• Concern Mama needs help with input for paternal grandma's 90th birthday celebration travel arrang

[SIZE=medium]I am the first time mom of 4 mo old fraternal twins. His mother wants us to visit for the celebration of his grandmother's 90th birthday in August when the babies will be 8mo old. The situation I am finding myself is that my boyfriend's mom wants us to stay at a hotel which she offered to pay. In regards to transportation, we will be picked up and dropped off the hotel. If it is up to my boyfriend, we will visit for 10 days. I told him that I find it long, now my boyfriend says at least 7 days. I just feel that it is too long to travel with two 8mo old babies. My daughter is on a special formula that has to be mix with cool boiled water. According to my boyfriend, we will be staying in the hotel in the evening to sleep and the rest will be spending time at his grandparents' home. The grandparents' home is a 2 bedroom, one office, one living room which in the past we have stayed along with his mother. According to my boyfriend, his mother does not want us to overwhelm his grandparents by our presence. The travel will be from Orlando FL to Harford CT. Not sure if this will be the only trip of the year. My job limits me in only 3 days for holidays=( We do not want to spend so much money in holiday travel. I may end up suggesting to do the summer for once a year trip. Although my boyfriend stated that we could boil the water at his grandparents. Before the babies, we visited his family 2x a year and stayed at his grandparents.  My boyfriend and I are on a tight budget. It concerns me that I will have to be relying on transportation and going back and forth to the hotel with two babies. I do not think this is realistic situation. I will appreciate anyone's input that has had experience with traveling with 8mo old twins. What is a realistic amount of time to be away from home? I feel anxious and concern that I will be taking a working vacation concern about this set up of going back and forth grandparents' home and hotel. I appreciate and value your input. [/SIZE]

 

 

When my girls were 8 months old, we drove 15 hours to a reunion.  We were there about a week (I don't remember exactly, it was 8 years ago).  We didn't stay in a hotel, because a friend who lived there was going out of town at the same time and let us use her townhouse.  We also had 3 older children (oldest was 8 at the time). It's been 8 years, so I don't remember all the details. I do know it was really nice to have a separate place to go nurse and snuggle babies, take naps, etc.  Other than that, I really only have positive memories of the trip, so I'm assuming there weren't too many bad things about it.

 

I would want transportation. My 8mo napped 3xs a day. I would also shorten the visit due to work. I think your babies will be fine, especially if somebody gets them a few toys, but it will be a pain for you to coordinate. How about a long weeked? Visiting family is important but now that you have kids family does have to come to you a bit, too.

For your daughter, I'd boil a gallon of water when I got there and keep it at the hotel.

 

We were in a hotel with no car for two weeks when the girls were 9 months old.  It was actually pretty nice with not having to cook, do laundry etc.  We boiled water in an electric jug (you could take yours from home if the hotel doesn't provide one) and had a thermos to keep the hot water on hand at all times.  The hotel was very centrally located and we could walk for anything we wanted/needed and catch a taxi for farther trips.  In your case I would really want transportation to get back to the hotel for naps, emergencies and down time (for the grandparents as much as you).  I don't see how spending the whole day with grandparents and only sleeping at the hotel at night would be that much less overwhelming for them.  I think a 3-4 day weekend would a good compromise.  1 day to get there (assuming you're flying), 1 day for the party and preparations, 1 day for an extended family activity, and go home the last day.  It will be a nice test run for a longer trip in the future.  

 

As someone who has travelled a ton with small children, I say pretty much anything is doable   We drive up to my parents place every summer, it's 2000 miles one way.  We used to drive it in 3 days, and then once we had 4 kids we did it in 4 days.  The only thing I would want is my own transportation.  Otherwise I don't see the issue.  Preboil water and then pour it into gallon water jugs at the hotel, as someone said you can buy/use an electric kettle while you are there.  If you don't want to stay a full week then try to compromise on a 3-5 day stay instead, with the possibility of visiting again maybe at the end of the year/beginning of next year.