Need some wisdom…

We are undertaking our first major trip across continents in about a month from now. And I am writing down the shopping list and a checklist of things that has to be packed up for Nikki. Even for a 2 hour trip that we make over the weekend to visit the temple, I pack up 2 bags for Nikki, 1 diaper bag and other a supply bag.
Diaper bag will have

· Epi-pen (injection for anaphylaxis – life threatening allergy attack)
· 5-6 diapers, wet-wipe box, diaper mat
· Formula supply that would last for a couple of days
· 3-4 of gerber/beechnut fruits / veggies (Nikki does not ever have them)
· 2 servings of ½ cup cereals (what if he doesn’t like rice and wants oats and vice versa)
· 1 serving of snack variety that is in vogue during that week
· 2 bottles, 3 spoons, sipper, 2 cups
· A flask with hot water
· 5 sets of clothes
· 3 pairs of socks, gloves, hats (even during hot summer, what if it suddenly gets cold)
· Infant Tylenol (what if …)
· Pedialyte (what if, you know what…)
· Moisturizers
· Hand sanitizer
· Pacifier (he has never had one, it MIGHT come to rescue if he cries inconsolably)
· Teethers, 1 or 2 toys (these will be taken in hand if the diaper bag overflows, which it does most of the times)
· Baby Comb (you won’t believe the amount of hair Nikki has, I can plait his hair. Will try posting his pictures soon, DH is not willing to make them public yet)
· Nursing pads for self (I stopped nursing him during the day 2 months back, what if?)
· My mobile and wallet if I don’t wear pants with pockets

Supply bag:

· flask with lukewarm water
· dozen diapers, one more box of wipe
· more toys
· towel
· blanket
· more food supplies depending upon the duration of the trip

My mom calls the diaper bag pudhayal (treasure trove), you will uncover lotsa stuff other than those mentioned above. Some examples: coupons, brochures from Ped’s office, prescriptions, pens, let me stop here, I am digressing from the point of this post. I think this must have given you guys an idea of the level of preparedness I am in for Nikki in normal circumstances, where I have access to all of these stuff in less than 30 minutes, even if I forget to take them along.

All of you travel-wise moms out there, please provide your 2 cents on what WILL BE, MIGHT BE required and WHAT YOU WISHED YOU HAD TAKEN while traveling to India. I am advised to even pack diapers, wipes and the like from here. I am not sure if I really have to, diapers & wipes that you get in India should be good enough I guess. But with Nikki, I want to be on the safer side, I would rather go overboard than regret after going there.

We are having a Ped visit coming up in a week, she said she would be immunizing him against Measles (he is close to 10 months now) and nothing else. One of my neighbor here said her Ped gave her daughter some pills to treat Malaria. Should I ask for anything from my Ped? Any wisdom on this account will be greatly appreciated. We are taking Lufthansa via Frankfurt, so any experiences, travel restrictions you have come across, heard about recently, please let me know.

Now, I don’t want to sound like a hyper-protective mom who thinks of India (rather coimbatore, my home town) as a disease ridden place. I want Nikki to be exposed to all kinds of environments, but reasonably so, I want to be enjoying our vacation there, not to let Nikki get sick and suffer along with him. Despite warnings of having a weakened immune system, I and DH are NOT taking any vaccines or tablets, just planning to be careful with water and outside food. The latter I don’t think I can, I am just waiting to devour all junk food from the street shops. The thought of having to vaccinate myself to be at MY HOME is unthinkable. I cannot even think like that.

Yippeee!

We are going HOME for vacation. Tickets have been confirmed and the countdown has started. 52 days more. It has been 3 years since I went to India. Will be there close to 2 months. Everyone else, other than my mom and MIL will be seeing Nikki for the first time. My sis S is eagerly waiting for him and I am more eagerly waiting to see my niece V. V will be 2 years this Oct, I have NOT SEEN HER YET. :(. No amount of pictures, webcams and videos can substitute feeling someone physically. Especially holding & feeling a baby, the hugs,sloppy kisses, smotherings, burying your face into the small of the neck, just melting and feeling at peace in the presence of the tiny being. I missed everything. And they have missed Nikki too. At least he is seeing everyone before he turns one. V is already into her terrible 2's and is keeping everyone on her toes.

I have missed PEOPLE the MOST, next comes food and then comes the landscape itself. Planning to do a lottttttt of things. Let me see how the vacation turns out to be. Just hoping not to have one more confrontation with the ILs. I am confident this time that I won't get into such situations. Last time(that was actually the 1st time), I did not see it coming at all, not even a slightest idea of the brewing storm. That is the only thing that is bothering me. I don't even want to think about it now, let me take it as it comes.
For now, it is YIIIIPPPPPPPPPEEEEEE!