...in Germany!) the idea of "tourism" was limited to playgrounds, restaurants with climbing gyms (it was winter and most playgrounds were muddy) and the thrills of the hotel shoe polishing machine. My girls enjoyed walking around the city we were in and marvelling at the dogs and cats and eating the bread.

So my main advice here is to modify your expectations about what YOU are going to see on this trip, because Tori is going to be the boss. ;-)

[Kermit]

Is Tori going to be a lap baby or does she have her own seat? When mine have their own seat I keep them strapped in their carseats in the seats and they treat it like a long car ride -- better than a car ride, because neither parent is driving and can thus give endless attention. I tried drugging my oldest with phenergan once when I had to take him somewhere alone. It didn't take.

This is my first winter in ABQ and the natives are talking about how cold it is. Compared to where I grew up and where I lived last year, it's practically tropical!

For toys, I'd do what you mentioned -- bring a couple of must-haves and supplement as needed.

[Kel]

Sorry to hear about your troubles with your friend. I had a uncle like that.

Question #1- Flying with baby? I know it's been said already but...Nursing!

Question #5- Toys? I always buy a couple of new, flashy toys for traveling. Something they've never seen before that may hold their attention a little longer. I even wrap them to add to the excitement. Glow sticks from the dollar store are great if you are traveling when it will be dark. Dollar store toys are a great idea! And we would never have made it from Philly to Seattle by train and back again by plane with four kids if it weren't for the magna doodle!

Have fun!

[Rachel]

Long time lurker. As a (very) frequent flier, I can assure you that the majority of the awful stories you hear about kids being harassed on flights are pure media hype. Most flight attendants are nice, most other passengers are understanding (especially since this doesn't sound primarily like a business flight), and most kids love to travel (I did - my mother always had a habit of skipping down the gangway with us and it really set the tone for our flights. She also packed grab bags of dollar toys that we weren't allowed to open until the flight started - it made us very enthusiastic to board). My bet is that the worst part of your flight will be going through the security checkpoint, and for all that it's unpleasant (I had them confiscate the popsicle of a 3 year old I was traveling with ... you should have heard the screams) nobody ever gets turned away there. You can absolutely x-ray your laptop and digital camera. I would recommend packing a few completely empty sippy cups if Tori uses those because they're easy to fill with water or juice once you're through security and minimize spills on the plane (you can now carry any items you purchase after security onto the plane). The only problem with wearing Tori out before the flight is that if she gets really interested in the new place and all the people around her, she may be too overtired to sleep (but I'm sure you know what works best for her). Also, you didn't mention what you plan to do about her ears. Toddlers don't really know how to pop their ears when the plane changes altitude, and it can be really painful (try not yawning - you'll understand). So, either plan to nurse during or immediately after take-off or practice some 'yawning games' or even chewing a small piece of gum. If you google flying with babies there are lots of suggestions out there, and most of them should apply to a toddler who hasn't flown a lot.

[Jessica]

I've also recently posted on this:

http://www.pregnantthehightechway.com/2008/01/tsa-hates-terro.html

We've traveled several times with one or two kids under 3 years old, and as many as three laptops and two digital cameras. Expect a grueling day. Bring snacks, cause they don't really feed you anymore. Check the battery life on the laptop while running a DVD. Is it worth it to buy an extra battery?

Also, our pediatrician told us that about 10 percent of kids get MORE hyper on benadryl. I recommend testing Tori's reaction to it BEFORE you get into a metal tube and shut the door for several hours. Really.

Other advice: don't pack the toy she sleeps with in the checked luggage. My luggage was lost and I never got it back and it held just such a treasure (among others).

Good luck!

[Kim]

Travel all the time and can say with a high degree of certainty (although those bastards at TSA are prone to changing the rules according to their mood of the day!):
-laptops go through the xray machine just fine, usually you will be asked to remove it from your carry on bag though and put it through seperately which is a pain.
-no probs with digitial cameras going through the xray machine. But if you have a regular camera and are concerned about the film being damaged they won't make you put it through, they will do a manual examination of it.

