PS.. I know this pic looks a little funny…but doesn’t he look so proud!?

When we decided to take our trip to Atlanta I was excited. That is until I remembered that I would be flying with my 10 month old son. A  son who doesn’t sit still for long. I was nervous…how would I get through this? But then I said to myself…”self….people travel with babies every day…and if they can do it so can you…you got this!” That’s right I gave myself a pep talk. I asked friends and even my doctor for their tricks of the trade, and the biggest piece of advice I got was to be prepared, and to have a bag of tricks. So we did it…we packed up and boarded that plane, and our little guy was such a trooper.

The first step is choosing the best flight time for you. I went through a ton of options in my head and decided that for us, traveling during his morning nap time was the way to go. That way I could nurse him during take off, and hopefully have him fall asleep right after. This plan worked perfectly. Even when we taxied for a little bit too long he did well, and as planned he fell asleep right after take off.

When I asked my pediatrician for some tips, this is what she said…”go to the dollar store and buy 20 new toys. All toys that are new to him. Bring 10 on the way there and 10 for the trip back, and every 10 minutes or so bring out a new toy. I took this advice and it worked EXTREMELY well. Who needs expensive toys when there are dollar store toys!? He loved them and they entertained him!

We didn’t buy him a seat, but I can definitely see the benefit, since on the way there the middle seat in our row was left empty. He loved to stand and sit on that seat, and it gave my lap a break. We took a gamble and booked the aisle and the window seat, hoping that no one would book the middle on our not full flight. The gamble didn’t pay off on the way home, because when I booked the seats the flight wasn’t full, but when we boarded it turned out it was booked! Oh well, it worked out anyway because we moved my mother in law into the seat. I think next time I may not take that gamble.

Traveling with my 10 1/2 month old was an adventure, as is everything else in motherhood. What did I learn? I learned that I could do it, and the unknown was scarier than the actual flying. I also came to the realization that 3 hours is probably my flying max with my boy. At least for now. He did VERY well, but I have a feeling much longer than that I would be left with a little guy who got very frustrated.

The bottom line? We did it, and my son was a champ!

Ok, so the title was a bit dramatic, and maybe we didn’t conquer much, but we did fly to Atlanta, and we did see a whole bunch in Atlanta. Captain Awesome is a HUGE Atlanta Falcons fan, and has always talked about going to a game. So, even before our little cherub was born, we planned to go to Atlanta to celebrate The Captain’s 30th birthday, so that he could show his son his favorite team! So together with the two Grandma’s, Captain Awesome, the baby and myself flew to Atlanta to see the sites and catch a game! Go Falcons!

Flying to Atlanta meant that it was time for Christian to go on his first airplane ride! I was extremely nervous since he is such an active little guy, but I have to tell you he was such a trooper! I will do a separate post on flying with a baby soon, but the short version was that at 10 1/2 months he did great, although I will admit that I think 2 1/2 or 3 hours would be our flying limit at this point. You really can’t rationalize with a 10 month old!

We stayed at the Downtown Marriott Marquis. Great location if you want to be able to walk to all the tourist attractions. It’s close to the Coke Museum, Aquarium, CNN center and of course the Georgia Dome (which  we took an amazing tour of!).Other than that there isn’t too many stores and restaurants to wander to, but since we were only there for a few days it was perfect!

We did a lot of sightseeing and our little guy was such a trooper. I mean it…he was a pleasure to be with and took to the change in his schedule with stride. It was even our first time sharing a hotel room with him and he slept well (except for 1 night of course). It helped a lot having the Grandmas there for extra support. It’s always good to have an extra pair of hands.

The culmination of our trip was the Falcon’s game. We had AMAZING seats and I even arranged for Freddie The Falcon to come and surprise The Captain and our little man during the game. Christian had to warm up to him but it was still pretty cool! The dome was soooo loud! Christian handled it very well and even slept in the Ergo carrier throughout the 3rd quarter through all the screams and music. I was surprised but extremely impressed. Funny thing is that the littlest noise at home will wake him…who would’ve thought!? Finally Captain Awesome got to cheer for his favorite team with out almost getting beat up (which he almost does every time he goes to see the Falcons here in NY!).

