“This is doable. We need to do this again after the baby gets here.”
Motivation
We were lucky enough to be expecting our second child and apparently traveling-while-pregnant is now a family tradition. Not knowing what traveling with an 18 month old and a pregnant lady would be like we limited ourselves to 2 home bases, both of which very dense and walkable city centers.
Itinerary
- Amsterdam
- Delft (day trip)
- Paris
Planning
- Open jaw plane tickets
- Woven wrap baby carrier
- Snacks, snack, snacks, and 1 new little toy for the 21-hour flight
- Airbnb with kids room (i.e., toys) near Amsterdam park
- Purchase train tickets for big trip to Paris
- Amsterdam museum card (Museumkaart)
- Map out all green spaces and public restrooms
Memorable Moments
- Laying in the Champ de Mars under the Eiffel Tower on our son’s first night in Paris.
- Making our own etchings in Rembrandt’s old house (Amsterdam).
- The dozens of masterpieces our son slept through in Rijksmuseum and Louvre.
- The women’s restroom in the Louvre.
- Viking helmet borrowed by our son through his stay in the kids’ room in Amsterdam.
- Playground in Luxembourg gardens during our one “bad” day.
Lessons Learned
- Parks and playgrounds are mandatory.
- Lines and sites: when in doubt, don’t push it.
- Kids can enjoy art with you. Van Gogh’s bright sloppy colors went over well with our boy.
When we return…
- Exact same neighborhood, maybe close to Vondelpark
- Rent bikes and explore more
- Get out of Amsterdam for a while