Traveling with an 8-Month Old, All the Essentials!

Hi friends!
It’s been awhile since I last wrote a post…What can I say, life has been busy!
Any who, if we’re friends on instagram then you know that Kwin, Fitz and I just went for our FIRST trip on a plane! We flew to the sunny Florida to visit my grandma for a couple days. It was refreshing to get some sunshine and warm weather to say the least!

Leading up to our travels I was feeling pretty anxious about WHAT TO PACK for my little girl! I watched countless YouTube videos, talked to family and friends and ultimately felt pretty confident with how everything went. So here is a compiled list of everything to make traveling with a little one a little easier!

DISCLAIMER REGARDING TRAVELING DURING COVID both Kwin and I are fully vaccinated as well as my grandma! We flew on Delta airlines which I was VERY impressed with; They were very strict on the “mask wearing” and had the middle seat blocked off still. Once in Florida we we made sure to follow all the “safety protocols” that we do when at home.

Packing Essentials

• Carseat and Car Attachment- These are FREE to fly with! We checked ours at the baggage check since we had a straight flight to Fort Myers. One thing that I will do next time though is get a carseat bag! If we were going to have layovers I probably would have checked it at the gate to make sure that it gets to our final destination!
• Stroller- We didn’t end up packing our stroller because my grandma had already gotten us one! However, many people suggest bringing it and checking it at the gate to help with moving around through the airport. These are also FREE to fly with.
• High Chair– Depending on where you are going…most airbnb’s and hotels don’t have highchairs for your baby! We love this one as it is compact and easy to travel with
• Pack-N-Play- We love THIS one. It is so compact and easy to travel with. My cousin recommended folding it up and packing it right in Fitz’s suitcase…GENIUS!
• Buy a Seat vs. Infant on Lap- When flying with a baby that is <2 years old you have two options. You can buy them a seat and place their carseat directly on it to fly, or you can have the infant sit on your lap for the duration of the flight. We chose the second option and I was hoping that Fitz would sleep most of the flight anyway (she did’t, but still did AMAZING) Something you have to do if you chose the “infant on lap option” is call the airline and get them added to your boarding pass! It was very easy to get done, but important because they still need to account for her!
• Bring baby’s birth certificate- At security check in they may or may not ask for this!
• Diaper Bag- ALWAYS PACK 1 MORE DIAPER THAN YOU THINK YOU’LL NEED! I also had multiple outfit changes (just incase she had a blowout on the plane,) and lots of toys/distractions! To be honest though, Fitz was more interested in the packaged foods and plastic wrapped fork they gave us that she barely played with anything I brought for her.
• Take Off and Landing- Just like adults, baby’s can struggle with the pressure changes at take off and landing! To help counter this, make sure to your feed baby! The swallowing can help relieve the pressure changes. Whether it be breastfeeding or bottle feeding, this is KEY!
• Baby Monitor– Love these so that we weren’t stuck sitting inside during nap time.
• Baby Carrier- Our ERGO baby carrier goes EVERYWHERE with us! It made walking through the airport, walking the beach, and just around town so easy.
• Reusable swim diapers– I was debating between the reusable vs. disposable swim diapers and ultimately decided with the reusable ones! Not only are they better for the environment, but they also just seem to “work” better! One main difference between regular diapers and swim diapers is the fact that they don’t absorb pee! The main purpose of these diapers is to contain and poop that baby might have while in the water. PLUS I really liked that the reusable ones don’t swell up when in the water, making it really difficult for baby to move around.
• Sunscreen– We love Baby Bum for Fitz!
• Diapers and Wipes- These are something that we didn’t pack in our bags. To save space I just went to the store right upon arrival and stocked up for the week!

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Thanks for reading! If you don’t already, make sure to follow along on our adventures on Instagram!

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Home Sweet Home, Fall Colors Style

This past weekend was nothing short of amazing! Full of weekend adventures with my partner in crime.

Like I said in my last blog, the fall colors in Northern Lower Michigan are usually “peak” a week after the UP. So, Kwin and I spent all weekend searching out the best colors near home: paddle boarding, biking, and hiking around.

We started the weekend with a morning paddle on some close to home inland lakes. Despite the windy conditions, we could not pass up the opportunity; Especially with this amazing 70 degree weather and the colors popping like they are!

 Man, I’m really enjoying this Indian Summer we’ve got going on.

We then made our way to an awesome hiking and biking trail. It is pretty swampy, but has some fun wooden planks weaving through the woods. The trail ends at a great overlook of Lake Skegemog.

Saturday ended with a relaxing hike ending along Lake Michigan. We enjoyed a nice picnic on the private beach that Kwin found. He is pretty good at staking out the off the beaten trails!

With the combination of rain and wind the next few days, Kwin and I fear that the fall colors may be coming to an end. So, this morning we decided to hop on our bikes again and cruise around the back roads/two-tracks by his parents house. We are so lucky to live where we do! Having the accessibility to find such secluded areas and being able to enjoy the great outdoors that we live in. This might have been my favorite part of the weekend! 

After a long, adventurous and fun weekend, it’s time to relax next to a hot fire along side our freshly carved pumpkins. Weekends like these are what we live for!

I hope everyone was able to get out and enjoy this amazing October weather and the Fall colors!

PS. Shoutout to our friends John and Kelly for having a fun pumpkin carving and chill cook-off today! 

Did you say meet at the gym at 6am?!

In middle school you would have never caught me dead getting up and working out before school started at 6 AM. But for these seventh and eighth grade Cherryland Middle Schoolers the gym, at such early hours, is the place to be!

Starting back in October 2016 Kwin, my fiancé, began meeting with a few of his students every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 6 AM for some morning lifting. As the school year progressed more and more students became interested and started joining us. Now, as the morning lifting is coming to an end( for summer vacation) we are up to about 20 students!

The progress that these students have made is incredible. Most of them starting at bodyweight exercises have almost doubled or tripled their weights. They have learned  proper form when lifting, endurance vs. building/bulking workouts, and teamwork in the weight room.

Waking up early three times a week, and then going right to school after (of course showering in the locker rooms) is a big commitment. But to these athletes it’s worth it. All of these athletes play football, soccer, basketball, volleyball and track; and are all looking to enhance their skills and abilities in their sports. Weight lifting has been proven to help increase speed, agility and endurance; which makes it great for cross-training purposes.

Accompanying these students in the gym is there Science teacher, Mr.Morris; Cherryland Middle School Principle, Mr.Starr, Mr.Maculuso-History Teacher, Mr.Knight-Teacher at Lakeland Elementary School, Mr.LaFontaine-parent of one of the student athletes, and myself. We too have made the commitment to not only be there for the students, but to also enhance our physical well-being.

Morning lifting is more than just working out; We have become a tight-knit family. Everyone is constantly supporting and encouraging each other, and challenging one another to be the best they can be. I am so proud of these kids and all their handwork they have put in the past 9 months, and I cannot wait to see what the future holds!