Back in December, I had special requests to blog about how we prepared to cruise with our 17 month old.  I promised to do it, and then I got busy and forgot!  Maybe it's not too late to pick it up now.  Plus, it will be good for me to look back on and remember for reference...or just for entertainment when Millie Janalee is a teenager.  Ha!

First of all, I must admit that I was incredibly nervous leading up to our departure date.  Not only was I dealing with my own anxiety about being on a boat in the middle of the ocean.  I was also dreaming about worst case scenarios boarding a boat in the middle of the ocean with a TODDLER!  I lost sleep and made lists and tried to avoid the topic at all.  I also knew that once we got aboard the ship, I would be fine.  And I was!  Better than fine.  We had a ball! 

And Millie Janalee had as much or more fun than all of us!  It is fun to cruise with a toddler.  That's my tidbit for today.  It's a different kind of fun, but everything is a different kind of fun once you're a parent, right?

Let me break it down.

1. {Packing}  Packing for a cruise is much different than packing for a regular vacation.  Remember, you are on a boat in the middle of the ocean!  You can't just run to the grocery store or drug store (except whatever your ship provides on board).  We had a. lot. of. luggage.  Russ and I could have certainly taken a cruise with Millie Janalee alone (although it was WONDERFUL to have my family there), but we could NOT have carried all our luggage to the check-in, to the ship, to the taxi, to the hotel, etc. alone.  Nope.  We would've had to tip and pay someone at every stop to help us.  We had three full-size 49 pound suitcases (50 lbs was the limit), three carry-ons, a stroller, a car seat, my purse, and Millie Janalee.  And we had four hands between the two of us.  Thank goodness for my dad and Lee!

Packing for a toddler:

• sunscreen
• toiletries (hair/body wash, lotions, diaper cream, Q-tips, etc.)
• lightweight sweater for windy nights on deck
• extra swimsuits (I liked not having to wash and hang swimsuits to dry.  We were having too much fun to do laundry.)
• tummy meds (children's dramamine and Emetral - we gave her half a dramamine on the flights and some at night on the ship as a preventative mostly) 
• infant meds (Tylenol, Motrin, Benedryl)
• birth certificate and a copy in a suitcase
• antibacterial hand cleaner
• veggie/fruit baby food packs (Thank goodness for these!  Otherwise, she would've eaten fries for every meal.  She was a very picky eater that week.)
• swim diapers
• wipes (We preordered diapers through our cruise line.  Make sure and call ahead to confirm.  Thankfully, we did that because my reservation had not gone through!  Whew!)
•  dish detergent (to wash sippy cups and snack grabber cups)
• sippy cups
• snack grabber
• inflatable tub for shower (even though we only used it once after it scared her to death)
• umbrella stroller with basket underneath (I was so thankful to have that basket underneath for belongings at each port!  And I was thankful for the small size of the stroller in our tiny staterooms.)
• small bag of books and a couple favorite toys
• bibs and disposable placemats
• blanket and crib sheets for the pack n play we reserved for our room (We also brought the egg crate for the pack n play.  She's like the "Princess and the Pea")
• spoons
• leash backpack (although we really never used it)
• pacifiers
• plenty of snacks for flight and cruise
• dinner outfits for each night
• comfy clothes for the day
• sandals, shoes, pool shoes
• sunhat(s)

See?  I told you we packed a lot.  

2. {Reservations}  I do realize Millie Janalee is gifted in the social world.  Bless her heart!  She really doesn't have a choice.  She's been ringing cowbells and on the road since she was 5 weeks old.  But, consider your toddler when making dinner and show reservations.  What time does she get fussy?  What time is your show, and what can you do to prevent a meltdown during dinner or attraction?  For example, I knew we had a show nearly every night after our 8:30 dinner.  Meaning, our shows were at 10 or 10:30 each night!  So, I made sure her diaper was fresh and she was well fed with a paci handy before entering the shows.  I packed backup meals for every dinner/lunch reservation in case she refused to eat what was on her plate.  This saved us from having to go somewhere else for her food.  For us, we pretty much let Millie Janalee work around our reservations (so we have to try and prevent any ugly moments if we can).  You may need to work your reservations around your toddler, keeping in mind his/her fussiest times.  She did manage two naps a day, and one of those naps was always in the room for an hour and a half or more.  The other was by the pool after splashing around.  If you are gonna stay as active as we did, you must have naps!

