Airplanes + Toddlers Oh My!

I think I have mastered the art of "flying with child". Or so I'd like to think. Recently, Ryan and I traveled just the two of us and I learned a thing or two about; airports/airplanes combined with a raging toddler who has a knack for screaming, running and hugging random strangers. Last time I flew with Ryan he slept the entire time snuggled against my chest...this time Ryan felt since he was in a "knew" place he needed to explore everything from the terminal shops, gates and people's personal belongings. {I kid you not, while I reached up to stow my diaper bag in the overhead bin, Ryan reached into a lady's purse and pulled out her iphone and said Hi!}

Here are some tips and tricks I figured out as I traveled...

`Wear the easiest shoes to take on and off yourself and your child. People traveling are not patient with mother's "flying with child" so you gotta move it or lose your child's boot!!

`Wear layers of clothing because it gets very cold, very hot, very cold etc.....

`Wear your child or use a light umbrella stroller to strap your child close to you. If your child is anything like Ryan, when they aren't strapped in they become King Of The World and roam free and fast!

`Bring anything and everything you use to sooth your child. In our case that is; binks, toys with buttons, binks, juice boxes, binks, ipad with an Elmo show and binks.

`Bring something new for your child to play with. I though stickers were a great idea....until I was the last one off the plane picking them off the arm rest.

`Ask the flight attendent for extra pretzels and a mini juice cup with a lid. Because once your child sees you drinking from a plastic cup, he will want nothing else but to be doing the same. Go figure!

`Oh, and don't order an alcoholic beverage while alone with your child....unless you want to endure death stares from your surrounding passengers. "Yes I'm a mom, and yes I could use a drink right now."

In the end, it wasn't so awful. After making it out of baggage claim while pushing my stroller, holding two bags and dragging the carseat behind me....I felt like super mom! Then I look down at my son in his stroller fast asleep! Poor thing, I guess "flying with momma" tired him out!