I'm back! With travel tips to boot.

Sorry for the delay, but I'm finally back. We've been traveling a lot in January, first to Tennessee and Kentucky and then to Palm Springs. Fresh from the road, I've got some travel tips for you.

- Always bring extra diapers.
We were delayed by 9 hours(!!!) trying to leave Palm Springs. It's normally a 1-hour flight, so I had packed enough diapers to get us through 3-4 hours. Silly me. Luckily, they got into our checked suitcase and found more diapers for us.

- When packing toys, think compact.
I'm an expert at packing for the kids. You need artwork of some sort (coloring book, crayons) and books to read. The Maurice Sendak Nutshell Library is perfect because it's a collection of 4 tiny books, giving lots of reading without taking up lots of space.
Hand or finger puppets are great because they serve the same purpose as stuffed animals without taking up the space. You can have a puppet show on the plane, keeping kids under 5 happy for long stretches of time.
And layer puzzles are great, again because they take up so little space while giving toddlers the chance to practice their fine motor skills.
I also always try to pack something new and exciting. On this last flight, it was a sticker book. But don't forget that old favorite toy that provides comfort.

- Go for the suite spot.
Hotel suites, that is. Kids can nap in the bedroom while mom and dad hang out in the living room area, watching movies, playing games, reading books, etc. We're fans of the Embassy Suites, because they have a manager's reception in the evening (free drinks!), an indoor pool, a cool atrium common space that the kids love to run around, and complementary cook-to-order breakfasts.

- Roll your carseat through the airport.
If you travel 2-3 times a year, it is worth investing in a convertible carseat/stroller. You don't have to check anything at the gate. You just roll the child's stroller right up to the gate, and convert it into a carseat for the plane (or check it, if you have a lap child). At around $200, it's the best investment I ever made. The only problem is that Esme loves her travel carseat so much that she throws a temper tantrum when she has to get out of it to go through security.