3. {Ports of Call}  Leaving the ship at each port took some planning also.  We knew we would not be going back to the ship except to leave, so we made sure and packed what Millie Janalee would need.  I also knew I wasn't going to purchase anything for her to eat or drink from a foreign country.  I didn't want to carry much around, so I packed all I could in a little backpack.  Snacks, veggie packs, diapers, wipes, paci, juice and water from the ship, sunscreen, and a sippy cup.  I made sure I packed disposable place mats, antibacterial hand wash, and diaper changing pad too.  Germs!  Enjoy the sights and show your toddler everything you see.  Let her walk around some, so she won't get too antsy.  Millie Janalee was able to take little catnaps in her stroller.  I think she took naps in our stateroom after we boarded the ship at the end of each day.  We never went without a nap.  But, our pace really didn't slow much for it. Basically, she slept up until dinner each night.  Ha!  That's probably how she made it so late for the shows.

That's all I can think of to share.  Other than telling you that we never ever let her run free outside on the ship decks...especially the top deck where there were only rails keeping her from jumping over!  It makes me cringe to think about it!  She never even visited the top deck except when we watched the ship depart each port.  And she was in her stroller by my side.  All the other decks were glassed in.

I might even say that cruising with a toddler is easier than going on any other vacation with one (except the packing and anticipation part).  Everything is right there and only a walk or stroll away.  Tons to do for all ages.  Running back to the room is easy, and everyone is on "island time." 

Make sure to stop and ENJOY it!

Adventurous Last Day at Sea and Heading Home

Well, we have finally reached our last day at sea.  Thanks for those of you who stuck with me through the details of the days.  My primary purpose of this blog is a journal for my family.  I love how my friend The Park Wife puts it - "a love letter to my family."  I know that years from now, my children will cherish these words and pictures. 

That is my motivation to blog.

We didn't have many pictures taken at the baby pool this day, because we spent it videoing our little butterfly as she flitted from one thing to the next.  We decided to make an adventure out of our last afternoon on the ship.  Russ volunteered to take Millie Janalee to the room for a nap so he could begin the packing up process.  While he was away, the guys and I decided it was time for some real fun.  Thankfully, Millie Janalee woke up from her nap in time for them both to witness our craziness.

One of the fun activities our cruise ship offered on the back of the boat was "Flowrider", a simulated surfing session.  I think they even gave lessons during the week.  Which you will soon see we did NOT take a lesson.  Ha!  Lee and Daddy were watching just checking it out...maybe even bordering on chickening out.  There is a stadium seating full of spectators at all times.  I'm not sure what possessed me, but I jumped up and got in line motioning for them to follow.

And there we were.  In line tightening swimsuit bottoms and me wearing my coverup as advised since the impact of the water would prove to have the ability to take them down.  We witnessed this a few times with those before us.

Watching on

Finally, after several minutes of observing and trying to figure out the best strategy of staying on the board, it was my turn.  The surfer instructor had an Australian accent, so try to imagine this conversation:

Instructor: Have you ever surfed before.
Me: No NEVER!  VERY FIRST time! (as I step onto the board)
Instructor:  Well, if you would like me to help you, you might want to turn around on the board.
Me: Oh.  Of course. (Hearing laughter from Lee and Daddy as I made my first mistake.)

Then the session began.  The instructors hold your wrists loosely, but I preferred to hold his as well.  I didn't trust him.  This is against the rules I later found out.  I asked him not to let go, and he said, "Well, I have to at some point."  Oh my!

Very unsure and VERY unstable.

Notice I go down holding his wrist!

Then, it was the guys' turns.  I'm just gonna let these pictures speak for themselves.  But it was pretty hilarious watching.  And rewatching the video!

Mama describes Lee as Jell-O.  I dare not judge!

He GONE!

Daddy saying, "I got this!"

Hmmm...

What I don't have pictures of is the waves strength shooting Lee and Daddy to the back of the surfing area into the water.  I merely fell to the side, because as Daddy reminded me...I never got very far from the instructor.  Ha!

After reliving the fun, we all loaded our belongings and strolled down to the fifth deck so Russ, Rhonda, and Michael could climb the rock wall.  Kristin forbid Lee to climb it.  I'm not sure if Lee even ever wanted to.  But it was SO HIGH!  Looking up from the ground, it looked as if the wind could blow you right off the edge of the ship.  Even though that couldn't really happen.  Remember the high diving theater?  The rock wall is even higher that that!  Of course it starts higher too.

Feeling manly.  Ha!

Show off!  Climbing the "advanced side of the wall."

