Henry's First Trip

I belabored for weeks on whether I wanted to embark on Henry's first plane ride/vacation just days before I was headed back to work! You hear so many horror stories about babies getting off their schedules, getting sick, crying the whole plane ride, etc etc etc and I couldn't decide if I was prepared to risk it!  Ultimately I am so glad we decided to take the "first trip" plunge!  I wouldn't call it a breeze, but traveling with a baby is totally do-able!  I will probably be eating my words once he is mobile.

Here are a few of my observations:
-While Henry got his very own adorable suitcase for Christmas, I am SO glad I just jammed his clothes in with mine!  The less bags the better when you've got baby in tow
-We had our Uppa Baby stroller all packed up and ready to go in its special travel bag, when literally at the last minute as we were getting in the car,  I decided to not bring it. I am so glad for this trip that we left it at home!  It would have been just one more thing to hassle with, and H is still at the age where we can carry him in our arms or he can be transported in his car seat
-We all know that breastfeeding has 1000 benefits, and no doubt number 1001 should be the fact that feeding your baby while traveling is just one less thing you have to worry about if he/she is breastfed
-We didn't really need the travel crib.  I had envisioned Henry sleeping all by himself in his Baby Bjorn travel crib that we had shipped to Colorado prior to our trip, but he actually spent probably 30 total minutes in it the whole time we were there. I think it will be great when he gets older, but for the time being it was easier and he was happier to just be in bed with us
-The "family" security line at IAH rocks!  For years I have complained about the obnoxious airport security lines. Had I known that a baby is your cut to the front of the line for free card, I may have chosen to reproduce sooner
-I am awesome at changing poopy diapers while wedged into the window seat quicker than the stranger in the aisle seat even knew what hit him
-I have ALL NEW levels of empathy for people with crying babies on planes.  Seriously people, if there were something they could do to shut them up, they would do it.  And while the crying baby may be annoying you, your annoyance pails in comparison to the anxiety attack the parents are having!
-We totally had the luxury of staying at my dad's condo in Beaver Creek.  I think things would have been a bit trickier staying in a hotel, storing pumped breast milk, etc etc etc
-The $25 emergency bouncer purchase at the local Walmart was worth it's weight in gold
-Everyone on our trip now knows the complete lyrics to the "A is for Apple" phonics song....
-If you bring a baby to a dinner party, the grandpa will sit guard in a corner and watch him like a hawk, despite the social awkwardness of it all (see exhibit A)

Exhibit  A

In terms of the vacation, it was full of good food, good wine, mediocre skiing, a date night at Spago, and even a fabulous massage for mama at the Alpine Club!  My dad and step mom were sweet to watch Henry a couple of hours each day so that Marty and I could ski!  And while the snow was almost nonexistent, it was great to get back on the slopes!   I am so glad we decided to go on a little vacation before I headed back to work!  It made my transition back into corporate America seem a little bit more legit with a real vacation spaced in between maternity leave and the first day back!