Road Trip Tricks

We just completed our longest car trip and our first hotel stay with Avery, so I wanted to record what worked and what didn't for future reference.

In the Car

Our total drive was about 4.5-5 hours, so as I mentioned before, we planned our leaving time to allow for lunch and nap to break the trip up a bit.  I took a lot of snacks and used them whenever I thought they would help.  I also let her hold some random tickets and her special ink pen with no ink, and that entertained her several times for long stretches.  I kept all of this easily accessible to me in my big Thirty-One bag between the middle seats, and I only got slightly tired of turning around.  I am only slightly concerned as to where baby Sam will fit as his seat was full too.

For the bathroom situation, we took Avery's potty in case of emergency, but I also put a pull-up on her.  I knew that at some point each way she'd take a nap, and she wears one then anyway.  I also knew I would have no way of washing a yucky car seat cover if there was an accident.  She stayed dry the whole time, but I think she has her mama's holding abilities.  We never had to make an emergency stop, but I was glad to have the potty because she definitely had her opinions about where she would go at each stop.

For the last hour or so each way in the car, we turned to DVD.  We do not have one in the car, because when we got this car, we weren't exactly car shopping at the time and therefore weren't searching for certain features.  For right now, I'm thankful it's not installed, because once she saw one DVD, she asked for them the whole trip.  I don't think that's the worst thing in the world, but I wouldn't want to hear a request for a movie on our ride each day.  However, a well-timed DVD was glorious because the kid was so fascinated she never made a peep.

We won't let Ned run errands with us in the car before our next trip anywhere, because that added time in the car seat, but we weren't actually traveling.

In the Hotel

We had an end room in the hotel, which was just luck, but it's certainly what I'll request from now on.  There was less talking, less doors slamming, and no elevator noise.  When early bedtimes and naps are involved, that's key.  We did take her sound machine to drown out noise and to make it more like home.  Right before the trip I realized we should have at least looked into a suite because that would have more than likely given us two rooms.  I knew by then the hotel was probably full, and that it probably would have been unnecessary for two nights.

We set up Avery's pack-n-play near the door and bathroom since it was like a little hallway.  I knew once she went to sleep at night, we could come and go in the bathroom as we needed.  I just didn't think she would fall asleep if she was right in the middle of us.  With a 7:00-7:30 bedtime, Ned and I didn't want to think we'd have to go to bed too.  When it was time for bed, we turned out the lights but left the TV on mute.  We needed something to do, and I knew if the TV was on, we could slowly turn it up.  The first night she fussed and I tried sitting beside her, but she actually did better once I went and laid where she couldn't see me.  The 2nd night took about 30 minutes again to fall asleep, but I think that's because she was pooping, which we still choose to do at night and nap.  Once she was asleep we could watch TV and move around somewhat.  I tried a to leave a light on the 2nd night but turned it off when it was taking awhile.  I didn't try to turn them on again because you have to push those hotel light buttons so many times to get them on and off.

We did the same for her nap, except I was in the room by myself with her.  She is a light sleeper during her naps and I didn't trust Ned to be quiet and still.  It took her almost an hour to fall asleep, but Avery is one who has a hard time falling asleep for her nap if she's been too worked up before.  We came right from lunch out and tried to do nap without any down time because it was after 1:00.  I still think Avery has a "nap window" between 12:30 and 1:00 so I was thankful she went to sleep.

Because of the long rides, small room, and lots of stroller riding, I had to let go of some of my "Control Mom" in the hotel.  The first night we sat in the lobby after dinner, and there was some loudness and some getting on the floor.  No one else was around so I tried not to think she...and Lolli...were disruptive.  I also don't think she ever walked down the long hall to our room.  Her run is quiet and more like a gallop, so I told her to run.  By the time she needs to learn hotel etiquette she won't remember this trip.

We stayed in a Hampton Inn with really good free breakfast.  It also had a fridge and microwave.  We didn't use those, but that would have been good for a longer trip.  I also like that they always have water out to fill Avery's cup.

Sightseeing

We saw and did what we could as it worked around Avery's schedule.  To me, that's most important, so while we made a few exceptions, we mostly stuck to our normal routine.  I don't mind missing an afternoon of sightseeing to fit in a nap.  We have only travelled with Lolli and Poppa and they know that I stick to our normal, which means early meals, etc.

Avery wore underwear all around town and luckily used the potties where we were.  I never considered that being a problem until we stopped for lunch the first day and she wouldn't go.  Luckily, when the pink potty wasn't around she clung tight to me in the ladies' room.

As in the hotel, we let her break a few restaurant rules as well.  She stood beside us some and sat with different people at the end of our meals.  I didn't allow her to be loud, carry food, or get on the floor, but I figured she had done enough sitting.  She's never had 3 days of eating out, and I think next time I would take some fruit and vegetable cups since kid's meals always seem to involve the same thing.

I'm sure there are things that I'm forgetting and will need to add later.  I don't know when our next trip will be, but I'm sure it will involve two kids.  I'll need these tips plus many more I'm sure.