Before everything gets crazy and with the unpredictability of a due date, I decided to pack the boys bags for while I’m gone and they go stay with Grandma. While she will have a key to our house and most likely be staying there, I wanted to have something I could grab really quick with all the essentials they might need in case I needed to drop them off really fast or they went to stay with my Aunt for the afternoon or something until my Mom gets off work. When it’s go-time and I’m in labor, the last thing I want to do is be looking for diapers or toothbrushes.
I got these adorable bags from Groopdealz with each of their names on them that way Grandma can easily tell whose stuff is whose, like which bag to find diapers in (and really I just wanted an excuse to order such cute bags). They sell them on and off through-out the year, if you sign up with them you can get notified of new sales and see when they’re for sale again.
In my three-year-olds bag: an outfit (with his big brother shirt to wear to the hospital!), a pair of pajamas, undies, his toothbrush and toothpaste (most people only have grown up toothpaste at their house), a pouchie, granola bar and a sucker in case he gets missing mom and Grandma needs to bribe or distract him
In my one-year-olds bag: an outfit (with his shirt to wear to the hospital), pj’s, lots of diapers (you just never know), wipes, toothbrush, a bottle, and pouchies, a lollipop and granola bar as snacks in case they need them.
I threw in the snacks and might add a toy in case Grandma needs a quick distraction or bribe. Being away from Mom for two days can be really hard, especially on the littlest ones and I want to do all I can to make the hard moments easier both for my kids and for the people watching them. I love going and having my newborn but it’s tough being away from the ones at home. If my Mom wasn’t so used to my boys routine, I would probably also be adding a note saying what time the boys nap and go to bed and anything they are used to at bedtime. It might seem controlling or bossy but I know when I watch other people’s kids it is so much easier to get them to bed if I stick to their normal routine. 
A few more ideas you might want to add to your kids bags and that I might add to mine are favorite stuffed animals (if my boys stay overnight at Grandma’s I’ll remind her to grab them since Sawyer sleeps with one), a favorite toy or treat, a fun new game they’ve never played to distract them from having mom gone, a book about becoming a big brother or sister, a note for your child, their pillow (anything to help them sleep better away from home, a.k.a. be easier on whoever is watching them), a fun new movie, or a gift for them to bring to their new baby sibling.
Here’s the little brother onesie that match the big brother shirts for those who are interested!
packed and ready to go!
Did you pack your kiddos overnight bags for while you were gone? Did they have anything special in them? I love hearing other families great ideas!
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