Flying Solo with my baby...again.

Everyone survived the flight: my baby, myself and all the passengers. We made it to the destination safely and the rest is already a distant memory. I realized that traveling with my 14-month old by myself cross-country isn't easy no matter how much you prepare but my preparations definitely made things go more smoothly.

I depended on the kindness of strangers who helped me entertain my son with peak-a-boo and turning the lights on and off. We sat across from a professional drummer who gave my son drumsticks (at the end of the flight).  I watched as my son learned how to do something new from our last flight.  He can now open and close the shade, over and over and over again.

My biggest discovery: just because you're taking a flight during nap or bedtime doesn't mean that your baby will agree.  After a 5 hour flight with only a 20 minute nap, in the future I will plan the flight times for what works best for everyone and assume that he won't nap.  If he naps, then it will be a nice surprise.  He's at a stage where he's curious and very alert so walking him up and down the aisles to get him to fall asleep actually had the other affect and made him more awake.

Overall, my son is growing and changing every day and it's important to adapt to these changes.  He loves looking out the window, for the time-being a window seat is a must for us. In the end, we made it to our destination and it was 100% worth it.

My husband flew back with us, and it turned out there was a mother traveling by herself with her son who was born only a few days after mine.  We did what we could to help her. My son and I made new friends. Mommy world opens you up to meeting so many interesting people and instantly we were sharing tips, stories, and baby food!

Up next?  Road trip to San Diego this weekend.

FreshCruiser Tip: When ordering something to drink on the plane, ask the flight attendant to put a lid on everyone's cup.