As for travelling with a munchkin, I just recently got back from a trip to Hawaii with my husband and 1 year old son. This consisted of 11 hours of flying time and 1 layover. No, I am not crazy. Yes, it was a bit trying on the nerves but if you are prepared and don't set your expectations too high then you should be fine. I promise! I will admit though that I had the benefit of a glass of wine (OK, 2) halfway through the flight while my two monsters napped.
Here are my own hot tips:
-DVD movies are key, this is a lifesaver not only for the flight but also in the rental car. We bought a contraption that straps the dvd player to the back of the seat in the car and this really came in handy. We got it at best buy and I think it was only about $20, money well spent.
-Benadryl, didn't work for us but if Tori has had it and it makes her sleepy then go for it. Our ped. told us to try it ahead of time to make sure it worked because it has the opposite effect on some kids. Well don't you know, I am one of the lucky ones as it makes my kid bounce off the walls. SOOO glad I found that out before I got on the plane.
-If Tori has a seat on the flight then be sure to order the kids meal ahead of time for her. Rob's chicken nuggets, fresh fruit, and mac/cheese looked a lot better than what we got.
-We also brought a few toys and books. Not sure if I would again as they became projectiles a few times during the flight. Thanks to the nice guy in front of us who just smiled and calmly handed back the hard plastic ring toy that hit him square in the head! I think I would stick to soft stuffed animals in the future. And tearing the pages out of the in flight magazine was a lot of fun that kept him busy for almost 20 minutes anyway.
-Every hour we carried Rob around the plane for his "rounds". This kept him from getting fidgety, he got a chance to socialize and flirt (he's a BIG flirter!) and the other passengers would smile, wave, grab his toes, etc... It actually restored my faith in humanity a little to see people being so nice to us. In my mind I had pictured people being nasty when my energetic son ran up the gangplank but nothing could have been further from the truth.
-Diaper changes in the bathrooms are a challenge. Be sure to have everything ready and in hand (wipe, diaper, cream) when you head in because there is no room to fumble in the diaper bag while you have your kid strapped onto the changing table that is only big enough to fit a newborn. Rob's head was in the sink and legs were up against the wall.
You can do it Cecily! Above all else, have fun and laugh about it - beleive it or not it will be a treasured memory one day even if seems unbearable as you are going through it. At least that's what my therapist keeps telling me.
2 more things:
-Duct tape for the hotel rooms was very useful. I duct taped all the electrical outlets which gave me some piece of mind that I didn't have to have eagle eyes on Rob every second just so he wouldn't electrocute himself.
-Your post mentions you are leaving Philly on Feb 11 and also returning the same day? Is this some sort of time travel scenario

[Darla]

We first flew with my son when he was 16 months. We then flew again when he was 21 months. Both times I took his favorite snack items and plenty of them. As he got fussy we were able to distract with those. The bananas were the best. Also a couple of new toys worked well. We just got those packs of 3 or 4 Little People toys. I had preopened them so that I could pull one at a time out. He had not seen any of them before so he was happy. He also liked looking out the window. As we were taking off or landing we would point out the cars and see if we could find a truck or tractor. Up high we looked for birds. These little games kept his mind busy.

[Tine]

I can't help you with most of your questions, but do have some thoughts on two of them....

1. Flying with a baby. First of all, console yourself with the thought that there's no way in h*ll your trip could be worse than the flight from MN to CA we took w/ our 15mo last summer. No way. Whatever happens to you, it will not be that bad. Secondly: The strategy you describe is good. Your best tool, I suspect, will be nursing. Third: You didn't mention how Tori will be seated on the plane. Even though she's still young enough to fly free as a "lap baby," I STRONGLY recommend getting her her own seat. Happy to explain why if you want to e-mail me, but it's too long to post here.

4. The diaper bag. This does not eliminate one of your carry-ons. And don't forget: If Tori's a paying passenger with a seat of her own, she's allowed a certain number of bags too. Not that I recommend overpacking...I'm just pointing out that I doubt you'll exceed your bag limit.

[Bridget]

If Tori has her own seat put the car seat in it and strap her in - worked with Charlotte from Boston to Paris and back.
What worked the best was the seat back T.V. - she was fascinated and entertained. If there is no seat back TV bring some DVD's and play them on the laptop - bring head phones so you don't have to hear it. It works just like a sedative...

[Celeste]

Tough age, you are wise to take precautions.

A good $5 toy: travel sized MagnaDoodle. The pen is attached via cord. Some toys are worth taking. Avoid anything with pieces that can be dropped. Buy new ones just for the airplane. I think having one or two toys at your host's house would be good. Pack a nightlight; they are invaluable in dealing with your kid at night in somebody else's house.

Put your basics in the diaper bag. Also, pack a big ziploc bag for dirty laundry. It takes up next to no space and if you need it, you'll be glad you have it. A change of clothing is really good at this age.

Kids like to look at photos, so if the DVDs on the laptop fail to amuse, call up some of your Flicker albums.

