Travel Buddies

We got back from Florida late on Monday night. The kids were exhausted after playing in the hotel pool all morning and then enduring what was close to 12 hours of travel. Jack and Zoe sat with me and Evangeline in the back of the plane and played with each other nicely (!) throughout the five hour flight. Evvie slept for a decent chunk of that time, and we rotated playing with toys, snacking on crackers, changing diapers and nursing off and on. She is really and truly a dream baby, she is lively and happy 99% of the time and maintains a steady schedule as long as I am also in tune with her needs.

Even with as predictable and pleasant Evvie is, she is an eight month old baby moving through very typical stages of exploration within her sensory processing. She gets bored by old toys and foods and wants to put anything and everything in her mouth, especially the things that she shouldn’t (like my car keys and phone, for instance). For this trip, knowing we’d likely be blowing though all of our toy and baby related reserves quickly, I went to a local favorite toy store and stocked up on new things to keep her attention during the long flight. I packed tons of our favorite Apple Park toys and animals plus a few new things from their baby line as well.

We have a bunch of the toys and onesies from the Organic Farm Buddies line from Apple Park for everyday use, but I wanted to make sure I had a few new things for Evvie to surprise her with on the flight, too. The products are made from 100% certified organic cotton jersey, so they are not only super duper soft (old favorite t-shirt material), but they are vibrant and engaging as well. The characters have the sweetest faces, are light enough for her to carry easily and have a well loved, calm nostalgia about them as well. I made sure to pack more than a few of the onesies, burp cloths and a blanket in my carry-on, knowing that they would be comfortable as well as making diaper changes and other possible explosions easy to change. The Organic Farm Buddies line is made from beautiful, eco-friendly and sustainable materials, assuring that this brand is not only a staple within our home, but also my number one go-to for shower gifting.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about parenthood, it’s knowing that you never can really know what to expect no matter how experienced you think you are. Coming off of another cross-country trip with the kids, more than a few situations presented themselves that reminded me of this fact. The truth is, each time we travel, the kids are just a bit older and sometimes in a different stage. While it doesn’t make that much of a difference when they’re older like Jack and Zoe, the baby and toddler phases change pretty drastically with age and stage. The best I can do is prepare myself for as many circumstances as possible so that I feel well equipped to meet their needs. I’ve found that whenever things get chaotic, my processing stems largely from my own frustration with not being prepared in some way to manage their issues and my expectations.

Within the wonderful experiences provided by traveling with children, I’ve learned so much about who they are as people, how they process and the very same things about myself-someone I’ve known pretty intimately for the past 35 years. I’m keenly aware of the things that make our lives easier and more comfortable and the brands whose products not only fill those spaces but are also in line with our overall values, too. Apple Park is a consistent favorite and go-to of mine and my children’s and I feel good about having their products play more than a few roles in our lives and in our memories.

I’m happy to announce that Apple Park is giving Momma’s Gone City readers 20% off now through May 21st. Just enter code MGC20 at checkout!