What we learned on our 1st trip with a Baby

Our last day in Canada was spent traveling by car to buffalo and then flying to Tampa. Emma was so good at her flight that the people sitting behind us said they didn't notice that there was a baby in front of them. She slept most of the flight. We got upgraded to first class thanks to the random seat assignment from AirTran and probably good luck that the flight was full to sit Andre and me together with Emma. I can see that she is going to like traveling and I'm more than happy to say that we had an amazing time with her. It was exhausting and by the time I was done with the cycles of feeding (milk), applying sunblock, feeding her solids and keeping her entertained it was time to start over again. I have to admit that the first night I was so tired that I told Andre that I don't like traveling anymore. I was wrong because as soon as we came back I started to think where we would go next. It is a lot of work traveling with a baby, but it's not impossible. I'm not ready to go alone with her on a trip just yet but I'm sure that I will get there.

For our next trip I'm ready to do a few things different:

• Keep my ID and phone in a separate bag than the baby bag. I have a small cross body bag that I take to theme parks and it is perfect. We have been to Busch gardens a few times and that way I can keep my things separate from the baby things. Diaper bags get heavy and things get "lost" in them. 

• Clorox wipes are still coming with me even if I embarrass those who travel with me. Changing tables are not the most appealing places to lay your child. I became an expert on changing diapers on my lap or using the stroller. This is only OK for wet diapers. 

• Keep clean toys in separate bags. I used a few zip lock bags to help me during the trip and I would clean them at the end of the day. Airplane floors are probably never cleaned. Next time I will take less plush toys and more plastic ones that are easy to clean. 

• We took a portable bed rail to install in the hotel bed. It was the best way to be safe when the 3 of us shared a king bed. I requested a crib once and it was not that great. They are metal and extremely cold. Sleeping is a privilege these days and if she gets cold is another reason to wake up. 

• Most hotels have microwaves if you request one. I had no idea you could get one. At the end of the day we sterilized her bottles and pacifiers. 

• Take at least 3 outfits a day. I took 2 per day and I was running out of clean clothes by the end of the trip. 

• There is baby food everywhere but babies are picky with new flavors. Take enough food even if it means a heavy bag to check in its worth it. I bought a few things in Canada that according to me tasted better than the ones Emma eats but she hated them. She now wants to eat what we eat and it was difficult to find something that she could eat. She can have fish or chicken or veggies but they are mostly too seasoned or cooked in ways that she is not used to. As gets older this will get easier. 

I'm sure that as we travel more often I will add more lessons to my list. We have a trip planned next month and I am more prepared this time. 

Canada Day 4, Sightseeing in Toronto

Since we only had one full day in Toronto, we decided to buy tickets for the double decker bus. We followed the tour from our hotel towards the CN Tower and the waterfront. The bus tour included a free boat tour. I'm a big fan of doing this kind of tours when the time is limited. It is flexible and they follow the best routes to show you the most popular places.  We needed it because Emma is heavy and that way we could also take a break while doing some sightseeing. It was the best decision. I feel that we saw a lot more of Toronto than if we tried to take the subway or any other way of public transportation to the tourist places. 

When we were on the boat it was the first and only time that I took my camera out this day. I was more concerned about the baby's sunblock, hat and food than to take pictures. Maybe I just need to go back to my point a shoot camera otherwise I will just have iphone pictures. 

Toronto Skyline

Emma fell asleep on the boat and we took the tour bus back to Dundas Square. It was almost 5:00 PM and that was one of the last full tours of the day. We were able to see all the stops included in the tour. I decided to stay on the bottom level to let Emma sleep comfortably. After having a late lunch/early dinner, we walked back to the hotel. I was exhausted from the day. It sounds silly but I was exhausted physically and also mentally. I'm Emma's favorite person (which I love) but this also means she wants to be held (by me) most of the time. A 20 lb baby is heavy enough to leave you exhausted at the end of the day. I think that I did a good job keeping her out of the sun, taking naps, drinking water, eating solid foods and also drinking her bottles. Traveling with her was a challenge and we didn't get to see as much in one day. However, I'm happy with what we saw and for our first trip, I think we did great! She was a great tourist. I'm really proud of her. 

Canada Day 3 - Toronto & Niagara on the Lake

When we were on our way to Toronto from Niagara Falls we made a quick stop at Niagara on the Lake. This was probably my favorite part of the trip. We didn't plan to come here but we wanted to see Lake Ontario and a friend recommended that we ate here. We were full but we still wanted to see this place. It was beautiful and we had a nice break at a park looking at Lake Ontario for the first time. Emma still hates the car seat and she was very happy to take this long break. 

As soon as we got close to downtown Toronto, we got stuck in traffic for at least one hour. Emma was not too happy but we finally made it to our hotel. After checking in, we walked towards Dundas Square. This place reminded me of Times Square, only a lot cleaner and more organized. We were starving and didn't know what to eat. We ended up eating at the Hard Rock Cafe. I have to admit that it was good. I had a salmon with vegetables and everyone else got hamburgers. We wanted to try something Canadian (which I still don't know what it is) but we were tired and hungry. 

