Everything but the kitchen sink

Over the years of business travel I have become very adept at packing quickly and efficiently. Perhaps by the simple trade off between sleep and packing on dark mornings to get early flights, I can now pack for a week in under 10 minutes. The Boy, conversely, takes an hour to pack for an overnight trip, but I have become increasingly efficient.

Today, during a 10 minute slot between conference calls I laid out all the things I will need for the trip home, with Eve sitting on the bed and advising me on which shoes I should take. All my stuff is now ready to be packed into our suitcase.

So, now I turn to Eve's packing. She is only just 8kg and won't even have her own seat on the plane so surely it can't be that hard? Oh, that was a very silly thing for me to think!

Aside from the thousands of changes of clothes, bibs and pjs, I also have to think about wipes, nappies, nappy bags, nappy cream, her favourite toys, her two rubber ducks for bath time, books, little blankie things she holds while she sleeps (if we forgot those I would cry, as would she), baby calpol in case she get ears pain on the flight, bottles, utensils, three meals for the flight (apple, pumpkin and pear - her favourites). Don't even get me started on the travel cot and associated bedding.

I now have visions of the Boy and I turning up at check-in only to find we have remembered everything but have forgotten Eve.