Our Cancun Vacation + Tips on Traveling with Babies!

My dress (runs small, I’m wearing a medium) | Self tanner (I used it before I left and highly recommend it) | Tyler’s shirt | Goldie’s dress

Goldie’s hat

Goldie’s hat | Harris’ swim trunks | Harris’ hat

My dress

My hat | My swimming suit is sold out but I love this brand

My swimming suit (it’s only $16.99!!! I’m wearing a medium but could have done a small)

We just got back from Cancun with Tyler’s family and we had such a great time! The trip snuck up on us because we were originally supposed to go in February but had to change it due to some scheduling conflicts in the family. We had such a great time! Harris and Goldie are 16-months-old and it was their first flights. We were a little nervous so we did everything we could for success and then prayed for the best!

Our hotel room was nice because it had a big closet that we fit both of their cribs in. It had enough circulation since the doors were slatted, so we were able to put on their noise maker and shut the doors. Goldie normally doesn’t sleep as long as she did while she was there; the sun wore that little baby out!

Cancun was nice because it’s a two hour time difference; they are on Eastern time. We put the babies to bed at 10 pm every night which is their normal 8 pm our time and they slept until 10 am the next day. It was perfect because we were able to stay out a little later at restaurants with the family! We would eat breakfast in our hotel room kitchen most mornings. We bought oatmeal and cereal to eat, and the babies would have their bottles. We would then go out to the beach and play in the sand and water! Harris and Goldie were a little hesitant at first but they warmed up. They loved playing with sand toys. The water was so incredible warm and the sand was powdery soft. I already want to plan a trip back!

And just a little side not, I bought this hat this summer and have worn it SO many times!! I LOVE IT!! I bought this cover up for this trip and absolutely loved it too because it was so lightweight and high quality, and I used this self tanner before I left and LOVED it. It looked really natural and was easy to use. You can use it multiple times, the products smell AMAZING, and it’s cheaper than a spray tan. Win/win/win!

TIPS FOR A FUN VACATION WITH BABIES

1. It’s worth it to spend a little more on a direct flight because layovers with babies are no bueno. That’s no good. It’s nice to only have to board a plane once each way. I think we spent $100 more per ticket for Tyler and I since the babies are still free (well, we had to pay taxes for them on each flight since it was international), and it was worth every penny. Babies can be ticking time bombs, and the less time traveling is crucial!

2. Be overly organized. I emptied out my diaper bag the night before and re-packed it with everything I needed for the trip so it was nice and tidy: extra diapers, wipes, diaper rash cream, bags of snacks (my kids love cracker and cereal), books, toys, headphones and a charged phone before I left.

3. Choose a hotel that you don’t have to leave often. Babies aren’t very fun to tote around all day to a million different places, so we were at our hotel on the beach or in the pool for the entire day until nap time, and then we would leave to go to dinner after the babies woke up.

4. Call ahead to your hotel and reserve a crib for your babies. They slept really well while we were there because they each had their own comfortable crib to sleep in.

5. Call ahead to restaurants to make sure they have high chairs for the babies. One of the restaurants only had one high chair one night, so Harris sat in the high chair like a perfect angel for the most part, and I wrangled Goldie like a wild hyena for the night. Needless to say, I was exhausted by the end of the night! She wanted to walk all around the restaurant and did not want to sit on my lap.

6. When you’re ordering food at a restaurant, ask them to put in the babies’ order first so that you get their food before yours comes. That way, you can feed them and focus on them, and by the time your food comes, they are well fed and happy.

7. Buy a baby carrier that is comfortable for both your baby and for you. Tyler and I are literally obsessed with our MiaMily baby carriers. We have tried out a ton of carriers, and the babies didn’t like being in the them. These MiaMily carriers are incredibly comfortable for both our kids and for us. The baby almost has a little chair to sit on is it’s comfortable for their legs. It’s also really easy to put on when you are by yourself.

8. Switch off with your spouse every other day during nap time on who stays in the hotel and who goes out to the beach. Tyler would stay with the babies as they napped while I would go walk in the beach, hang out with the family, and lounge in the lounge chairs listening to music. It was so nice! Then, the next day, I would stain in the hotel room with the babies as they napped while Tyler would go out to the beach. This way, be both got some relaxing time in!

I think the biggest key (and really the biggest key in enjoying anything in life) is just a positive attitude and enjoying being with your family! A vacation with your kids is going to be different than a vacation with just your spouse or adults. It’s more work, but it’s also a lot of fun to see your babies discover new things. We really had a good time and I would do it all over again if I could!