Happy Tourist

This day was Andre's birthday. We had plans to go out that night. I didn't do my homework of reading the travel books that I got. I even forgot to pack them for the trip. I also forgot his birthday card. On the good side, I did not forget ANYTHING that I needed for Emma. This is a clear example of how my brain decided to prioritize my new life. I'm happy that I forgot about something like where to go out instead of her bottles. Since I didn't know where to go, I remembered that the Yorksville area looked very nice from the few things that I saw when I read about Toronto. It was really nice, the problem is that they close everything very early. It's a shopping district and by 8:00 PM on a Saturday nothing was open. I was expecting restaurants or bars in the area, but it was dead. We walked towards the metro again and ended up having gelato instead of a drink and calling it a night. I was worried about Emma and wondering if she was having a rough night again. As we suspected, she woke up while we were gone and she was upset. Unlike the night before, she fell back asleep. We could have stayed out longer but we were tired. We definitely don't have the energy to stay up at night and keep up during the day. 

Canada Day 2 - Niagara Falls

For a long time, my dad has been saying that 2 of the places that he wants to see in the US are the Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls. My parents are retired and they usually spend 3 months in Colombia and then 3 months in Tampa. They travel often and enjoy seeing new places. They are over 70 and enjoying life, except this year because of Emma they are staying in Tampa. I love traveling with them, so we decided that our first trip with Emma would be to Niagara Falls, Canada via Buffalo. The Grand Canyon was another option, but considering the longer flight we decided Niagara was a good start. I didn't care much about seeing the falls. It's one of those places that I didn't have at the top of my list of places that I want to see or in my bucket list. They were more beautiful than what I expected plus I was really happy to visit a new Country for all of us and I was extremely excited about visiting Toronto. 

Since we decided to go to Niagara, I knew that me and the baby would not be going on the "Maid of the Mist". Andre wanted to go but he was getting sick and didn't want to get wet. My parents just decided not to go. If I ever return to Niagara, I would definitely like to see the falls from the boat. The mist was so much from the sidewalk I can only imagine how it is when you are in the water.

My favorite sight was at the top of the falls. Seeing all the water before dropping was really spectacular. We stayed in that area for a while admiring the force of the water and feeling that the trip was worth it. 

My dad's dream and our first family trip were really wonderful. We spent the night in Niagara. Andre and I drove that night to see the falls illuminated. We didn't even realize that less than a block from our hotel there was a nice place to watch the falls and fireworks. Emma was very upset when we got back to our room. My mom was babysitting but we have some (serious) issues with her only wanting me at night. I didn't know they were so bad until that night. The following day was Andre's birthday and our plans to go out in Toronto we're not looking that good. 

Canada Day 1

We planned this long weekend trip at least 3 months ago. Less than 2 weeks away from our departure, Emma got really sick. I was really close to canceling this trip several times. I was really happy that our plane tickets were from southwest and you really never lose the money with them but we were definitely losing the hotel money because I prepaid to get a better rate. That week was probably the worst week I've had since Emma was born. We took her to the doctor and she had some tests doen. When the lab results came back (a week later) they showed that she had salmonella. She was already doing really well when I heard back from the doctor telling us that she needed to test her blood. Since there are different bacterias that cause salmonella, some of them need antibiotics. In order to determine that, Emma had to have a blood test. I consulted with my uncle who is a pathologist and he said she was most likely ok, but she really needed the test. Apparently, when doctors say results take 48 hours, it could turn out to be over one week turn around. As a bonus that same week, she also got pink eye probably from the doctor's office. Another week passed when I received a call from her doctor saying that we are still waiting for test results!!!!! Basically, while we were in Canada, I was anxiously expecting a phone call from her doctor. I'm happy to say that she never called. I'm glad I didn't cancel the trip. 

We planned this trip because one of my dad's dreams was to travel to Niagara falls. I thought it was the perfect opportunity to take our first trip with Emma. A relatively short flight to Buffalo and a short drive to Niagara and Toronto made it a perfect long weekend trip. Also, having my parents around would be really helpful with Emma. We took advantage of a Southwest Airlines sale and purchased our plane tickets for less than $200 round trip. 

Our flight was delayed for 2 hours in Tampa but we used the time to eat lunch at the airport. Emma had a perfect flight. She took a nap at the airport and didn't even cry during the 2.5 hour flight. Her ears were OK. On our way up, she ate and on the way down I gave her he pacifier and made sure that she kept it in.  

After getting the rental car, driving towards Canada, and crossing the border it was time for dinner. We drove by the falls on our way to the hotel, but decided to have dinner and go to bed early. We were all exhausted after our first air traveling experience. We ate at an Outback steak house located outside our hotel. We were surprised to see that the prices were double of what we pay in the U.S. and that there is an additional sales tax for non-Niagara Falls residents. As we discovered the rest of our trip, Canada is very expensive. 

Hello Canada!

Emma did great during her first flight and also during take off and landing. Having 4 adults for one kid was a great idea! I'll write more updates later. 

Coming up: Canada

After months of staying at home we finally have a trip coming up. Andre, Emma, my parents and I will be flying to Buffalo, NY and driving to Niagara Falls (Canada) and Toronto. Canada will be a new Country for all of us and the first international trip for Emma. 

I'm a little nervous about traveling with a 7 month old, but I'm so excited about seeing a new Country. I need to do some research and find out how everything works. I only know that Emma will fly on my lap and that I need to give her a bottle to help with the ear pressure at take off and landing. 

Can anyone give me some advise? I know that everyone does this but I'm new to traveling with kids. I don't even know what are the rules about liquids or how many personal items I can take with me. Other than that, we are ready to go!!!!