Well, we successfully took our first trip with the baby. Meaning a trip that required flying and a hotel. I was scared and nervous but it was great. I just hope my son continues to be so adaptable. Atlanta was fun. I just can’t believe that this trip that we have been talking about for so long has now come and gone. Next big trip? Disney Spring 2013!!!

There can be little doubt that Europe boasts a plethora of wonderful city break destinations. For a romantic getaway, Paris is the obvious choice; nevertheless, there are many excellent alternatives.  Chief among these is Barcelona, as it offers a buzzing city brimming with culture alongside some beautiful beaches.  For a luxury stay, the El Palace Hotel fits the bill. Featuring a Michelin Star restaurant, spa and fitness room, the hotel is situated right in the heart of the Catalan capital.  Art connoisseurs will be particularly interested to know that Salvador Dali and his wife, Gala, used to live in the hotel’s royal suite, which has been re-named in the great surrealist’s honour.  Highlights in the city include the Picasso Museum, Gaudi’s La Sagrada Familia and Parc Güell.

As a relative newcomer on the city break scene, Dubai has more than made its mark.  In particular, its hotels have set the standard by which all luxury hotels worldwide are judged.  However, there is more to Dubai than big, expensive buildings.  The Dubai Museum is well worth a visit to get a feel for the city’s history, whilst Dubai’s myriad world-class golf courses and horseracing venues are a marvel, considering that they have been built in the desert.  Perhaps more predictable are the luscious beaches at Dubai’s disposal, and this only adds to the city’s weekend getaway appeal.  The Jumeirah Beach Hotel offers a variety of swimming pools, luxury service and exquisite facilities; furthermore, its pristine beach is the perfect place to relax and forget it all.

For a city break in Australia, it is hard to look beyond Melbourne.  The city has a vibrant cultural scene, and the CBD (Central Business District), hosts some of the finest shopping and architecture the country can offer.  Situated at the top of Collins Street – one of Australia’s most prestigious boulevards – sits the Grand Hyatt Melbourne.  With its own spa, high-class restaurant and a sophisticated bar, there is no better base from which to enjoy all of Melbourne’s cultural delights.  Particular highlights in the city are the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne Cricket Ground and the Melbourne Museum.

American Express credit card holders are entitled to a Welcome Credit when staying at the Grand Hyatt Melbourne for two nights or more.  This Welcome Credit is worth between 50-100 AUD, depending on the length of the stay, and can be used on a range of local amenities and activities.  Furthermore, guests who pay with American Express credit cards earn 2,500 Hyatt Gold Passport bonus points.

Guest Post By Chris

I don’t want to allow myself to be that person who gets stuck staying home all the time because I am scared to travel with a child. Yes it’s hard, but I know I’ll be missing out on a lot if I give into my neurosis. Therefore, practice makes perfect! So starting out with an easy trip with my family is the best way to go. Why? Because my mom is a pro at packing for our beach trips, so I don’t have to think of EVERYTHING. She takes on a lot of the slack. Plus, this trip is a drivable one, and everything is easier when  you aren’t dealing with planes.

The Captain just laughs at me when I stress about packing and getting ready to travel. I find that amusing because he doesn’t even pack for himself…I pack for him, so he has ZERO clue what it takes to make sure we have what we need. For the baby I have to make sure he has a comfortable place to sleep, clothes for all weather, food, bowls, spoons, mamas milk,….should I go on? If it were up to him we’d figure it out as we went and just go with the flow. Ummm…sorry dear…not so easy to do with a 7 month old. And who has to deal with the unhappy baby in a new environment??? ME! So yes, I do tend to stress.

