Packing for baby's first flight

***Update. What I used and what I didn't (Links included)

Diaper Bag:

Ear Planes: plugs for air pressure for babies' ears -  Matty pulled those out in the first five minutes! Not worth it.
2 food pouches
Puffs and other baby snacks - This was the best thing ever to occupy time!
Gummi Mat to put snacks on. This worked great on the tray table and restaurant

2 new toys for flight
Small new book
Lysol wipes
Diapers, wipes
Hand sanitizer
3 bottles - One bottle during takeoff and one towards end of flight
Formula container and sample can of formula
Sippy cup, filled with water
3 binkies, one with strap
Muslin blanket - This worked well to cover him while sleeping
Saline nose wipes - Didn't use
Toss away bibs - These didn't work out well as he ripped off the paper bib that was secured only with a sticker



Car seat in Gate check bag - I bought a cheap one on Amazon that did not have backpack straps. It was difficult for Nick to haul the carseat plus all our luggage. Lesson learned. Next trip will buy the more expensive one with straps.

Stroller to check at gate - I am glad we brought the Bugaboo Bee5 rather than the smaller umbrella stroller. He spent allot of time in the stroller and the Bee is comfortable and very maneuverable.

Ergobaby carrier - This was another win! Matty was completely happy in backpack carry. We took turns wearing him when he didn't want to be in his stroller or where a stroller wasn't permitted.

Large suitcase to check:

Travel high chair- This worked great for eating in the hotel room
Several toys for hotel room
Diapers, wipes
Food pouches, formula
Travel bottle soap, bottle brush
Extra bottles
Woolino Sleepsack
Crib sheet and blanket (for cushioning) for rollaway crib
Sound machine and charger
Owlet and charger
A roll of paper towels
Pump hand soap for bathroom

9 months old and first illness

My 9 month old looks like a toddler and I am not ok with this.

23lbs/ 30" long wearing 18 month clothing.

Matty is cruising all the furniture now and pushing push toys. Naps and nighttime sleep are still consistent. Although, he has started headbanging to put himself to sleep in the crib.

The day Matheson turned 9 months old, he got his first fever. A rectal temperature of 102.8. It was also his brother's 11th birthday. Matheson was fine that morning, but felt a little warm when he woke up from his nap. We rushed off to Main Event for Tristan to celebrate his birthday with his friend.

During the two hours we were at Main Event, Matty got very sick and was hot to the touch and lethargic. The next day, I took him to the doctor. A viral infection. We were told and just push fluids and Tylenol. He stopped eating solids and was up the entire night crying. Matty was extremely fussy and cried all the next day.  The doctor called the next day as a followup and asked me to look in his mouth and sure enough, his poor little mouth was covered in ulcers! No wonder he wouldn't eat and was so miserable!


Hand Foot and Mouth Disease.

Ugh. I heard about this before, but Tristan never got it.

He also developed a rash on the side of his face and around his mouth. The 4th of July, Thursday, we made our first visit to Urgent Care. The rash was Impedigo and he was prescribed a cream, which cleared it up within the first few applications. For the ulcers in the his mouth, equal parts of Maalox and Benadryl were mixed to squirt in his mouth to help with the pain. He also had spots on his hands and legs. At this point, I was rotating Tylenol and Motrin. My poor baby's first illness was a doozy!


On day 5, he finally started eating a little again. By day 6, all blisters were gone in his mouth and on his skin. This illness knocked out our entire family! Tristan and I were ill with flu like symptoms for about 24 hours. Nick was the last to get sick and his lasted longer with some bumps on his hands and a sore throat. Apparently, adults get a very mild reaction and nothing like children.

The only public place Matheson had been prior to getting sick was the gym childcare center at Lifetime Fitness. I felt terrible! I became at stay at home mom to not put him in daycare, but I thought an hour here and there would be good for social interaction and I would get a little me time to work on getting back in shape. Ugh, you just can't win sometimes as a mom.