We made it! Twelve hours of travel later and we are comfy at Mema's house in sunny California. Maddie was a rockstar, as was my mama who accompanied us on our maiden voyage out west. With a little prep and teamwork it was relatively painless- minus a few tears near the twelfth hour, literally. 

Here are few tips that got us through the day: 

5 Things That Made Our Flight Easy As Pie

1. TSA Pre-Check- Admittedly, I don't have pre-check; but my mama, being the traveller she is these days, is- and the folks at American Airlines were kind enough to let us join her on the fast track through security. Anything to get you to the front of that line with your kids is worth it.

2. Brand New Goodies- Friends recommended I buy a few inexpensive toys for MM and give them to her throughout the trip. This advice was gold. A trip to target before our flight and just a few bucks bought me hours of time on the flight.

3. iPad + Mickey Mouse- I know people have mixed emotions about kids and iPads, but I can assure you, everyone on our flight was pleased as can be that Maddie was glued to hers. I downloaded several of her favorite shows beforehand- Mickey Mouse, Goldie and Bear, and a few others- and she was mesmerized.

4. Snacks on Snacks- I found this genius Munchkin teether right before our trip, and it was a game changer- I popped a slice of banana in there and Maddie went nuts. MM's still limited on the food front, but as she gets older I'll definitely come prepared with lots of little treats.

5. New Friends- Make friends with the TSA agents, flight attendants, and the people around you- be sweet and kind, and you'll be pleasantly surprised at how much people are willing to help and forgive a few baby tears.