You knew this post was coming huh!? While we’ve had plenty of Vino since having baby girl, we’ve been severely lacking in the Vagabond department and are just itching to dust off our backpacks and take Indi on the road! Here’s a look at what’s on the docket in the next few months - including her first time out of state, in an airport, and the biggest of all: our first international flight and vacation as a family of three!

Spring in Tucson, AZ; Dallas, TX

This will be our first major trip with Indiana and more specifically (scarily?) our first time in an airport and on a plane with a young baby. *wave of nausea*

We plan to stay with family in both places, which should be a nice way to ease into traveling with a baby, and we’ll bring her pack ‘n’ play to use as her sleeping space. Also, we’re planning to rent both a car and a carseat so we don’t have to bring ours along. My how things have changed from our ‘carry-on only’ and public transport days…

We’ll also be bringing her carrier and plan to do some great hikes / walks with her in both Texas and Arizona, hit up some traditional BBQ and maybe even the Super Bowl in Texas, and definitely work in some pool time (baby’s first!) in Tucson!

Summer in Provence & Bordeaux France

It doesn’t get any more Vino Vagabond-y than France does it?! As some of you know, Provence and Bordeaux both have very special places in our hearts and we are super excited to make this Indiana’s first international trip! Like SO excited. Like so excited I could pee…which is not an idle threat for those of us who’ve given birth FYI. TMI? Anyway…

Our good friend is getting married in Bordeaux, so we’ll be there for a few days, but we plan to spend the majority of our time posted up in Provence as close to the sea as possible. Our focus this year is slow travel, and while we’ll probably work in some day trips, especially around Provencal wine country, we really don’t want to bounce around too much with baby girl and will spend many days just hanging at the beach. We love Bormes les Mimosas and Le Lavandou, so we’re looking there first, but we haven’t made any plans just yet. Any suggestions?

Indi will be almost a year old and have the February trip under her belt, so I’m hoping she’ll be more comfortable and we’ll be a little lighter on our feet and more organized, but I’m still massively nervous that we’ll be those people on the 12-hour fight with a screaming child. *A little drop of whiskey in her bottle wouldn’t hurt right?! Kidding (Not kidding) But really I would never…

Annnyway, literally everyone has told me that most people are super understanding and empathetic and I know an in-flight meltdown is almost a rite of passage for every traveling family, but I’m still dreading it. Any thoughts? Encouragement? Tips or tricks as we head into this new chapter of travelling with a baby?

Also, what are your thoughts on upgrading to business or first with a one year old? Is that rude or bad etiquette? Or is it totally acceptable?