I am lucky that I have an easygoing baby. Thus far he has adapted well to our new surroundings. It helps that I am able to keep him close to his normal schedule, and it helps that I have a ton of help from my family. But no matter what it is appalling all the things that needed to come on this trip. You may ask do I NEED all those things, and to be honest I think the answer is YES! I could’ve cut back on a few toys but the rest are a must.

Traveling by plane sounds extremely overwhelming to me. I got a packing checklist from baby center and was so scared after seeing so many items I didn’t even think to bring. One of those items? So far now I am going to hold off…that is until October when The Captain and I will be taking the little man to Atlanta. But we will cross that bridge when we get to it. I will try not to dwell on it in the meantime! (not sure that’s possible)

Like everything else with kids, everything with traveling is a learning process. We each must figure out what works best for us, and hopefully we all can find it sooner rather than later. Once we figure out what works it will change, because our kids will get older and their needs will change. Ahhh the joys of parenthood right!? But all the stress and the planning is worth it, because I am so excited to share all these things with my son. I just can’t wait to show him more!

So how do you like traveling with your kids? Any good tips?

I have always loved the ocean. I grew up taking family vacations at the beach, and to this day my family spends a week at the beach each year. I have to say I love almost everything about my beach vacations, and this year it’s gotten even better. This year I get to share one of my favorite things with my son. My little man gets to join me, The Captain, my parents, my brother, sister and her husband at the Jersey shore for the first time!

The shore life is made for me and my little man. It fits his schedule perfectly! And what fits his schedule certainly makes for a happy me. Not to mention that traveling with so many people who enjoy taking care of my son certainly gives mommy a much needed break.

We have many stations to entertain Christian. We have a blow up baby pool, the KidCo Go-Pod, the KidCo Pea Pod,  and a towel with lots of toys. Each spot gets about 7 minutes of attention if we are lucky. I decided to go with the Coolibar umbrella because it got the highest rating in Good Housekeeping’s umbrella reviews. It didn’t let me down! It really is 10 degrees cooler underneath!

I love to go to sleep listening to the sound of the ocean, and I love to sit on the deck and watch the waves crash. Each night we take a nice walk on the boardwalk, and for some reason no matter how much I hate to walk at home, at the beach it’s a perfect end to a great day.

Christian has adapted well to his new surroundings. He’s such a good little boy! With the rest of the week ahead of us we have a lot to look forward to. I certainly could get used to this!

Back to life…Back to reality!! Booo that’s all I have to say! Some people find that after a while they get bored on vacation, but I am not one of those people. I think I’d do very well on a permanent vacation, but since that only happens in my dreams, it’s time to get back to the real world. That’s right folks, my stay at the Ritz in Sarasota Florida is over, and we had a marvolous time!

As I mentioned in my previous post about going on vacation, Captain Awesome and I decided we wanted to stay in the US since I was pregnant, and didn’t want to risk any issues with the water in other foreign countries like Mexico. Just wasn’t worth the risk in my book, and after speaking with our travel agent we decided to go to a place we’ve both never been…Sarasota Florida. The flight there on Jet Blue was surprisingly effortless and we arrived in 2 hours and 15 minutes. Not bad at all! We were even upgraded to the “more leg room” seats since it turns out Jet Blue doesn’t have first class (yes I felt like an idiot when I asked if we could be upgraded to first class and got a “maam, Jet Blue doesn’t have first class”.  We got a great deal at The Ritz Carlton Sarasota, and we couldn’t wait to get there.

Sarasota was SUPER HOT and HUMID! I guess that’s why people asked us why we’d go there in June. It was about 97 degrees with 100% humidity. I love the heat, but this was a bit much. It wasn’t so so bad when we were by the pool, but during the times we wanted to sight see a bit it was unbearable. Luckily this girls body, who doesn’t know how to sweat, figured out it was necesary. Especially for little Pooh Bear. Don’t worry, I was sure to be careful.

