Our First Family Holiday.

Our First Family Holiday.

Hey guys,

Passport check! Bikinis check! Spending money check! Hair appointment check! Wax appointment check! These are some of the things that were on my to do list before I became a mum.

Going on holiday without a toddler was always carefree and the main concern was myself. Fast forward three years and I was anxiously preparing for my first holiday with Lolo to Spain and her first trip on a plane… eeek. The build up to our holiday seems like a distant memory now, however at the time it was a whirlwind of emotions and packing.

Packing!

The dreaded ‘p’ word. Packing. I over packed so many things, maybe I thought we were going to star in a music video on a Spanish beach but I was ready for anything (outfit wise!) I packed a selection of three different outfits daily as I wasn’t sure how Lauren would cope in the heat. I then packed a tonne of her pull ups for her to wear during the night time as we haven’t mastered our bed time toilet routine. My suitcase was filled to the brim of different snacks ranging from biscuits, crisps and sweets to keep her busy on the plane, and for afternoons in the hotel. I checked our suitcase more times than you can imagine, I’m one of those people who wakes up in the middle of the night, thinking I’ve forgotten something really important which I haven’t!

Once we were all packed and ready to go we headed to the airport. Lauren couldn’t contain her excitement as she constantly asked when she was getting on the plane. I took her summer pushchair for when she was tired and I just needed a rest from chasing her around.

I took a Backpack and Rein set from “LittleLife” the Mickey Mouse design. The bag is suitable for 1-3-year olds, it has a padded back and shoulder sections and good chest strap to prevent slipping. Before becoming a mum, I always looked at people oddly for using reins on their children. I completely understand now why parents use them. They are travel gold! It was so easy to use instead of lobbing around a pushchair, in a busy airport and Lauren was able to enjoy her surroundings walking around like us all. “LittleLife” have a variety of backpack designs with reins for our little explorers, you can see their amazing range here. https://www.littlelife.com/products/toddler-daysacks

Flight Time!

Fast-forward to the tears and tantrums in the terminal as she became restless waiting to get on the plane. Once she got on the plane she seemed relaxed in the first hour, our flight was two hours and 45 minutes. I was extremely anxious about how she would behave on the plane. I took her beloved iPad on board; our screen time routine had flown out the window. I downloaded a couple of films and episodes for her to watch in flight. I also took some colouring pencils and colourings for her to do, as well as a variety of snacks. The second half of the journey seemed like an eternity. The tears started, and the iPad was no longer our saving grace. Thankfully Lauren only started dramatically when the plane was landing because of her ears, I was expecting more tears to be honest but she really did well for her first flight!

Hola Espana!

We had finally arrived in Spain and getting off the plane felt so exhilarating! Once we got into the transit we travelled to our lovely hotel. The trip we had been planning for months was not as bad as I had envisioned. There were tears and tantrums during our four-day holiday like there is at home, it was a little different as we were in a hot country and had a Spanish audience at times.

All in all, we had a refreshing break, Lauren is obsessed with swimming, and visiting the beach splashing her twinkle toes against the waves and building sandcastles.

Travelling with a toddler was a challenging yet unforgettable experience, and I’m glad I didn’t put off Lolo’s first trip abroad any longer.

Take a look at some of my favourite pictures from our holiday!

With Love,

Lolo’s Mummy.

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