Freaking out about trip w/ my kiddos

[illinibaby1]

We leave for San Antonio TX on sunday. DH has a conference so I'll be w/the kids from 8am-3pmish by myself for a week, in a big unfamilar city with 2 kids under 2. So I am FREAKING out right now. The trip sounded great as our room and millage are paid. However,my 2 year old has been a bear all week, throwing tantrums and basiclly acting nuts 24/7. So I am having 2nd thoughts. DH is mad b/c he said I pressured him into taking us (totally not true..he begged us to go so we could make it a "family vaccation"). I get stuck packing, taking care of the kids, not to mention spending 9+ hours in the car with all of them.... ARRRRRRRRR!

Tell me it will be okay. I'm just having major 2nd thoughts...wierd dreams too...must be watching too many crime scene shows.....

TIA!

-Melissa:)

[Saralynn]

Melissa-It does sounds stressful. But it has the potential to be really lovely. You're taking a stroller? And swimsuits? You can sit at the pool, find a park and go play. Maybe even an indoor playground? If it's too hot.

Sounds like you are all feeling stressed. I hope that instead your stress turns to excitement as you prepare to leave. Packing is the hard part.

Sara

[MOMo]

You can do this, but its all in your attitude and prep work. Trust me, it can be a great time for all of you.

Two kids under two. Do you have a routine at home? Just keep that same routine but in a different spot.

Next, if you're not leaving until Sunday you've got plenty of time to keep them well fed and exhausted. Make sure that they're getting plenty of excercise that is age appropriate. Don't worry about cleaning house today, just get the kids really tired and in bed at a decent time every day between now and Sunday.

Packing..keep it simple. Check the website for the actual hotel and see if they have laundry facilities. If they do, pack some soap and take the minimal that you'll need. If they don't, take only what you've got to have and pack the kids in either a suit case of their own or in a diaper bag/duffle bag.

Does the hotel have wireless internet? Do you have a laptop? Can you take movies/DVD's with you for a break in the afternoon? If they have internet acccess, use it to find libraries, parks, shopping malls, farmer's markets, children's museums, mcd's playlands, etc that are close by. Even a PetCo store can be a field trip that will keep them interested and busy. If all that is a bust, ask at the front desk and they'll help you.

Can you take a soccer ball, building blocks, an extra blanket and some books to read to them in a make-shift tent in the room? How about in the lobby of the hotel to build a wooden block something?

Hope this gives you some suggestions...while you're traveling plan to make some stops along the way just to wear them out and feed them just a bit of a snack of some sort. Then sitting in the car won't be so boring for them and less stressful for you.