The Room Upgrade Incident

Yes, it’s an incident. Being that it was our anniversary and we were also there to celebrate my 30th birthday we decided to try for an upgrade. Why not? The Captain spoke to someone before our arrival who said they were booked and to ask on Monday. I was told the same thing on check in. Now when you think of an upgrade what do you picture? I personally picture an upgrade being a regular room to more of a suite. So on Monday I go down to the reception desk and the woman is proud to tell me that we have been upgraded. Woo hoo! I ran upstairs to our room to tell the Captain and quickly began repacking all of our stuff (which by the way was all over the room). We slapped high five for being upgraded at the Ritz and proceeded 1 floor above to floor 6…..turns out the room was right across the hall from our previous room. When I saw that I laughed and said “wouldn’t it be funny if it was the same?” I laughed too soon…we entered the same room. What was the upgrade?? A better view..Here are the two views..

We went from city views, to pool/bay views. Definitely nicer, but not worth packing up my whole room for. I kind of went downstairs and threw a hormonal pregnat fit..lol (ok not really a fit, but I did express my unhappiness) Luckily the manager was very sweet and later sent up a bottle of wine (which I could not enjoy) for the confusion. We then laughed about the “incident” for the rest of the week.

Our Anniversary

We celebrated our 2 year anniversary on our actual anniversary. Monday June 14th. We made reservations at the hotels restaurant, because we figured that the Ritz had to have good dining. That evening chocolate covered strawberries were delivered to our room complements of the hotel, and every person we encountered that day wished us a happy anniversary. The hotel is definitely good at the small things. (through our stay we got welcome cookies, anniversary chocolate covered strawberries, extra dessert at our anniversary dinner, I got a birthday cake, and a 2nd birthday cake with a candle at dinner that night) The restuarant offered a price fixe menu which we love since we get 3 full courses, and they were great at spreading out each course so we could fully enjoy our evening together. It was a great way to celebrate our anniversary!

Sarasota in General

Sarasota was perfect for what we were looking for. We wanted a very low key relaxing vacation and that is what we got. I felt like the town was pretty dead, and was told that June is the low season there. You could definitely tell. I wasn’t very impressed with downtown Sarasota, but St. Armands Circle was such a cute little town. My only complaint there is how early the stores closed? I was baffeled! We went out around 7 to eat dinner (normal time) and alot of them were closed? It was way too hot to be out and browsing the stores in the heat. The evenings would’ve been perfect. Our days went like this. Captain Awesome likes to sleep in more than me, so I would get up and go to the pool at the hotel. I would wake him up and around 11 we would go over to the Ritz beach club where we would spend our days till about 3:30. Then we would go back, I would nap then we would shower and get ready for our evening. And since this girl is preggers I was ready for bed around 11! (ok so maybe before 11 but I tried!) Bottom line? I’m not sure June is the best month to visit Sarasota…but it’s still a very cute town, but certainly not cheap! We had to hunt down a McDonalds (which of course we did).

I really enjoy every vacation with Captain Awesome. We have the best time when we are away together. I love that when we are gone nothing else really matters, and we only focus on the stuff around us. But now we are back, and with us came a bunch of great memories. I’m glad we got to take this trip before little Pooh Bear comes. It definitely was a much CALMER vacation than we are used to, but I guess that is what happens when you are preggers! No alcohol for this girl! (definitely very different! lol)

We made sure to take pictures to show Pooh Bear someday that he or she was with us on this vacation!

FINALLY!!! I feel like I have been blabbing on about wanting to go on a vacation for months, and finally the time has come that I get to go on one! For months and months while TTC I was holding off on booking a vacation for Captain Awesome and I to go on, because I was worried I’d be pregnant and feeling morning sickness, or the timing just didn’t work out. All the reasons pretty much sucked, but still, we didn’t book a trip. Once we found out I was pregnant we waited till we got the good news from the doctor that the pregnancy was progressing as planned. Then we booked it! Where are we going you ask?? Sarasota Florida!

