vacation packing

jobiann

Uhg, can I please pack my entire house for our week long vacation to Colorado!! LOL!

So, needing some advice, what are those items you really NEEDED while you were away from home with your LO? We are renting a house in the mountains out for an entire week, so it's not like we are staying in a hotel or anything. The house has five bedrooms, two bathrooms and a huge yard. Keep in mind we are flying...

And go!!

lulamagoo

A lot of the houses in the mountains have toys, pack n plays, etc.  I would check with the company or person you are renting from before packing.

There are several Targets and Walmarts on the way to the mountains from the airport if you want to just get something upon arrival.

Things that we always pack are books and a deflated beach ball.  You can easily make a water station outside with cups and bowls.

OhBaby+2013

I just finished a week of vacation. The necessities included pack'n'play, feeding chair, and a few toys. We spent time playing outside and he only needed a few toys. If we flew I would have only taken enough food and diapers to get me through the day then get those things once we landed. There will be so much else going on you won't need much.

jobiann

Good suggestions ladies! Here is our plan so far. Sorry, ended up being long!

We purchased a pack n' play and mattress and ordered ship to store through Wal-Mart for it to be picked up at the Fort Collins Wal-Mart by my BIL and his girlfriend (they live there). So they have that already. GF is bringing a nice comfy quilt to line the mattress so it will be more comfortable. We are packing one of his blankets and his security blanket, as well as two loveys, his small lamb that we'll keep in his diaper bag and Teddy who we will pack in the checked bag. Bedding done!

We are taking a car seat, a light weight one so that way it will be easier to move around the airport with. That will be checked for free. And we are taking his First Years Ignite stroller that they will also check for free.

There is a washer and dryer at the house and we are picking up supplies in Fort Collins before we head up the mountain. So I'm only taking enough diapers to get us through the plane trip and the car trip from Denver to Fort Collins...and a few extra in case of delays. 

In Fort Collins I plan to buy a ball and maybe a few other small toys that will keep him occupied. Maybe some bubbles. Luckily he loves to play with sticks and rocks, tupperware and boxes or cases to just about anything. We are packing a few DVD's to use in the house, and a zip lock bag of mega bloks. Also packing children's Claritin, children's Motrin just incase. On our list to buy in FC are diapers, wipes, snacks and food for the week, milk, bottled water, and I have a list of other items such as some kind of anti itch cream for any bites/plants we may come in contact with and some other medical related items just in case. I bought a smaller soft sided cooler that I can use to keep his milk cold for the days we are exploring, especially if we are staying in the mountains. If we are headed to town, I'm not too worried about it as we can pick up milk pretty much anywhere. DS is still obsessed with his milk, if he doesn't have it at certain times he gets pretty cranky.

The only thing we really are not taking or getting is a high chair of sorts. I figured he might just have to learn to eat on a big boy chair...I'm holding out hope the rental has something that will work. It's listing says it is kid friendly and I know my FIL has notified them we will have a toddler in the house and it would be best if they could simply remove breakable items anywhere in the home from the waist down.

From here I will definitely pack a few outlet covers, they don't take up much room and do not weigh very much at all and like I said we will most certainly buy what we can when we get to Fort Collins so we don't take up too much room in the luggage. I'm so thankful they have a washer and dryer, now, just to see how DS sleeps in the same room with H and I. We've NEVER done this, DS always sleeps in his own room. H snores really bad....I'm predicting terrible nights. But I'm holding out hope I'll be pleasantly surprised. 

Oh, plane survival, lots of snacks (not too sugary), I'll buy a carton of milk after security to take on the plane. My iPad with several of DS's fave shows downloaded on it and his tiger headphones of course. A few books, his security blanket, his lamby and of course diapers, wipes, a sippy of water. I also packed a box of Bubble Guppy band-aids...I read a blog that said they were one mom's go to item to keep her 18 month old occupied.

Hollylb3

I would definitely ask the homeowners if they have a box fan or something for white noise since you'll be sharing a room then.

PatchChild

Painters tape can solve all of the baby proofing/safety stuff because it doesn't hurt paint or wood.  You can use it to cover outlets, tape cabinets closed, that type of thing.  It also makes a great play toy.  We use it to make lines on the floor for waling on or driving cars on.  It makes sticky balls and we stick leaves to it.  

I travel with a chair of some kind, even though its a bit of a pain.  There are some great tutorials for sewing soft baby chairs, mostly a set of straps that keeps them in place in real chairs.