What I learned from traveling abroad with a toddler

It's been too long since I've posted but I recently came across a list that I wrote to myself while on an airplane from London to Washington, D.C.  I titled it: What I learned from Traveling Abroad with a Toddler.  We had spent 3 weeks in Vienna, Austria with no car, a studio apartment, and a near two-year-old (very well-behaved) girl. 

Here's my thoughts...

- A potty-trained child can't be expected to "perform" if stressed out
- Home sick toddlers will want their pacifier
- Riding home naked on the subway is okay to strangers- especially if you just went swimming at the local swimming pool or got soaked at the zoo
- Toddlers can drink out of a regular glass
- A kid can indeed live on bananas, french fries, and milk for 3 weeks if necessary
- Language is a barrier, even for a one-year-old
- Bring the blanket everywhere; toddlers don't care how dirty it really is
- Getting a good night sleep before airplane days is essential- there is NO guarantee that toddlers will sleep during flights- even a 20 hour long flight
- People need to eat...often
- A trip abroad will force independence and moodiness and that's okay 
- Historical tours should wait: local Children's Museum trips and strolls through local neighborhoods should be priority
- Living in a studio is challenging- especially teaching a toddler to take a shower or eat on the couch
- Toddlers will conform
- Even if it doesn't seem like a "great time" in your life...jump at once in a lifetime chances
- There is no place like home, even to a toddler

I hope you take chances like these, it wasn't easy and I didn't get to do every historical tour or art museum I wanted to see, but we have a lot of good memories and best of all got a TON of undivided one-on-one time with our child.

Landscaping 2011

Man, this was a long day, but we had great family and friends helping us and got it all done. Ryan and Rob have a long week ahead of them to finish the entire yard, but it will be well worth it! Enjoy the hard working pics!

Grandma Jenny entertained Little Miss Ella all day. THANK YOU!

And Ella had a blast with her.

Very deceiving pile of plants. Didn't look like much at all!

Getting down and dirty. Plant those plants!

Using the auger we rented. That thing saved the day. Well worth the rental fee.

Lee and Nathan worked hard digging!

Erin and Heather working hard and having fun!

Breaking for a much needed lunch.

Ryan working really hard! (joking, he actually did help a lot!)

Ella enjoying hanging out with the adults!

All very tired, half of us are sitting in the shade exhausted!

Enjoying icecream after the long day of work.

This tree hole was super hard to dig. Really really hard.

Devin giving Ella some love before returning back to work.

TIME FLIES

Where did it go? We got in the house and obviously settled in... so much that I forgot to write! OR oh yeah, I forgot... I started working full time again in January. That's the same time I stopped blogging! Yep, that's it.

Don't read this blog if you don't care about baby milestones... you'll find it B O R I N G !

Okay- so catch up time! First on Ella! I write in my journal a lot (well more than blogging) so I can thankfully look up and see what my little girlie did during each of these months.

4 months- December 2010

- 50% weight, 65% height, 95% head!

- smiles ALL day long

- just had 1st day at daycare

-had 4 vaccacinations

-can grab things a little

-can hold your head

-babble and sing so cute

-chortle and belly laugh every day around 7 pm

-you wake up 1 time at night

-bedtime is 730pm-730am

-your blue eyes sparkle

-your hair is growing a LITTLE

-the Christmas card picture of you made at least 4 people tell us it was their favorite card!

-the pediatrician said, "How adoreable is this baby!?!?"

-the daycare lady at the gym said she can't wait for Mon and Weds so she can "hold smiling Ella!"

-at holiday church services you literally distracted 2 entire pews of people with your cuteness!

5 months- January 2011

-90% of the time you sleep from 7:30pm-7:30am

-take 2 naps 1-2 hours each

-have rice cereal in your bedtime bottle

-still love your MILK- you'd like 6 ounces every 2 hours if you had it your way

-you had your 1st "meal" and spit most of it out when you smiled at us

-sitting supported, but can't quite do it on your own

-roll over (not regularly, but often)

-still love to KICK

-you wiggle your butt funny

-so full of smiles still- mom wonders if this will last forever and sure hopes so!

-likes books and songs

-tries to always sing if the room is quiet

-go from giggling to ticked off screaming mad in 5 seconds or less usually

-getting bald again

-your two bottom teeth are IN and so cute

6 months- February 2011

-16 pounds and 95% for weight, height, and head

-starting to have mommy anxiety

-still kicks legs like a crazy lady- diapering is so fun because she lifts her rump up right when you want to close the diaper

-sleeps from 7:30-7am thank goodness

-usually naps twice

-eats babyfood meals

-smiles and laughs like no other- everyone comments on how smily she is

-loves to roll and stand with help

-loves to SPLASH in the bath tub which is in the kitchen sink- makes a MESS

-likes rattles and small "holdables"

WE LOVE YOU ELLA- can't believe how a life changes when you have a baby!

Family Portraits- Finally!

For a long time Jenny (Ryan's mom) has wanted a family shot of all of us. And we make it a big hassel every year, complaining, griping, moaning. Rob climbs up on the ladder, sets the self-timer and runs down into the photo. They turn out fine, but they're not professional by anymeans.

This year we did it. And they turned out cute! Thanks to my sister-in-law, Linda, who took the professional shots!

2010- The Green's

The whole family!

Chris & Angie on left, Ryan & Angie in middle, Rob & Jenny on right.

Padia kids left to right: Airika, Trent, Jaden, Bayla

Ella in the middle

Just the grandkids!

We even got cute shots of just our family.

4 Generations

4 Generations (very special because Ella is Grandma's first great grandchild)

Here we are with our maiden names:

Joan Hoerres, Cynthia Steger, Angela Griffeth, Ella Green

I was glad to get a shot of Ella with Grandma and Grandpa- they just love her. I'm so happy they are alive to see our baby. I know it means a lot to them.

Right when Ella was born neither one wanted to hold her for fear of dropping her or tripping or something aweful. HOWEVER... as they kept seeing her and how cute she was- they couldn't resist! Now if Ella's anywhere within their reach- grandma and grandpa want to hold her! :o)