I've done 4 hours in a plane with a 6 month old and she slept the whole way...in her car seat. I think hour #5 is going to be where the going gets rough.

Is Tori's car seat too big to take on the plane? Does she ordinarily do well in hers? Only the infant ones (for the most part) are small enough to fit and still let the person in front recline. On Carseatfinder.org (not sure if this is the right link but you can google the name) it says which Britax models can fit on a plane seat. If yours does, consider taking it on the plane since I'm sure you're taking it with you anyhow.

Snacks, water bottle, blankie...You'll get through it.

I'm so sorry about your friend. You two have really big hearts. I hope he doesn't step on them any further.

[Tessy]

I have flown many a time with small children. I don't take a diaper bag. Instead I use a backpack so I've got my arms free. I take snacks, drinks, some activities, diapers, wipes and a change of clothes. It does count as a carryon, either way.

Do you think if she's drowsy from the benadryl that she'll be in a worse mood? Mine would. You might want to wait and save it for an emergency. Also, make sure you can take it.

[Tessy]

Oh, and I usually end up checking a suitcase of toys.

[RainbowW]

1. your plan is as good as it gets, but don't dress her in much or your life will suck going through security.

2. your laptop has to come out as you go through security, into its own little plastic bin and through the x-ray machine. if you don't want to put it through the x-ray machine, the $6/hr monkeys (imo, "people" is too kind a word for the "security" goons they hire) won't let you through.

3. they go through.

4. yes, that's a carry-on bag. are you getting a separate seat for her? if so, she gets a carry-on and a "personal item" as well.

5. leave the toys at home.

6. go naked. certainly more entertaining that way.

7 and 8. i don't live there.

also, be aware of the liquid rules. cuz, you know, terrorists now carry mixable liquid explosives in their shampoo containers that they can ignite with their (permitted) cigarette lighters. and wear shoes that are easy to remove (tori too) cuz those have to go through the fucking x-ray machine too.

i always want to get a little metal doodad to stick on the bottom of my shoe that shows up on an x-ray machine as hand shooting you the middle finger. those x-ray jockeys are about the biggest power-tripping assholes i've ever met outside an aa service meeting.

[Pamala]

I just wanted to say you might want to stay away from the Benadryl it might make her more hyper. Yes anything you bring with you will go through the x-ray. I don't remember the diaper bag being counted as a carry-on, I think they let that belong to my daughter. I did have to dump the entire thing out for them to see it all. :S (By the way this was in phoenix as well). Kaylee was five months so we had a stroller and the car seat, this is good because if there are extra seats they'll let you strap her into a car seat on the plane! Very nice not having to actually hold her.
Bring toys and some books as well. I wonder if a portable DVD player would be appropriate as well. I know Kaylee can sit for hours watching Wonder Pets.
Also don't worry about other people. Anyone who says they take a plane ride to relax is an idiot and frankly how they can hear the baby is beyond me, it's not exactly the most quiet of experiences.

[Amanda]

I always gate check my stroller. It gives you a place to put the baby when you need your hands free and has the bonus of being like a shopping cart for all the rest of your crap.

It's not the plane ride that's tough, it's the massive schlep to get everything onto the friggin' plane. You guys have the right ratio, though, (2 parents to one kid), so you'll be just fine!

[Andrea in IN]

You got some great advice. Wanted to add what we have done in the past for toys when we're staying somewhere for an extended time. We mail a box to our destination! :) Or packed an extra suitcase with her favorite toys. Each paid ticket person gets 2 suitcases, so you could pack Tori's clothes in one and some toys in another.

Do have a suggestion for travelling in the winter where unpredictable storms can hit and hault your flight, causing you to have to sit on the runway for ungawdly hours! ack... sorry I'm digressing... a few extra items you think you would need in case of such happening!

Grand Canyon. OMG - you won't believe how amazing this is when you look out into it. You will feel as small as a grain of sand and wonder just how could there not be something bigger "out there". No picture will ever come close to what actually seeing the Canyon in person will do to you. Oh, and keep Tori close. We were suprised at how unsafe the ledges were where you can overlook the canyon. I mean, I was especting high walls with windows to look out - nope, don't lean too far! LOL Have fun!

