And so it begins. Poor little Hudson: just when he thinks I’m his best friend in the world (and of course I am), I have to pull the “mom card.” We’ll be playing and laughing, sharing co-conspiratorial squints and blinks. He’s showing me how he can get onto the chair by himself and I clap. He’s showing me how fast he can run around the kitchen island and I cheer. He’s showing me how he can throw the wooden train car to make a loud bang on the glass and suddenly it’s: “No!”He looks at me with this betrayed confusion: “Wait, I thought we were buddies. I was impressing you. We were having fun.”
I was laughing with Aron about the little face he makes when I pull rank and totally ruin the fun, when it occurred to me that this is the crux we’re going to be facing for years and years… and years.
“Hey, buddy! Tell me about all of your friends.” “Oh, him? Hmmm. I’d rather you didn’t go to his house.” “Hey best friend, you can tell me anything.” “She wants you to do what?!”
How nice that our major struggles are still more on the order of: “Yes, you have to have your diaper changed. Again.” and “Yes, you really do have to hold my hand when you walk your wooden doggy into the street.”
I’m starting to work on our Bali travelogue, and thought I might start with some posts about packing.
We brought way more than we needed for Hudson on our month-long trip. No surprise there: it feels like it’s impossible not to overpack with a baby (and now, a toddler) in tow. We would basically just pack the entire contents of our apartment everytime we went somewhere, as if we were being air-dropped onto a deserted island.
: If you’re bringing a carseat on a trip with you, the GoGo Babyz can convert almost any carseat into a stroller. We opted to leave our stroller at home and it was so nice to still be able to wheel Hudson (or the empty carseat with our bags stacked atop) through the airport. And on a side note, our smaller- and lighter-than-average carseat is awfully nice for traveling. I’ve seen some travelers struggle to install their carseats on the plane, and it was never a problem fitting this into the row.
(or any sling or carrier) is my number one travel essential. Hudson had lots of practice with being worn on the sidewalks of New York, so he would even nap in the Ergo while we crossed rice fields or walked around town. I appreciate that it has a hood for shade and that it doesn’t take up too much space.
(with jury-rigged mosquito net): Many of the places we stayed were willing to furnish us a crib, but I’m so glad we had our own. We knew it was safe, and Hudson knew it as a constant and familiar bedtime spot even as the rest of his surroundings were changing. My only caveat is that I wish it were smaller. Also notable: sometimes airlines will count this as a piece of checked baggage; other times they’ll let it go since it’s for a baby. It’s worth asking ahead of time and bringing the email reply with you when you check-in if you get a “yes.”
): These roll up and wipe down easily (no laundering required) and catch those few precious bites that you were counting on for a few more minutes of distraction on the plane.
Dye-free Infant Acetomeniphen: You’ll likely be packing a medicine cabinet’s worth of first aid supplies (bacitracin, teething relief, ibuprofen, tylenol, etc.). Somehow they always end up staining things, which is especially annoying when you have fewer changes of clothes. Look for the oddly elusive dye-free options. (NB. Be sure you’ve tried them before using them on a trip and have checked dosage guidelines with your child’s doctor).
): Hudson hasn’t had much practice watching television, so he was not too interested in watching cartoons when we really wanted him to on the plane or while up for hours and getting over jet lag in the middle of the night. But it helped that he had his own over-the-ear headphones, and that I could listen along and react. (I’ve also heard good things about these
.)
BabyConnect App: Aron and I love this app and recommend it to all new parents for tracking sleep and feedings or anything else. We’re a little crazy for still using it, but I personally found it really nice to be able to look back over Hudson’s usual sleep patterns when deciding how to adjust him to the twelve-hour time difference. And then to track his sleep when it was completely erratic and we needed to judge whether he was sleeping too long during the day.
: If you and your partner are lucky enough to get your own room, you’ll be happy you brought along a monitor.
Leakproof thermos by Foogo: if your toddler can use a straw, this is a nice (insulated) option. And it won’t leak in your bag. (This leakproof feature doesn’t apply during ascension in the plane, however, when the pressure builds.)
And don’t forget finger snacks, a new toy or two (think 99-cent store), a change of clothes, and more diapers than you think you need for the plane.
Happy traveling!
See more photos from our Bali instagram feed: Weeks 1, 2, 3, and 4
I never thought I could get excited about track shelving. But never say never, right?
I’ve been looking around at shelving for my office (I’m totally claiming that room, by the way). In all likelihood, something from Ikea will be making an appearance, but I ordered a catalog from Vitsœ and have become mildly obsessed with its simple practicality.
Dieter Rams designed the “606 Universal Shelving System” (an E-track modular shelving concept) in 1960 and the Vitsœ catalog is makes a brilliant case for starts-cheap-but-gets-exorbitant-quickly modular system, saying that the biggest complaint they get from customers is that they wish they had bought it sooner. Then they suggest starting small–a shelf here, a track there–and adding over the years. After all, it’s a system that has been around for decades–virtually unchanged–and isn’t going anywhere. Moreover, you never have to leave it behind if you move, so it can adapt and grow with any space you like.
In use at libraries, offices, shops, and in homes, it’s likely that you’ve seen the shelving system somewhere before.
Still, I think it’s fair to call it “aspirational” shelving: while it’s true that you can start off by spending relatively little, we priced out a wall and quickly closed the catalogue.
