I’ve always loved to travel and I’ve held off on a few trips since having Queenie. But this summer I decided to head back to Paris with my favorite girl and show her a good time!
Our first stop? Disneyland Paris! And of course I took the no pressure, laissez fare approach to our day. We enjoyed breakfast in bed, lunch at a quaint café near the Champs Elysees, and then headed to “Queenie’s Palace” AKA Disneyland!
We spent an afternoon at Jardin du Luxemburg. Queenie loved the playground! We took a nap on a bench just south of the pond and practiced our colors and numbers in French as Queenie smelled the flowers.
Versailles was magical! Queenie danced to the sounds of Lully and Charpentier and I as always was astounded by the topiaries.
We enjoyed a picnic at the Eiffel Tour, took a twirl or two or three around the carousel, and Queenie had a major run-in with the birds. She made it clear that she was not a fan of birds on this trip and insisted on shoeing them away. It was the cutest and funniest thing ever!
I have so many favorite moments from our time in Paris, here’s one:
Singing "row-row-row your boat" in #montmartre with my blessing. The location doesn't impact the sentiment. It's a reminder that we can continue do the things we enjoy after having children. I love to travel so revisiting a city I love, with my love, doing the things we love is a treasure. (The folks pictured sang along with us, everyone loves Q!
A few tips on traveling abroad with a toddler:
1. Parent your way. If you want to go now, go. Ignore anyone concerned with your child's memory. Isn't "mind your business" a commandment?
2. For the plane: Bring snacks, three to five small toys, books, omg and sticker books for the win!!! Lol
3. While visiting: Find colorful and vibrant things to do (parks, gardens, castles, playgrounds, museums, festivals, etc.). We love carousels and parades!
4. Scheduling: Plan around nap time and try to keep your child's "schedule" consistent. This can be difficult depending on the time zone. Be flexible. Be patient.
5. Map out some time for you! This is possible!! Don't skip it. Reserve in-room spa treatments while your little one sleeps, read/journal on the balcony during nap time, just figure it out!!