#shieldsdobali

This is what it's looked like for us lately. We spent our first ten days in Bali up in Balian, a quiet village about 2 hours north of Seminyak. There is nothing but black sand beach and river stones (aka Mason's new favourite toy). There is no denying I will miss the quiet but the city girl in me is happy to be in the hustle and bustle of it all (ask me again in a week though..)

#shieldsdobuller

A few weeks ago, we roadtripped to Victoria's Mount Buller for a bit of powdery fun* as part of Luke's 31st birthday. It was the coolest experience watching Mason discover snow.. He touched it, and touched it. Again and again, as if he was not too sure of it. Then, of course, he tried to put it his mouth.. Ugh. That stops eventually, right?

Mason and I spent most of our time on the toboggan and having hot chocolates (and babycinos). I would definitely say my favourite part of the trip was dressing Mason in ridiculously bulky snow outfits and then watch him try to find his centre of gravity like a baby penguin. And of course, the divine Italian restaurant downstairs where we ate 4 out of our 6 dinners.


*Said "fun" was probably mostly enjoyed by the husband. The uncoordinated (myself) do not particularly enjoy boobie traps like wet, icy floors.

Tips for traveling with a child

Because I am now an expert on the subject, I thought I'd share some tips on traveling with a kid.

(I'm joking. But seriously. 8 flights in 9 months. Just let me, okay?)

Get a carrier
Not exactly groundbreaking information but so necessary. I use a ring sling but am keen to get something a bit more like this. Babywearing is a convenience. It's just self-explanatory.

Use a bag that has a zip
Nothing worse than shoving your bag under the seat in front of you, only to have all your kid's toys and food rolling towards the back of the plane at take off.

Dress for comfort, not style
That applies to both you and baby. I tend to go in yoga pants or loose pants that could be mistaken for pyjamas. Okay. I mean pyjama pants. This way I am super comfortable and can maneuver up and down a plane if needed. I always put Mason in a onesie when we fly. Except this once. And then he did two poos in 5 hours and he would not let me put his pants back on. So onesie it is.

Lots of snacks
My son loves to eat. Some days I find that if he's not shoving a rice cracker, avocado or any sort of food item into his mouth, he is screaming. So I have learnt to always have something for him to eat in my bag. Especially when he has to sit in a plane for hours!

Something to suck on
Pretty logical. It helps with the blocked ears. In this case, we use my nipple.


Ask for help
My last and probably, my most important point. Always, always ask for help. You'll be surprised how often someone will help you without batting an eyelid. I ask for extra breadrolls all the time (for Mason, not me. Really..) and let flight attendants know if I need a pillow or blanket. I also always ask if we can get a seat in the middle of Luke and myself so Mason has somewhere to sit and play for the hours he insists on staying awake.


So there. It's not rocket science or anything but if it helps just one mama on a plane with a baby, then I'm happy! In the meantime, enjoy that photo of Mason, looking delightfully dopey.