Slightly Brilliant: ::Tweedy's Take the World

Hey y'all!

Today is the Part 3 of about our trip to Ireland & England!

You probably noticed how Lemmon wasn't in any of the pictures from our trip. Well, that's because she stayed stateside!

I've compiled five tips of how I handled leaving our precious pumpkin for 17 days!

{EEEP! It was definitely hard, but we all made it through!}

Yes. Yes, you did read that correctly. Seventeen Days. After never spending more than 8 hours

{one time} away from Lemmon, we traveled sans baby for 17 days.

Backstory: Mattie & I got married approximately 3.5 years ago {now closer to 4}, but we were never able to take a honeymoon while he was in the military. We started planning this trip way back then, pre-baby. After much consideration, we decided that it would be best for us to take this time for ourselves and leave Lemmon in the loving hands of our family!

I have been a stay at home mom since Lennon was born and haven't spent much time away from her regardless. Until this trip, I had never spent a night away from her and only started having her sleep in a different room a week before we left {one bedroom houses will do that to you}. Let's just say, we are used to being with each other.

When Aunt Sissie couldn't find the socks I packed for Lemmon! So silly!

Here a few tips to prepare yourself the first time you leave your baby at home while traveling.

ONE : You Can't Actually Prepare Yourself!

I know. I just told you that these are tips to prepare yourself. Well, you can't. I thought I was ready for it. I had never been away from her, but I was convinced that I was going to be fine. Then about a week before, someone mentioned how much she was going to miss us... WHAT?!? I mean, I had thought about it, but figured, "she's only one, she won't remember", not the "in the moment upset" she would be going through! That sent me into a tail spin. Every night I would cry to Mattie about how horrible we were for leaving her. He would assure me she would be okay and I would be too.

He is kind of an expert on this, since he was deployed for 6 months of her life.

Anyways, fast forward to the first night of our trip. Between jet lag, dehydration {buy more than one bottle of water for that 7+ hour flight} and crying baby over FaceTime, I realized it. I was NOT prepared!

So, I guess I should say "A few tips to help you handle the first time you leave your baby at home while traveling."

TWO : Trust Your Sitters

Whether it be your family or friends, the best thing you can do for you and your baby is make sure they are in capable hands that you TRUST! We are so lucky to have amazing family near by to watch Lemmon and feel comfortable that she was so well taken care of while we were gone. It took so much pressure off of us knowing that she was safe.

Jams sharing delicacies {cheerios} with Lemmon at Brunch!

Aunt Sissie knows how to party!

Lemmon wishing me a Happy Birthday with Pawpaw & Nana

THREE : Prepare Your Baby & Your Sitters

I don't mean emotionally. Whether your family is staying at your house or your baby is going around staying at your families, you'll need to make sure they have everyone they need.

I have always made Lemmon's food, so we cooked up about 17 days of freezable food for her and split it up between everyone. Also, stockpiled diapers & wipes {even though my mom had to buy some more}. Lastly, we packed about a weeks worth of clothes, a ton of toys, a pack & play to sleep in, and any bits & bobs she might need.

Raincoats are a must when you've had so much rain!

Swimsuits are necessary for splash pads with Jams!

On top of all of that, I created a "Newsletter" of all things Lemmon. This included her nap schedule, how much she eats, and a bit about her routine. I made sure that it was more of a suggestion and was not expected to be followed all the time.

FOUR : Wifi! Wifi! Wifi! Wifi!

Wifi {or WeeFee in our house} may not be a must for everyone, but it was for us. Since we

AirBNB-ed it, we made sure that all of our accommodations had wifi.

Also, when in doubt, find a Starbucks! They are all over big cities and they have FREE WIFI!

Thanks to technology, we were able to FaceTime with Lemmon EVERYDAY! The first day was pretty rough, but after that she was happy as she could be. It was extremely helpful for me to see her and talk to her.

FaceTime with our love!

Jams was a little delirious from running after Lemmon for days!

FIVE : Be in the Moment

Answer these questions:

Do you trust your sitters?

Is your baby prepared?

Do you have wifi?

If you answered yes to at least the first 2, you'll be fine! Don't spend so much of your time focusing on missing your baby that you miss what is going on around you. Chances are high that your kiddo is having a blast {after the first day or so} and you should be too!

And before you know it, your trip will be over and you'll be back with your babe!