A couple of weeks ago, my little family joined my parents and siblings to go on a fun-filled vacation to Estes Park, Colorado. I had to pack my kids for about 5 days. I’ve got a 3-year-old and an [almost] 1-year-old. Their clothes are smaller, their shoes are smaller, they don’t require a makeup bag, they are little humans. So, please tell me WHY that to my 1 1/2 bags, they have 6 1/2 plus a stroller? (Seriously 6. I’m not kidding.) Here’s what we had…
Clothes (1 bag per kid)
I’m right. Their clothes are smaller, but they need more of them. They spit up. They wet their pants. They get in dirt. They run through any puddles they find.
Pack and Play (1 bag)
I guess at least we don’t have to pack an entire crib, right? But still. As nice and compact as they make these things, they’re still another fairly large “bag” to pack in with everything else.
Diapers/Wipes/Formula/Blankies/Bottles/Sippy Cups (1 bag)
I guess I should be grateful that I could fit all of this in one bag. This is the stuff that I think gets us the most. With one potty training and one still on formula, there’s a TON that you better not be forgetting (and that takes a TON of room).
Toys (1 1/2 bags)
When you’re going on vacation with kiddos and there’s going to be any down time at all, you better have toys. But even if you won’t have downtime when you get there, you better have a least a small bag packed for the car ride. Oh… the dreaded car ride…
Diaper Bag (1 bag)
For the love of everything pure and holy, do NOT forget the diaper bag.
Stroller
Unless you want to end up carrying kids around the entire vacation. That sounds relaxing, doesn’t it?
Needless to say that since I’m the only sibling in my family with children at this time, my little family, by far, had the most stuff to drag along on this vacation. We double and triple check the list, not only to get there, but to come home, because if we forget my 3-year-old’s favorite blankie or my 1-year-old’s favorite teething toy – it makes me shutter just thinking of it.
What does packing your family look like?