Vacations aren't really vacations any more (and other things that happen when you're a parent).

Ella has already been in five states (and I'm not counting Ohio even though we flew into the Cincinnati airport because it's located in Kentucky). This girl has more miles in the sky than any other 5-month old I know (with maybe the exception of one little girl I know who lives in Arizona).

My husband and I used to be experts while traveling. We were that couple who could walk up to the security line and not even 5-seconds would pass and we would be shoeless, coatless, and halfway through the metal detector. We even had laptop bags that could go through the x-ray machine without having to take your laptop out (yes, they exist...and we were the type of people that knew about them). We have Clear and we loved in.

When people say, "and baby makes three" they really mean, "and baby makes things three times as complicated."

Some things I've observed since I have started traveling with a baby:

1) You need to pack 3x as many things for you and your husband combined just for a teeny-tiny baby. 18 change of outfits, 15 bibs, 10 burp cloths, milk/formula up the wazoo.
2) You will have some sort of discussion (perhaps a long one) about which stroller you will bring and if you will check it at the curb, counter, or gate. Advice: curb or gate.
3) Strangers are insanely attracted to babies, guard them with your life (as if you aren't doing that already). You might need to tag-team a situation but hang in there and make up a story about your child just getting over a cold if you need to. And yes, they are even attracted to babies while you are changing them out of a poopy diaper.
4) Don't let anyone kiss your baby's head (that's all I'm saying...). People are nuts.
5) Ask your baby to poop before the flight, beg your baby, promise your baby something from Tiffany's or all the chocolate in the world when they grow up if they just poop before the flight. (Ella complied...I'm going to be broke).

Needless to say, I'm not letting having an infant stop us from doing anything -- near or far. So, things take three-times as long but I'd rather be tired because of it, or a wee-bit late to things because of it. My advice to new moms: just deal, because being a bit afraid (or anxious) to go someplace with your baby is much better than not going out at all. And yes, this is much easier said than done :)