Ringing the bell at the top

I cannot even tell you how fast he climbed that rock wall!  Those leg muscles were working overtime.  I'm so proud.  Not proud enough to try it myself, but proud nonetheless.

Rhonda and Michael decided to climb the rock wall together.  Rhonda has shoulder problems so she only climbed to the first bell.  They rang them both at the same time.  Way to go!

We all headed back our staterooms to shower and dress for our final dinner onboard.  The thing about "my time dining" is that you can order as many entrees and desserts and anything else you want.  It's all included in the cost of your tickets.  It was a running joke every night when dessert time came.  We would all go around the table discussing what we would order (the menu changes every night), and Russ would typically respond with "I'm gonna go with my top three."  Haha!  Even if he didn't finish them all, he wanted to taste them all.

So he did.

Our luggage had to be packed and outside our staterooms by 11:00 that night for pickup, so we pretty much went straight to our rooms.  The next morning we woke up and all strolled to the waiting area where they called baggage numbers for disembarkation.  We snacked on pastries and juice.  We made it back through customs without any hiccups...except the banana I had to turn in.  Oops.

We caught our taxi to the Ft. Lauderdale airport.  I typically try to stay upbeat on here, but I must say that the Ft. Lauderdale airport is by far the worst airport I have ever been in!  By the time we FINALLY got checked in (after standing in line outside in the heat for two hours) and got food for lunch (after standing in another line for an hour), I was over it.  And saying, "Get me outta here!"

Whew!

I sat with Millie Janalee just inside the door so she wouldn't get overheated while the rest of the crew moved ever so slowly in line to check our baggage.

"When can we get out of this place, Mama?"

Our flight was fairly uneventful...except flying in during tornado watches and flooding warnings in the Memphis area.  Remember my fear of heights?  Yeah, I pretty much cried when the captain said, "Please fasten your seatbelts and prepare for turbulents as we near the Memphis area.  Flight attendants take your seats."

We landed safely.  A week full of fun and adventure! 

Another Sea Day and Princess Fun

Another day at sea can only mean one thing - more splash zone fun!  As usual, the first room awake called the others to begin our breakfast plan.  We dressed for the pool and ate breakfast as a family at the restaurant of choice.  Then, Kristin and Lee usually found a spot in the sun while Susu and Pawpaw enjoyed sitting by the baby pool.  It was in the shade until late afternoon.  By this time, Susu and Pawpaw were a little sunburned from our day at Orient Bay Beach so they welcomed a relaxing day in the shade.

Millie Janalee met more new friends and loved playing around the splash zone as always.  She ran around hiding behind the splash sculptures and saying "Hey!" to all the new babies entering the pool.

She made friends with members of the ship's crew everywhere she went too.  High fives all around!

Russ and I usually took her in around 4 or so to nap and shower before our 8:30 dinner.  However on this day, we took her to the room and gave her a bath.  We knew we had to allow her hair time to dry, and we also knew there was a "Princess Gathering" around 5:30 where Princess Fiona from Shrek would teach all the little girls how to be good little princesses.  So, we decided to get her dressed up and take her down for a little princess fun before her nap.

She liked the idea!

All the princesses welcomed us as we entered the royal room and found seats waiting for Fiona's grand entrance.  Princess Fiona taught all the little girls how to curtsy, how to pose for pictures using a few different poses (the butterfly pose, the sweetheart pose, the sugar bowl, and the warrior), how to walk, and more.  We mostly watched from the background, because I knew Millie Janalee would be all over the place.  She was fascinated by the show.

Then it was time to DANCE!  This is something I knew she would be great at, so I let her down and stood back to watch.  She had a ball!  It was so funny and fun to watch.

Getting down!

Too fun!

After our dance session, all the little girls lined up to receive their princess certificates and have their pictures made with Princess Fiona.  When our turn came up, I put Millie Janalee down beside Princess Fiona unsure of how she would react.  She had no fear at all!  I should have known this since she went right up to Po from Kung Fu Panda earlier in the week! (We don't have a picture of that, but I thought he looked a bit scary.)

High five!

Hug

"How close do you want me to get, Fiona?"

Cheese!

This bodes well for our upcoming Disney trip!  She loved it and was so proud of her princess certificate!  She ran straight for us to show us her "diploma."  Just look at that smile!

We managed to get her back to the room and calm enough for a good nap before our last formal dinner night.  Since we played around before naptime, we didn't have much time to piddle before dinner.  So we took pictures after dinner by the big tree in the Promenade.

