I'll put him to bed, as always, by 7. Once he's down, I'll finish packing our carry-on bag, get everything packed into the car, and take a few deep breaths. A little before 10, once everything else is ready to go, I'll turn off all the lights in the house, sneak in to Emmett's room, and oh-so-gently pick him up and carry him down to the car, white noise in hand. I want to avoid waking him at all costs, but I'm not sure if it's possible.
We'll drive to the airport, hopefully with Emmett sleeping soundly in the back seat. Once we're there, Ray will unload the car, pack the carseat up into a travel bag (ahem, black trash bag) so we can check it, and I will do my best to get Emmett into the ERGO I borrowed from Corinna. The ERGO is black, so I'm hoping that if he's still sleeping, the head cover will block out most of the light as we walk through the airport. I'll have to take him out for security, so he's bound to wake up then, but after that it's back in the ERGO, and a little discreet nursing will hopefully help him back to sleep.
Because it's an overnight flight, I'm hoping the airport will be relatively quiet, and the plane mostly empty. I'd love a full row to spread out in. I plan to only bring the necessities:
- Stroller
- Diapers
- Wipes
- A few easy changes of clothes
- A couple pairs of slip-on shoes in case he wants to walk
- Books
- Snacks
- A new toy and a new book
- A pillow, a blanket for me, and a couple of blankets for Emmett
- White noise via our Kindle Fire
- Chargers for the Kindle and my iPhone
I want to carry as little as possible with us, as I'll certainly have my hands full with Emmett. The stroller will help to lug the diaper bag, and if he tolerates it, the ERGO should be a lifesaver. I plan to dress him in warm pajamas, and have a pair of slip-on shoes handy in case he wakes up and wants to roam.
We have to change planes at 6:30 a.m. Georgia time, 3:30 a.m. AZ time. That should be interesting. I plan on using my boob to keep him asleep/drowsy/in the ERGO. We have about an hour layover in Charlotte, then it's a short flight to Savannah where we arrive at 8:30 (5:30 AZ time). It's going to be a long night. I don't sleep well (read: at all) on planes, but I'll be able to nap to my heart's content once we arrive in Savannah. Emmett has always slept pretty much the entire flight when we've travelled in the past, but he's so much older now, so we'll just have to see.
Do y'all have any last minute advice for me? I'm trying to be really thoughtful and deliberate about the things I bring with us on the flight. Do you think my list is complete? Am I bringing too much, or too little? I'd appreciate any help you can give me!
