Before each trip, I compile a packing list for everyone in my family.  Since we travel so much, I usually start with a generic list that I already have and then add or subtract, depending on the needs of a particular trip.  These packing lists have evolved over time, as my daughter has gotten older …

Expecting your first little one?  If so, the sheer quantity and variety of baby gear on the market these days is probably overwhelming you as you attempt to register for baby gifts.  And, if you plan to travel with your baby, figuring out which gear will work best for road trips and airplanes is even …

  Parents are pretty deeply divided on the philosophical and practical question of taking a lap child on an airplane. Whether to buy a seat for the youngest travelers in the family is a tough decision. FAA rules, and the airlines, do not require that infants and toddlers under the age of 2 be in …

Airlines have been making a lot of moves in the past few weeks when it comes to change fees.  And the news is not good.  As you can probably guess, change fees are going up.  Change fees are a real money-maker for the airlines these days, which conversely means you can be hit very hard as …

If you follow the travel blogs, you’ve probably already heard the news that most major airlines have increased their ticket change fees.  This means that once you purchase your airline tickets, you are pretty much locked in to that fare even if the price drops, because the penalty for cancelling your original ticket is too …

American Airlines just recently announced that it will allow passengers who do not have any luggage to stow in the overhead bins to board early, after elites but before Group 2.  Presumably, this move is intended to reward those who travel light (or pay to check bags) and speed up the boarding process by getting …

One of the major reasons I travel with my daughter is to visit family.  With my parents in Alabama, my sister and other relatives in North Carolina, and my husband’s extended family in Connecticut, we cross the country often so that my daughter can have real relationships with these large but close-knit groups of people. …

If you are a parent of a small child and have a spouse who travels for work, you probably have been known to curse those business trips on occasion! Especially those times where you are doing meals, bedtimes, and errands all by yourself while your significant other stays in the lap of luxury on an …

As I recently announced, I’m expecting baby #2 this fall.  I have one final cross-country trip planned when I’m 29 & 30 weeks pregnant (updates to follow in a post later this summer).  When I was expecting Little V, I had to travel cross-country at 34 weeks because my little sister was getting married.  Barring …

Several of my friends have recently attempted their first trips traveling with babies and small children, and the refrain that I most often hear after these trips is the following: “Did you know that Airline X doesn’t pre-board children any more?”  Unfortunately, I did know that!  But it appears that the message is not filtering …