Me and Russ

Kristin and Lee

Mama and Daddy

 Most of our nights ended just like this.  Playtime in the mirror...nonstop!  Hilarious!

Next up, our final day at sea.

St. Maarten

Russ corrected me yesterday.  We didn't have two days at sea until after our next port.  My mind has been awful about retaining all this information.  Ha!  Could it have something to do with the chaos of our December?

"Good mornin' y'all!"

Anyway, Millie Janalee woke up with her normal cheerful "Heeeeyyy!" as she popped her little head over the pack 'n play.  She was ready to begin her day at our new destination!  St. Maarten!  I think we all agreed that this was our favorite stop.  The crew warned us at dinner the night before that there would be EIGHT cruise ships docked on this day.  Making for A LOT of people!  I think the Carnival Dream had the same itinerary as we did, because I remember seeing it everywhere we went.  I tried to get a picture of the two ships together to show how huge the Oasis is, but I couldn't get them both in the shot.  The Dream is the largest ship Carnival has so far.

Me, Millie Janalee, and Russ in front the Oasis and the Dream

The girls in front of the back of the ship

I finally got far enough away to capture them both.

Kristin and I decided that we didn't want to finish the cruise without spending some time on a beach.  Since we didn't plan or purchase any excursions during this trip, we had some research to do.  After talking with our servers, some of the crew at guest services, and consulting our maps...we decided to visit Orient Bay Beach.  This is the largest and one of the most popular beaches on the island.  We decided since there were so many passengers on the island this day (from the eight cruise ships), we wanted to be at a large beach with room to spread out.

If you thought the water at St. Thomas was blue, wait til you see this!  Amazing!  Crystal clear and beautiful blue!  I couldn't get over it.  And neither could Millie Janalee.  As soon as I lathered her in sunscreen and changed her into a swim diaper, she was ready to run into the ocean.  Literally.  Pulling us behind her.

You know by now that I only go a certain distance into the ocean water.  Millie Janalee wanted to go further than I was willing to walk, so Russ took over from this point.  She squealed and screamed with every wave and splash that came their way.  They spent a lot of time out in that beautiful blue water while I enjoyed some relaxing sun.

When they finally came back onto the sand, Millie Janalee sat with me to enjoy a little snack before the inevitable nap.  Remember how I said water was the best way to plan a nap?  Ha!  I hate we didn't get a better picture of what the beach actually looked like.  There were beach shops and restaurants lining the sand with beach chairs for days. 

Local artists walked (or paced) the beach displaying their jewelry, dresses, t-shirts, and more.  I love this man who insisted Russ listen to his CD.  Russ didn't purchase the CD, but he admitted that it definitely got him even more in the "island mood." Ha!  It was a classic island moment.

Millie Janalee went down for a good beach nap while the rest of us sorta did the same.  As best we could while so many interesting things were going on around us.  Several different languages, all kinds of people, questionable swimsuits, artists, etc.  I'm pretty sure Daddy slept the entire time we were at the beach.  He woke up right before we left I think.

Millie Janalee napping with Susu

I broke down and obliged one of the local women to a foot massage.  Poor me!  Ha!  I bargained with her for a price we could both agree on, and I offered her a spot on my chair to sit.  She pulled out a GIANT aloe plant leaf.  She massaged my feet and legs with aloe, and it was lovely!  When she finished, she said with a smile "mademoiselle."  Orient Bay is on the French side of the island. 

While we finished up our time at the beach and gathered our belongings, Pawpaw took Millie Janalee for one last walk along the beach.  She loved her feet in the wet sand and the waves rushing up on her feet.  My little beach baby!  And can we take a moment to talk about how cute she is in her Beaufort Bonnet?!  Oh my!

We allowed plenty of time to arrive back to the port so that we wouldn't worry about getting left.  We loaded 11-12 deep in a taxi van for an eventful 30 minute ride back to the ship.  Lee was feeling a little carsick, so he and Kristin went ahead to the ship while the rest of us took time to peek into the local shops at the port.  We also found some fun music and even a Christmas tree in the middle of this tropical atmosphere!

Our time at St. Maarten was coming to an end, so we took a stroll back toward the gangway.

Once on board, we found a great spot on the top deck to watch all the cruise ships sail away to their next or last destinations.  It was so neat watching the ships of various sizes sailing off into the night sky.

 

After dinner we enjoyed a headliner show.  A one man act.  It was very entertaining, and once again Millie Janalee loved it!

Now, THIS is when we prepared for two days at sea.