1) Check, check, and double check that you have all the major items. Mentally go through your days, thinking about what you'll need.
2) And if you forget something (like your carrier) do what we did: turn your dilemma into an opportunity!
The day before we left for our vacation, we thought we were quite prepared. We had everything packed early (we thought), had carefully picked out music and books for H, and had even gone on some "practice" hikes with our ergo carrier. In order to take those hikes, however, we had to take the ergo out of the trunk of the car, where we typically stored it. We didn't even think about this fact - and didn't realize that we had forgotten the carrier until we arrived at the cabin and began planning out our first full day.
Because we were determined to hike, after much debate we decided to upgrade to the Deuter hiking carrier available in the local stores. This turned out to be a great decision.
In the Ergo, H sat close to our body, against our skin. This was great when he was younger, but more difficult for a toddler who prefers his own breathing space. In the Deuter, by contrast, he is strapped into a device resembles an upright car seat, which is stabilized by an aluminum frame. The parent wears this frame on their back; and the toddler sits at the parent's behind the parent, looking out at the trail over the parent's shoulders.
Although this contraption can get a little heavy, it worked great in a couple of ways. First, because he had space H could hold water, his hat, or another comfort item while hiking. Second, and more important, he could observe the trial and the views the way we do. His view was essentially the same as the carrier's; the two could bond over shared discoveries. This turned out to be an etremely rich experience for all of us, which I'll detail in yet another post.
For now - here's some pictures of the H in the carrier, enjoying the ride.
