Travel tipsNot so much for Lynleigh. Although I'll agree that travel tends to mess up her schedule a bit, especially when it comes to nap time, she tends to roll with the punches. She's a people watcher, so being around strangers whether it's Chick fil A or a birthday party for her cousin (two experiences from yesterday.
Because of separation anxiety, this can be a tough time to be away from your baby for any length of time. But it may also be hard to travel with your baby right now. He's become used to his surroundings and familiar faces, and he likes predictability. So being on the road can disrupt his sense of security and routine, especially when visiting an unfamiliar place or meeting lots of strangers.
At this age, he doesn't grasp the concept of travel but he'll realize he's in a new, strange place. Be ready for some cranky, clingy behavior and prepare plenty of distractions — picture books, noise-making toys, nesting blocks, hand puppets, and definitely his security object, if he has one. Schedule plenty of downtime away from all the strangers to let him decompress.
If he still uses a pacifier, it's wise to bring along a handful. They seem to vanish just when you need them most.
At Chick fil A, I couldn't keep her from staring first at a lovely young couple, then a lovely young family with a baby girl that had the same flower rattle as Lynleigh. Zack and I tease about her being "nosy" but it's hard for anybody to get bent out of shape with the offender is an adorable 9-month-old baby girl. Truly, she is just curious (a trait many say means she's smart).
At the birthday party, crowded with family and strangers, she was too busy taking in the scene to be bothered with her bottle when we first arrived. (I've made a note of that: wait a bit before offering her bottle in new environments). She let us put her on a pony and take lots of video and pictures (her 1st pony ride!), and tolerated the sun and being passed from person to person. All the while alternating from just plain mellow to smiley to even giggly on a few occasions (just like her mom, giggles are not that easy to come by). And all without her pacifier, which we're just now starting to limit to naps and bedtime (mostly because we noticed she doesn't miss it during play time).
The car ride is usually tough on her after a long day and skipped nap times, but even then, a pacifier and extra attention usually does well to send her right off to dreamland without too many tears in the process.
She is an angel.
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