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Thursday, June 30, 2011

Packing 101

I used to be the kind of packer that would throw things together for a trip the night before. OK it was more like the morning of. I mean there were things that I needed, my makeup, my toothbrush I wasn't going to be caught out of the house before I had brushed my teeth.

But of course Logan has changed all this, no more last minute packing. No more putting it off until the morning. Instead I sit here, as I am currently looking at two weeks from vacation officially and I can already feel myself going through a minor panic attack. Two weeks seems as though I have plenty of time, but with a full time job, and an active toddler roaming the house, I assure you these next two weeks aren't nearly enough time.

So here is my handy dandy top four things to pack, reminder to those that may be looking to travel with a toddler.

Medicines-This past March my husband and I went on an adult only trip. We both ended up getting sick. Having no medicine cabinet handy, we marched ourselves down to the resorts store in search of anything that would relieve our aching bodies. We were in luck, of course with a price. Lesson learned. You may never need this, I pray you never need this. But perhaps its better to be safe than sorry. Or you just may find the majority of your souvenir cash being spent on medicine. And we are not just talking about adult only, this goes for kids as well...the last thing you want is a cranky three year old running around the parks.

Entertainment-I know what your thinking, you are heading down to Disney, what more entertainment could you need? But lets be real here. Unless you live in Orlando you are either going to be flying or driving. Both of which mean the kids and you will be doing a lot of sitting and waiting. And that is if it all goes well. While the two hour wait may be ok for you, to a two year old, the wait is forever. Go ahead and break the to much is bad for your kid rule, bring that portable DVD player, or your Ipad, and a couple of movies....you and those around you will thank you in the long run.

Utensils-My son is at the age where he wants his own plate, his own fork etc. Mr. Independent he is. And while Disney may be as kid friendly as you get. The one thing that they didn't have was kid friendly utensils. And while its cute to see Logan with an over-sized fork, at the same time its a lot less of a cleanup, both for us and the waiters if you bring your own. Not to mention its great for breakfasts in the mornings. And don't forget to grab a couple of them. I can't tell you how many times Logan drops his fork on the floor in a single sitting

Patience-I mentioned this last year. But this is well worth a reminder. Patience is key. I have already come to terms that not everything is going to go smoothly, there will be meltdown and tears. There will be moments when he isn't feeling it. And I am not having it. But this is all apart of it. I know there will be rides that I won't get to go on, and plans that will have to be changed but this is alright with me. Perhaps because I return to the Magical Place every year. Or perhaps because I have come to expect this...But for whatever reason, patience is the key...without it, it may be a very long unenjoyable time after all.

These are just a few things that one must pack. And in the next two weeks I am sure there will be more tips and trades as I gear up for vacation..

After all, there is still plenty of time to unpack and repack all over again.

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