June is a big month for me and The Captain. June 14th is our 2 year anniversary, and June 24th is my 30th birthday. So needless to say we have a lot to celebrate this month. When people asked me what I wanted to do for my 30th birthday I wasn’t sure. If I was pregnant a big birthday booze bash just didn’t seem to fit, and now that I really am pregnant….getting bombed in celebration REALLY doesn’t fit! So we decided instead of putting the money towards a party, we’d rather spend it by going away on a vacation together.

I always get these huge ideas in my head. Kind of like what we plan has to be so super special, that in the end nothing can compare to what I imagine. I hate that I do that. I knew that I didn’t want to go outside of the country. I was worried about drinking the water elsewhere, and I wanted to know if anything happened that I was in America and could get to a doctor. So that narrowed the field, but it also took away our usual favorites….Dominican, Mexico, and Jamaica. All inclusives are my absolute favorite, but we had to find something else. We came up with Hilton Head, but according to our Travel Agent it was going to be out of our budget for the accommodations we wanted. Then a friend of mine mentioned Long Boat Key Florida, so after speaking to the travel agent again we found a great deal in Sarasota Florida! Guess which hotel?? The Ritz Carlton! How fun is that? I don’t think I’ll ever again get to say I stayed at the Ritz!

So the trip is set, and we leave Saturday! We have so many great things to celebrate and I am so happy to celebrate them with my Captain Awesome! I hope Pooh Bear likes the sun!!! This body needs some color!!

If anyone is looking for a good Travel Agent I highly recommend Travel Tom! He works for American Express Travel and is the best travel agent I have ever worked with, and trust me, I am demanding and it takes a lot to make me happy when it comes to travel. Especially since most of the time I have NO idea where I want to go! He is amazing to work with. You can reach him at traveltom@gmail.com . Don’t worry, you don’t have to be from the area, I’ve never actually met him and we speak via phone and e mail.

You know how they tell you to be spontaneous before you have kids…and by spontaneous I am talking about travel. (get your head out of the gutter you dirty people you) Since last month was a bust, The Captain and I decided it might be nice to fly out for our favorite type of vacation…an all inclusive vacation!!! I knew it was a long shot, but for some reason I believed that a last minute vacation deal, was a last minute vacation deal no matter when it happened…but as it turns out Presidents week is an exception. Everyone pretty much laughed at me when I tried to book a trip within our budget…bummer! So we were left to come up with a Plan B….and if you know me you know that Plan B and Jen don’t always work well together. I get a plan in my head….and changing that is tough. I know I WANT to go away, but I don’t know where? So now, my spontaneous trip may not work out at all…Why? Because this girl has trouble being spontaneous.

You may ask why I am insisting on going next week for our vacation. Well if you know anything about TTC you know it’s all about timing…so you do the math. But all that aside I really do want to have a nice carefree vacation with my husband…but when you are an idealist like me, I worry so much about making the new plans that I wonder if the trip will be relaxing at all. Then I figure…we have to leave in a couple of days so I have to book the trip,  make plans to have someone care for the dog, be sad that I’m leaving the dog, pack both suitcases, and hope that everything else goes smoothly. I get that only a neurotic like me has all these thoughts going through their head. Most people would LOVE that their husband is willing to go away, and that you both have the time to go away, and even better you have the MONEY to go away….so what’s the issue? I ask myself the same question every day. The issue is me, and the issue is my stupid brain.

I wanted to go somewhere warm where I could get a tan, and drink pina coladas….but since that isn’t in the cards I am stuck as to where to go? (if I want to go anywhere else) The North East is cold (and I am so TIRED of the cold). We can drive. Which can be good, and Tinkerbell can come..but do I want to spend my vacation money that way? Most of Florida is cold, the Carolina’s are cold. I have no interest in visiting the Midwest right now. We talked about California, but that is a LONG trip for a couple of days. I went to www.vrbo.com (vacation rentals by owner) and thought maybe we could rent a house in Napa Valley…but that’s scary too. I have ZERO clue about where to stay in Napa. So how do you make the best choice on where to stay? But does it even matter? Isn’t the most important thing that I am going away with Captain Awesome? Some of my favorite memories are our vacations together. Why can’t I focus on that?

