Our First Trip

We are taking our first family trip in a couple of weeks.  Trevor's cousin just had a baby and we'll be visiting the family in Toronto to celebrate the baby's 1-month.  

The drive from Boston to Toronto is approximately 9 hours, a journey which I think is too long and strenuous for Kira due to her feeding, changing, and sleeping schedule.  We would have to stop the car every three hours for feeding and changing, not including unexpected/explosive poopies.  Furthermore, the times she would be awake in her carseat would be challenging for me and the rest of the car passengers, to say the least.  So, Kira and I will fly to Buffalo, NY, while Trevor drives.  He will then pick us up from BUF and we will drive the rest of the way to Toronto (approx 2 hours drive).

This is only the beginning of our logistical planning.  Trevor will have all the luggage in the car, that way I won't have to deal with checking in baggage while taking care of Kira; this includes Kira's carseat.  However, we are going to need a carseat in order to get to the airport in the first place.  So, to solve this problem, I'm going to borrow a carseat from a friend, just to get to and from Logan Airport.  

Other logistical problems that may come up include:

 - Diaper changes at the airport/on the plane/while driving, (a problem which pertains mostly to leaky poopies or peeing when the diaper comes off...two events for which Kira is notorious)

 - Taking a bath; this is a challenge because the tub needs to be at a certain height so that I can bathe her safely (this would be less of a problem if Kira could sit up on her own)

 - Nursing throughout the day; due to the unstructured timing of family activities, I won't have my first choice of how to nurse Kira, which means I will probably have to suck it up and nurse her in public.

I'm also anxious about being away from a home base for the better part of each day, and perhaps the entire weekend.  Being at home, if Kira makes a mess of herself, at worst, I can leave her naked until I get my act together.  But being in Toronto, as a guest with relatives, I'll have to be on the ball and ready for unexpected baby events at any moment.

Despite all the logistical challenges, I'm looking forward to our first trip as a little family.  Kira is definitely old enough to look around and soak in the surroundings.  It will also be a great opportunity to see family, especially those who haven't met Kira yet.  And, of course, we're excited to celebrate the arrival of our cousin's new baby girl!  Kira's 1-month was so memorable, touching, and intense; it will be nice to be on the other side for repaying our cousin's generosity, as well as for perspective.