We survived our first road trip with a baby!
Somehow the thought of traveling with a five-week-old was a little daunting to me, but we did it and Ayla was such a little trooper and we only had a few minor meltdowns (and by we i mean me). It’s funny how different you have to treat things when you have a child…like everything is different. Whether it’s a long road trip or a quick run into town or whatever, it’s all just different with a baby. It’s good…but different.
We had a family reunion over the weekend, which was the first part of our weekend travels. The gathering was only about five hours away, so it was a nice and easy short trip to break us into learning how to travel with Ayla. She slept most of the way, and woke up about halfway to eat…during which time we learned how easy it is to get frustrated with each other and say things you regret when you have a crying and hungry child and the bottle spills in the car and the teensy little cup of hot water from the gas station isn’t warming up the food quick enough…!!! It’s funny because I was always more like how hard can it be to stay chill and calm when a baby is crying? A little crying isn’t going to hurt anyone. But now I’m all like MY BABY IS CRYING AND I MUST DO SOMETHING IMMEDIATELY AND WHY IS MY HUSBAND NOT DRIVING FASTER SO I CAN GET TO A PLACE AND FEED HER. Her little cries just get me!
So we spent a part of the weekend with Ben’s family in Pennsylvania, and Ayla got to meet her great-grandpa and all kinds of cousins and family. It was the sweetest thing watching a ninety-two year old great-grandpa hold our little girl, and even sweeter to see the tears in his eyes as he expressed his love and appreciation to his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchilren, and to receive the little handmade gifts he crafted for each member of the family. He made the cutest tiny picnic tables for the great-grandchildren, and it will be something that I want Ayla to treasure for always.
On Saturday afternoon, we headed out for the second part of our trip…Tennessee! If you haven’t heard…we are moving to Nashville! It’s a bittersweet change for us. We are really excited about the new adventure and the move, but it’s also hard to think of leaving our family and friends in New York. We were able to close on a house in Nashville the week after Ayla was born, and we were pretty anxious to actually see it in person since we bought the property based only on online photos and a walk-through video from our realtor. I was a little excited-nervous to walk in the door, hoping it would be all that the photos showed it to be…and we loved it immediately! We have some painting and kitchen remodel and a few other things we will want to do to it, but it’s a cute little home with open spaces and windows and a great backyard. We’re excited to move in and make it our own home sweet home!
We shopped for paint samples for the house while we were there, which is one of my most dreaded chores. However, this time I came prepared! One of my friends is in the middle of her own house remodel, and had the brilliant idea of researching some colors that Joanna Gaines of Fixer Upper likes to use. I love Joanna’s open, airy, and clean style, so I basically walked into the paint store with three or four of her recommended colors and wouldn’t even let myself look at any others, haha! We grabbed the samples and ran, and I will not second-guess myself forever and ever on these colors because JOANNA uses them.
We left for New York on Tuesday afternoon, but decided it was a good idea to break the thirteen-hour trip in half and stop for the night. Mostly for Ayla’s sake, since I don’t like to have her stuck in her car seat for so long at a time. She does well with traveling, but after a while, it’s just time for a break. We finished the trip today and it was so good to walk into my home, as it always is. I love traveling, but there is nothing like coming home.
And now we can say that we are traveling-with-a-baby veterans, hehe!
Oh, and ps…we ate Panera Bread like a million times during our trip, and did you know you can place an online order, pay for it, and then just pick it up on their take-out orders shelf? It’s the handiest thing ever!
Here are five things I love:
– this breakfast recipe
– this article on postpartum bodies
– this song cover
– these pretty mugs
– this toast idea
Have a great week!
What about you: what are your traveling-with-an-infant tips and advice?
I’d love to hear your thoughts!
A few months ago we traveled internationally with our 2 year old and 5 month old (think red eye flights, dusty bus rides, a teething baby and a cousins tragic death in the middle of it all). I think I felt less stressed than I did when we traveled with our first when he was 2 weeks old. I'm just saying, it does get easier with time. We're all in this mommy thing together and the best thing is to stay calm even if you feel like 'the impatient mom I thought I'd never become'.:) You have a cutie!
i loved this post girl! And baby Ayla is getting so big and chubs! Just want to kiss her! Also, how sweet that she got a mini picnic table from her great grandpa! And also, did you have the green smoothie from Panera? I tasted Sarah's on Monday now it keeps haunting me. It was so good. Glad to know about ordering online. Okay, longest comment ever. bye, love you & miss you! -Veronica
Lucky you!! First New York, and now Nashville. Sounds so new and fun and exciting. And I can't wait to see pictures of the house!! <3
I could so relate with traveling an the baby crying an frustrations an anxiety building up an saying things that I regret later to my husband. It must be a mothers heart to just want to make sure the baby gets what he/she needs an to try an stop the crying. It gets interesting an being creative to travel when they get a little older;) i dont know if you know me or not but I love reading your blogs btw , they are very encouraging . thanks for sharing! -Jodie
I can't even imagine attempting international travel at this point, but hopefully one day we'll be a pro at the travel thing and it won't be a big deal. 😉 It's good to know it does get easier!
She is chubbing right up! So much to kiss and love-pinch. 😉
I haven't tasted the green smoothie yet…it's on my to-do list. 😀
I think Nashville will be a fun place to explore! Plus, we're big music people so yehaw for that! 😀
You are so right: it's that mama heart in you that just wants to give your child what they need, and the goodness of that God-given heart can sometimes come out in a wrong manner, hehe! But thank goodness for gracious husbands who forgive, right?
Thanks so much for reading, Jodie!
Sounds like a great weekend! I have a little girl about 3 weeks old and wanted to thank you for sharing your pregnancy and motherhood journey. God has used your blog to encourage me along mine.
Congratulations on your little girl! They are precious souls, aren't they!?! 🙂
Thanks so much for reading!
Um, WHAT! Well we will need to be real life friends very soon then! Once this baby gets born and you guys get moved and settled, let's meet up! : )
I would love that! It's a date. 😀
I had to chuckle at this entire post. so true:-) there is something about that instinct of a mother when her baby is crying. my little one is now 4 months old and I've left her only on several occasions. After a few hours, I can tell when it's time to get home to her and almost always know when she is crying for mama! It's good that God instills this in us.
enjoyed catching up with you today. and happy to hear that you are moving south! yay for Nashville.
p.s. loved also your family photo shoot, your post on beautiful and your link to your closet shoppe! I'm stealing this idea to pair down my summer wardrobe on my blog:-)
happy summer!