[Celia]

I did extensive amounts of research on traveling before we took our same-age-as-tori son to Cali in oct and New Orleans for the holidays. So, here I go!
CURRENT TSA GUIDELINES:
You can bring whatever medicines, gels, creams that would normally be in your diaper bag (for us, including liquid benadryl, tylenol, diaper cream and a few drinks like pediatric drinks and boxed juice) but have to let the scanner know ahead of time before you send it thru, and put it in a separate box to go thru the scanner. Something along the lines of "I have baby items to declare, formula and medicine."
A diaper bag does NOT count as a carryon, at least for certain airlines. I would check with the airline you're flying to be sure. With Northwest it was a freebie. In terms of her other gear, this depends on whether she has her own seat. With our 19 month old, we did not buy him a seat (not required to until they're 2) but IF WE HAD we would have gotten his two check ons, his two carryons. If you are taking a car seat but not installing it on the plane (be sure it's approved to fly if you are) it WILL COUNT as one of your checked bags. If you install it on the plane it does not count. Same thing with strollers, if you have them check it AT THE PLANE it does NOT count as checked baggage- or a carryon. You pick it up right as you exit the plane. Highly recommended for baby wrangling at the airport.
ALL THAT BEING SAID- I would HIGHLY recommend carrying as LITTLE around the airport as possible. Bite the bullet and buy food for the trip at the airport and take it on the plane to distract her. (Make sure you have good sippy cups or straws so she can drink on landing and taking off so her ears don't hurt.) Flying with a toddler is daunting enough without worrying about keeping track of insane amounts of luggage. Also, bring the biggest stroller that will fit in your rental car and still leave room for the rest of your stuff(and fit thru the xray machine). If you must bring an umbrella stroller, make sure it's one that has the bag holder and that reclines. You'll be using it a lot as a nap space, place to store the diaper bag, place to store purchases. Oh, and I don't know how Tori is with pack n plays but ours was a godsend on our trip. It's a perfect place to stick her when you get somewhere new while you babyproof or when you're somewhere and she's getting out of hand with the climbing. We even use ours outside when at the park as a nap place, toy holder.

This is what I think of off hand. I highly recommend going to your airline's website for more specific info on their policies- and for sure, the size of the plane makes a difference on carryon rules. And whether a ginormo car seat would fit. I'm assuming it's a pretty big plane for 5 hours straight but you can check the stats online and get seat measurements and stats on carryon allowances.

GOOD LUCK HAVE FUN!!!

Celia

[Celia]

One more thing- do a search of the TSA and your airline websites no more than a week before your trip and print out everything that it says about traveling with children. This gives you a paper backup in case the people at the checkpoint or working from the airline are not familiar with the rules for parents with kids. As we ALL know, that is not nearly as hard to believe as it should be.

Celia

[steph]

The best thing that I ever saw parents of a baby do on an airplane was bring along a huge Costco-sized container of earplugs, and walk around offering them to the passengers closest to them. Not everyone took them, but everyone was definitely on their side after that, and not a bit annoyed when the baby cried!

[Regina]

I, too, recommend checking out the ever-fantastic Mightygirl.com for her recent post about traveling with babies.

Check the TSA official web site to be sure, but I have heard that any baby food/powdered formula you might need to take with you for Tori does not count against your quota of liquids/gels, but you will still need to present it to the screening people in a plastic ziploc baggie. Also, even if you don't have enough liquids/gels/whatever to fill up the whole d*** quart-size baggie, say, you have only one tiny tube of hand cream, you still need to have it in a "freedom baggie" or they will ask you to throw it away. gah.

Also, putting your laptop through the X-ray machine won't damage anything. If Charlie is taking any of his old-timey cameras that use, y'know film, especially the antique ones that use antique film, you can ask the security people to do a hand check of these bags. They might balk a little (as doing a hand check is kind of a pain in the ass, and requires them to swipe each and every film canister for explosive powder) but I think it is worth it, and ask for it when I travel with film. If you don't need special film for your film camera, it's more convenient to purchase it once you get to your destination, though.

In and around Phoenix there are some pretty fun things to do. In Phoenix itself, there is a science center/cultural history museum that has some kid-friendly exhibits on Native Americans and possibly insects and stuff like that. I visited there when I was a child, so I remember that there IS a museum, just not what it is called, but I'm sure the phonebook or the Tourist Fliers at your hotels will be able to help you out.

Also, there are some neat national and state parks that have beautiful scenery and fairly easy hikes/walks- I remeber liking Montezuma's Castle and...um... I think Bryce Canon.

I don't know if Tori still uses a stroller, but you can totally take that on the plane with you, too if you have a collapsing one. You don't have to check it with your regular bags, you just give it to the Airplane People before you board, they stow it for you, and then it is waiting for you right when you get off of the plane.

Have an awesome trip! I'm sorry to hear about your friend, and I hope that your efforts to help him stay clean and sober are successful- you guys have the biggest hearts ever.