So there are my crazy and irrational thoughts. If there are any guys reading this you can use this as my admitting that I can be crazy and irrational like you think all women are. Will we go away next week?? I still have NO idea. But I guess if we do go I can call myself spontaneous right?? Or is the fact that I am writing this post and considering all possibilities make it not spontaneous?? Either way…I’ll keep you posted.

As I write this, I have just sat down after running around like a crazy person getting packed up for my trip to Pennsylvania to be with my family for the holidays. Recently, all my trips out of town have been weekend trips, but since I will be gone from Tuesday-Sunday, with many different types of outfits required, the packing time took a little bit longer.

Holiday packing takes a little more effort than normal. Holiday packing not only includes clothes, it includes all the wrapped presents that I got for my family and husband. I am not sure what will happen once we have children, because just the amount of STUFF that is needed for me, The Captain and Tinkerbell fills up a car!

 I am leaving a day before The Captain, but that doesn’t mean I get out of packing for him. Some may ask why I pack for him…and sometimes I ask myself the same question. I think the answer is that I  pack for him to save him from himself. I think it actually saves me from the headache of dealing with the stuff he FORGOT to pack once we get to our destination. I may regret that I started this trend in the future…I think I already regret it now.. but at least I leave with the knowledge that he will be well overpacked!

So tomorrow me and Tinky jump in the car and begin our holidays a bit early. We have a busy schedule lined up over the next couple of days. Then Wednesday night I get reunited with my Captain Awesome. I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful husband, and I can’t wait to spend our 2nd Christmas as a married couple together. Christmas time 2009 here I come!

They gave us rooms for two nights. Friday and Saturday. On Friday we decided to join up with one of The Captains boss’s and his wife as well as with another couple who we are very good friends with. (“P” and “J”) “J” is a coworker with The Captain, and we are always thankful that we have these friends to do business as well as personal events with. This particular afternoon we decided to go wine tasting before taking the ferry over to Connecticut. It was a great afternoon.

The night began early when the Captain and the other two men decided it was necessary to drink the Scotch that was brought on the trip….if you can imagine the night went crazy from there. We checked into the hotel around 7 and was scheduled to meet the rest of the co workers at 8 for drinks. I always have a great time with the people he works with. They are all very personable and friendly…and best of all most of them know how to have a good time. The company got a private blackjack table, and the table had a $10 minimum which is GREAT for a weekend night. It was so much fun because we were only playing with people we knew. I personally LOVE blackjack, but I hate to lose and lose I did….The Captain and I lost the money we brought in like 20 minutes. And it stunk!!! If I am going to lose at least give me a little time being up. But nope! Not this trip…I got no pleasure out of black jack…so from then on I watched from the sidelines. To be honest I have just as much fun doing that…especially if when I play I lose.

Saturday I conviced The Captain to go into Mystic Connecticut to see the sites. Some people were going and I didn’t want to get stuck in the hotel all day. I was happy when he aggreed to go. We went into the town of Old Mystic and went to a bunch of cute shops. I really wanted to see Mystic Pizza (like the movie) but it turns out that was in another part of town. So we did that in the afternoon and before we went home we stopped at a cider mill. They had the best cider donuts and hot apple cider! Yummy! Perfect for this time of year.

Saturday evening we had a great 6 course meal at Tuscany restaurant at the hotel. It was very yummy and we had a nice time talking and laughing. This night ended a little earlier since the previous night left everyone out till 3 in the morning or later. No more gambling for me! I still had a bad taste for it from the previous night. I enjoyed my seat on the sidelines again! I make a great cheerleader!

So we had a great weekend! I am not sure I would choose Mohegan Sun over Atlantic City in the future, but I was happy I got to see it. I hated that we came back gambling losers…but like they say! You gotta know when to hold em…and know when to fold em….maybe next time!