Let the Preparations Begin: Toddler Travel Bag o' Wonder

There is a website here that is alternately a vast resource and a vast abyss. It is like a glorified craigslist but only for English speaking expats in Germany. This narrow subset of humanity is populated with people who know the trials and tribulations of being a foreigner in the Fatherland who are happy to help those who come after them. It is also full of many rather eccentric folk. Eccentric, opinionated, computer-screen loving folk. Through its forums, I have bought and sold goods, found dog-sitters and German lessons, and found answers to just about any "where can I find..." or "how do you ..." questions I have been struck with while in Munich.

Lately, I decided to ask a question out loud and get some feedback on a personal query. Namely, has anyone ever had trouble traveling alone and internationally with a child who did not share his or her last name. You see, Edie and I don't have the same last name. And while the merits of this could be discussed, what shouldn't get lost is the real take home of that sentence: I AM TRAVELING ALONE WITH EDIE. INTERNATIONALLY. AND DID I MENTION ALONE?

While I was looking for some tips from those who'd done it, I got along the way much unsolicited advice. For example, someone mentioned to me that children require passports. Since I am neither a chimpanzee or someone born and raised within the bounds of an old-timey living history reenactment society, I was aware of this. I was also encouraged to bring food my daughter liked to eat. And toys. Well, there goes the 5 gallon bucket of yellow mustard and the bag of tacks!

I have actually done a lot of thinking on the subject of how one survives a trip, comprised of two flights, two airports, 4 suitcases, 2 carry-ons, a car seat and a stroller, all with a child who can run and scream but, sadly, cannot reason nor exercise impulse control. She also cannot sleep away from home. Edie steels herself against rest when she is outside of our house. The only time since she was a few weeks old that I've ever been surprised to see her asleep was when she had a fever of 102 and she was getting walked in her stroller. She woke up after 30 seconds that time. So, planning for around a half hour of uncontrollable coma sleep, an hour of eating, and 10 minutes of TV watching, what's a mom to do with the other twelve + hours?

Well, the real answer is: who knows? It shall pass. And I shall be tired. But, while I wait to actually get wise enough to believe that, how about I excessively over plan for the trip? Done and done.

I spent the last week with my now sold sewing machine making light-weight, and (oh how I hope) engaging toys. After picking the brains of worldly mommas as well as the interwebs, I got lots of ideas. Here are some of Edie's plane time surprises:

Pockets. Made this one up. It's just some pockets with matching little stuffed shapes. Edie loves tucking little treasures into bags, sofas, and some mystery portal that I have not yet found but certainly holds a lid to one of my tins and her right galosh. So I am hoping we can make some different games with this one.

A crayon roll. Nothing new here, but it's a cute way to carry crayons. And it makes the getting out and putting away a little more interesting.

Felt scene. I sewed down a pond and road. The rest is freewheeling.

Mr. Potato-head inspired Felt Game - Just a flesh-y colored circle. The other bits are just cut out and they can be moved to make a happy looking orange haired guy, or a pitiful cyclops who was never meant to be. Alternate features stuffed in the pouch.

The payload, all tucked away.

These toys are very light, which is vital during a trip that involves so very much lugging, cramming, packing and unpacking. As a friend pointed out to me, at a minimum, this borderline bananas amount of effort may ensure that Edie sleeps through most of the flight. Oh, were it only so....