Packing for a holiday with a toddler.

Would we call it a holiday? It could be argued that these weeks away are no longer actually holidays.

Because this little monster is coming with us.

Just trying out his holiday hat

How holidays have changed. There will no doubt be a lot of these holiday related posts being uploaded to blogs over the coming months as this is the time of year when families with young children realise that the days of lounging around on the beach, drinking too much sangria and lying in until midday, are over.

Oh well, there are new things to be excited about. There are foreign playgrounds, new sets of swings and I always get rather excited about the new selection of nappies and baby wipes available. Not to mention, the time difference which normally means that the little pickles are awake for even longer than usual! 🙂 I used to come back from holidays with a deep tan looking good, now I come back with a glow looking tired, as my sunbathing time is restricted to the happy hour whilst Baby B naps. Hey ho, who wants wrinkled sun damaged skin anyway.

I joke, but we are lucky as we have family in warmer climates, so we actually will get some down time which is wonderful. Not everyone is that lucky. And we will get a couple of nights out on the town, as Baby B is left in the care of his doting Nonna and Bis-Nonna, who can’t wait to see him.

I have just found myself chuckling quietly as I began the dreaded process of packing for 10 days away, which if you saw the amount of luggage piling up in the garage, you would be forgiven for assuming we were going on a 2 month safari. I can’t get over the amount of ‘stuff’ that accompanies toddlers.

Whilst my belongings have been relegated to small soft sports bag, B has been promoted to the hard  Samsonite suitcase. Safe to say that my hand baggage allowance will be filled with small metal cars, as many snacks as you can shake a stick at, and a fully loaded ipad with enough cartoons to last him until he is 18.

The plane. The bit I dread the most. Baby B is plane obsessed at the minute and very excited that we are going on one. However, I fear that the excitement will fade slightly, when after take off when he realises that his ‘play area’ for the next 3 hours in the seat he is sitting in. You can guarantee that he will save his fantastic morning poo for the plane. Have you ever tried to change a full size toddler on those, made for a 6 month old, changing tables in the plane toilets?! Fun! Thankfully my other half likes a challenge. 🙂

Anyway, enough moaning! You are probably thinking, what an ungrateful cow! I am very excited and am thinking positively, so much so, that I have dusted down a book. My annual trashy novel, which I save only for a holiday. Yes good old Jackie Collins. No holiday would be complete without her, my guilty holiday pleasure.

Jackie C amongst the nappies

Adios folks!

Related posts:

A ‘holiday’ with a toddler Return of the ‘Titty’ and a holiday update Surviving a long haul flight with a toddler