Florida - It was a slow start!

I'm still in Florida and it's day 5. I was full of the big 'I'll take my laptop and blog everyday' but I maybe underestimated how the heat and jetlag would effect me. It's taken me a while to get sorted but as I am apartment bound today while JC takes an airconditioned nap and hubby goes off to play golf, I thought I would pop by and let you all know how it's going.

It was an extremely slow start. When we arrived at Glasgow airport at 9am Saturday to be told that the flight was delayed until 9.20pm. I had taken almost half a bottle of rescue remedy so I think I handled the news quite well. It was shock followed by anger followed by acceptance and with a call to the taxi driver who dropped us off, we were on our way back home for the day. My in laws stayed at the airport to keep us updated and we came back later on after tea. We did meet an 'infamous' pop duo at the airport! JC wasn't impressed! 

I had been worried about the flight but it went smoothly with JC sleeping the first 5 hours and playing the last 3. We arrived in Flordia on Sunday morning about 1am. It was 4.30am before we got to the villa we are staying in. JC had napped in his buggy and in the car so woke refreshed at 4.30am ready to go. Caitlin (Hubby's cousin) and I walked barefoot around the complex until 8 am and we were eaten by mossies and shattered by the time we eventually came back to the villa for breakfast. At least it gave everyone else a chance to sleep. The first day was spent just round the pool and the resort. 

The second day we went and did a bit a shopping. I got these really cool sandals called 'Switch Flops'. They are flip flops/sandals that have a velcro decorative top that you can change so that your shoes can always match your outfit. I was sold! They are by Lindsay Philips but I have never seen them before.

On the Tuesday we headed to Disney's Typhoon Lagoon which was a brilliant day. Lots of fun slides and fountains. JC's favourite was the Lazy River and of course any random steps in the park that he could go up and down. 

Yesterday Steven and I took JC to Seaworld. The in-laws have been before and weren't fussy to go back so we went ourselves. It was a great day but the heat got to us a bit. It was just too hot. My highlight of the day was feeding the dolphins. Check me out .  .  .

So I will hopefully get a chance to pop by again and update what we have been up to. I had planned on video blogging everyday but to be honest, I just can't be bothered! I have videoed a lot and taken plenty pics but I don't have the time or energy to sit around editing. 

Anyway, I'm off to have a Mountain Dew and and glazed doughnut! When in Rome . . . 

Up and Away - Travelling with a Baby

It has been a whirlwind couple of months in the Grumpinator household. Lots of trips away and fun times. April saw us travelling abroad to the Czech Republic to visit my Dad and we went sailing over the Irish Sea to see my beautiful friends Alana and Peter tie the metaphorical knot. JC was trying to steal his Auntie Alana's limelight in this picture.

Please note he was not in PJ's all day, he wore a beautiful little kilt to match his Daddy's but this picture was taken before he was whisked back by his chauffeurs to the hotel for his nightcap bottle. 

So with all this galavanting I had to become baby-travel savvy and try and really plan for all eventualities. This is no easy task, so I thought I would share some of my wisdom and the advice I got from others about travelling with a wee tot.


* I wrote this post about a month ago, went to publish it and Blogger crashed losing everything from here onwards! I was so disgusted with it that I couldn't rewrite it straight away. I have probably missed out loads of tips and hints but this is what I remember . . .

Planning and Packing

• Write a list of everything you think you need a few weeks before you go and continue to add to it as you remember items you have forgotten. 
• Reclining lightweight pushchair, these are often taken free of charge and can be used right up until you go on the plane. 
• Take enough outfits for 4 days and wash every 3 days.
• Take spare sunhats
• Spray sun lotion/SPF suits
• Take carseat with you, check into hold for free with some airlines or a Trunki Travel seat 4 – 12yrs)
• Take a lightweight fabric baby carrier, great for the airport
• Take pouches of baby food, easy to pack and great for emergencies.
• If you are worried about sourcing baby food/milk/nappies or can't be bothered packing any then investigate using a delivery service (http://www.traveltotsuk.com/) to take the stress out of it for you.
• Take a change mat that you don’t mind putting on the floor as not all placed abroad have baby change facilities.
• Change of clothes for the flight for baby and you
• Take small containers/Tupperware for taking snacks out
• Bring a large backpack to put toys/changing stuff in. Works as hand luggage for the journey and a change bag when you get there. 
• Bring a plastic bib/coverall that can be wiped down with a baby wipe or washed through in the sink.
• Just take one spoon, if you need two you can always wash it!

Security

• Sterilised water can be taken on the plane but it must be in a baby bottle and only enough for the journey. 
• Pushchairs go through the security belt so make sure they don’t fall asleep in it as you will have to disrupt them!
• Don’t wear a belt when you are travelling as it is difficult to remove at security when trying to deal with ten million other things. Wear shoes that are easy to remove for the same reason!

