We just got back a few days ago from Christmas in Gatlinburg, TN. We stayed at a large cabin and had a wonderful time! It was really fun to be in such a beautiful location for the Holidays and be surrounded by loved ones.
I wanted to hop on here and bring up some supplies we had on hand to make our travels a bit easier and a whole lot safer! First off- my son is now old enough to traverse the stairs on his own with supervision. We haven't ventured into letting him really have time alone with stairs and if he's going it alone he usually slides down on his behind.
That being said- a traveling stair gate is a great idea. We didn't have to bring one but they are flat and don't take a ton of room up. Try to find one without a bottom border. They are kind of a tripping hazard. Lots of grown ups have a tough time with babyproofing items so that is one I try to really be wary of.
We had three balconies and they backed up to the mountain. The cliffs and valleys on this location are insane and we needed to ensure that Sammy wasn't outside even for a second without an adult. Bringing door covers is a great idea. We had one on each of the balcony doors and also on the stairs going to the basement which is more enclosed than the upstairs.
I am really a stickler on safe places for little ones to sleep. When you are asleep you aren't supervising your child. There were bunk beds for the children and I honestly did not feel safe having Sammy sleep there. Not only was there a balcony and hot tub there within a door's reach- but also pool table and bar stools. He could easily wake and get into all kinds of expensive trouble. We generally bring the Joovy Moon Room with us anytime we need to spend the night. It is a gigantic pack and play. We can put in a pillow and all of his blankets and it feels cozy and he is secure. It's tall enough he can't actually get out of there!
My husband and I did not bring our video monitor as there was no wifi. We both have iphones and can use the Baby Monitor app to link the phones and create a monitor while Sammy is asleep before we get into the room. We usually only need this for two or three hours at the most and then we don't have the video monitor to take down and set up again when we get home. It's a decent option. Just remember to charge your phone!
Lastly we always bring Sammy's shampoo. It works for shampoo and body wash. I just think a flare up of skin issues isn't welcome on a vacation so might as well pack it. I started using the Shea Nation Carrots and Mango shampoo for him and we really like the scent. Bonus that scent hangs on so his hair smells amazing for two days!
Happy Travels!
I wanted to hop on here and bring up some supplies we had on hand to make our travels a bit easier and a whole lot safer! First off- my son is now old enough to traverse the stairs on his own with supervision. We haven't ventured into letting him really have time alone with stairs and if he's going it alone he usually slides down on his behind.
That being said- a traveling stair gate is a great idea. We didn't have to bring one but they are flat and don't take a ton of room up. Try to find one without a bottom border. They are kind of a tripping hazard. Lots of grown ups have a tough time with babyproofing items so that is one I try to really be wary of.
We had three balconies and they backed up to the mountain. The cliffs and valleys on this location are insane and we needed to ensure that Sammy wasn't outside even for a second without an adult. Bringing door covers is a great idea. We had one on each of the balcony doors and also on the stairs going to the basement which is more enclosed than the upstairs.
I am really a stickler on safe places for little ones to sleep. When you are asleep you aren't supervising your child. There were bunk beds for the children and I honestly did not feel safe having Sammy sleep there. Not only was there a balcony and hot tub there within a door's reach- but also pool table and bar stools. He could easily wake and get into all kinds of expensive trouble. We generally bring the Joovy Moon Room with us anytime we need to spend the night. It is a gigantic pack and play. We can put in a pillow and all of his blankets and it feels cozy and he is secure. It's tall enough he can't actually get out of there!
My husband and I did not bring our video monitor as there was no wifi. We both have iphones and can use the Baby Monitor app to link the phones and create a monitor while Sammy is asleep before we get into the room. We usually only need this for two or three hours at the most and then we don't have the video monitor to take down and set up again when we get home. It's a decent option. Just remember to charge your phone!
Lastly we always bring Sammy's shampoo. It works for shampoo and body wash. I just think a flare up of skin issues isn't welcome on a vacation so might as well pack it. I started using the Shea Nation Carrots and Mango shampoo for him and we really like the scent. Bonus that scent hangs on so his hair smells amazing for two days!
Happy Travels!
