Happy new year to everyone!  This post is obviously very tardy but the New Year has already been busy with working and getting back into the swing of things.
We had a low key Christmas followed by another plane ride to Los Angeles for New Year’s and more importantly for Justin to go to the Rose Bowl.  His Lions were playing in the game but unfortunately they lost.

This was our first flight since Stella has been completely weaned.  We were a little nervous as she had a very good routine of as soon as we got on the plane and the bells rang for take-off she’d lie down in my lap, nurse and fall fast asleep for much of the plane ride.  We bought her some nice freshly squeezed OJ and I had tons of snacks to keep her occupied just in case.   No issues on the “back-peddling” of weaning but an entirely new host of things arose that makes flying completely different from before.

1.     Kicking the seat in front of us.  With her on my ever growing belly/lap the seat kicking was inevitable.  Every time I told her to stop, she thought it was funny and kicked harder.  Can you say “stink-eye” from the people in front of us?  We turned her sideways on my lap and tried desperately to keep her entertained.

2.    No more “one-two knock-out punch” with the nursing.  She only fell asleep for the last half-hour of the 2.5 hour flight on the way to LA and did not sleep at ALL on the way back (even though we timed her nap so she’d be exhausted…could be due to the Swedish fish I allowed her to eat to entertain her before we got on the flight – I broke one of my big rules…limit sweets intake!).

3.    Entertainment.  I still haven’t broken down and bought a DVD player as I don’t even think she’d watch it but she definitely needs more entertainment than before.  She could care less about the toys I bring her on the plane (so note to all those parents who think a new toy will occupy your child on a long flight…not so sure that one will work).  She is more interested in our magazines and newspapers and just about anything she can fiddle with on the plane.  She is entertained by pens (not her crayons mind you) and any paper that looks official (custom cards anyone…).

4.    I need to bring TONS of food on board.  I brought quite a bit of healthy snacks for Stella (fruit, nuts, cereal) and she ate just about all of it.  If we had been delayed I think maybe I would have run out which could have been a mini-disaster.

So “simple baby travel’ in 2009 will have some adjustments as Stella is now clearly a toddler.  There is no way we can fly with her on my lap, especially with my getting more pregnant by the day.  Stay tuned for more details and tips as we have plenty of travel planned for ’09, even with baby #2 on its way.

Special shout out to my book club friends who inspired me to get back to writing.