The Flight

• Let the baby suck on either bottle, cup or dummy during take off and landing to help their ears.
• Take clean snacks and baby wipes on the plane
• If the flight is not full when you arrive then you can ask the airline to put a block on the seat next to you so that you can have extra room. 
• Portable DVD players  are good for older kids
• Compartmentalize things into plastic bags to keep yourself organized then if you need one for dirty or wet things you have them in your bag.
• Don’t take spare clothes for the baby just take a warm sleep suit with feet and a spare baby gro.
• Buy some new toys that your wee one has never seen before as they will hold their attention for longer. However, you may find, as we did, that they best toys are the laminated security sheets in the seat pockets! 

At the Hotel

• If you are staying in a hotel then ask for your room to be on the ground floor so that you don't have to carry the pushchair upstairs (not all hotels have working lifts and it gets annoying after 3 flights of stairs). 
• Ask for your room to be at the end of a corridor so that it is quieter as people are not passing your door.
• Position your travel cot in a dark and quiet area of the room. One of my friends puts her baby's travel cot in the bathroom as he gets really disrupted when they sleep in the same room. 
• Most hotels will supply a travel cot but I suggest that you take your own cot bedding (bottom sheet and sleeping bag). 
• Take things from home that are familiar to your baby for the bedtime routine (comforter, book, toy)
• Most hotels will provide food suitable for your baby if you ask them too. We follow a Baby Led Weaning approach so it was easy for us to feed him what we were eating (within reason!) 

If you have any advice or tips to share about travelling then please add a comment as it's great to get new ideas.

Smile Like you Mean it

"A warm smile is the universal language of kindness"

William Arthur Ward

Random Acts of Kindness has been on tour this week as I was on holiday in the Czech Republic visiting my Dad. It's a country I have visited many times over the past 7 years since my Dad moved out there. When I first visited I thought that the people were quite cold and lacked emotion. The sense of humour in these parts is dry and they can take a while to warm to you. The language barrier is a big issue as English is not even the second language, Russian or German are more commonly spoken after the official language of Czech due to the countries communist roots. Many of the people I have met in  CZ and have come to know well have been warm and welcoming to me. They prioritise family, keep clean respectable homes and work hard for a living. I wish I could communicate better. There is nothing worse than when you are sitting next to someone who gives off the non verbal cues that they want to converse with you but you can't understand a word! Czech is a difficult language to get your head around though. 

With my Random Acts of Kindness meme in mind, I went on this trip with the intention of bringing the simplest communication devise to the table, my smile. 

I made it my aim to smile at as many people as possible while I was out and about. Even though I couldn't always communicate with words, I could communicate kindness through a smile. My little Grumpinator has the most infectious smile . . . 

I found that many people smiled straight back at me and some would try to strike up a conversation as I guess it made me more approachable. I quickly realised that it actually makes me feel good too. I think that no matter where you are in the world and what situation you find yourself in, a smile can always bring happiness to both smiler and receiver. 

I googled smiling, because I'm nerdy that way and the first hit was 'top ten reasons to smile'. I like this list . . . 

Smiling . . . 

1.  makes us attractive 

2.  changes our mood

3.  is contagious

4.  relives stress

5.  boosts your immune system

6.  lowers your blood pressure

7.  releases endorphins, natural pain relievers and serotonin 

8.  lifts your face and makes you look younger

9.  makes you seem successful

10.helps you stay positive

With a list like that we should all be going around with a big cheesy smile and psychologist, counsellors and plastic surgeons might be out of work! 

I should also mention that many people were really kind to me this week when I was travelling with the wee Grumpinator. Lots of people offering to help me at the airport, carrying my bags and buggy etc. I hope they are Karmically rewards as I certainly appreciated their thoughtfulness and kindness. 

Fancy linking up your own thoughts on kindness? Something you've done or something someone else has done for you?

Pack up your Troubles

I am in the process of packing for our first holiday as a family of 3! My Dad lives in Brno, Czech Republic and we are going to visit him, his wife and my little brother Danny. Danny is 3 weeks old than JC so they will be good company for each other!

I hate packing, I never know how much to pack and I either end up with too many clothes, not enough or ones that don't match. The worst thing is when I have a lovely outfit but realise that I haven't brought the perfect pair of shoes. I have a shoes/sandals fetish!

However, this year I find myself pretty laid back about what I will pack for myself as I am so preoccupied by what I will need to take for JC. It's going to feel like I am packing up the whole house. I also have all these worries about the flight, time difference, forgetting something essential, food change and at the moment I am concerned about taking fluids on the plane. I am even having nightmares about being stopped by security! I need to stop stressing and remember that this is meant to be a relaxing break.