If you have tips to add, let me know in the comments section and I'll add them into the post. Hopefully it will help someone down the line.

AT THE MOSCOW AIRPORT(with some info about St. Pete airport):

• Before you depart the plane, usually a few hours before you land, you'll be given customs declaration sheets to fill out. You will also be given a Migration Card sheet, it is printed in Russian. There are two sides to these (same info left and right) and you'll fill in both sides. There should be an English "cheat sheet" provided by the airline. On our trip in March though, Delta only had a few cheat sheets and they had to be passed from passenger to passenger. In October,our agency had a copy of the cheat sheet that they provided us with on our visit trip. You'll keep 1/2 of this little slip in your passport at all times during your trip. I think it is at passport control when you first arrive at the airport that they tear off 1/2 to keep. But you'll need to make sure you keep that little 1/2 slip in your passport all the time. We were asked several times to show it.
• When you exit the plane, you'll walk down a long corridor and there will be ladies in military looking uniforms who will direct your way. They will all have on very high heels with these short skirted uniforms - welcome to Moscow.
• You'll go down a set of brownish steps and there below you'll see the passport control.
• While standing in line, waiting your turn, keep your bags near you and have your passport out and be ready. You'll have your first experience with the Russian concept of "no personal space" here in this line. Stand behind the red line until you are called. If you pass the line, you'll be reprimanded. Hubby usually goes first and then I go next. Don't smile at the officer and look them straight in the face. They will look over your documents very, very carefully. When they start stamping things, you know you're good to go - I love that stamping sound.
• At Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport, we learned the hard way that there are free luggage carts right beyond the luggage retrieval area. When you come through the passport clearance and you are looking at the luggage belts, the carts are to your left. Our most recent plan of attack is that my hubby goes to locate the luggage as it comes on the carousel and I go and get one of these free carts and bring to him. It is usually just about the right timing.
• This from Kate in St. Pete: "if you fly into St. P instead of Moscow, the luggage carts at the airport require a (refunded) 2 euro coin. That was a shock the first time I flew into St. P after the free ones in Moscow. Now, I take 10 euros out of the atm in Frankfurt, buy some gum, and keep the change for the cart!"
• When you pass through the passport control, into the luggage waiting area, there are restrooms just to the right when you come out of the passport control booths. This bathroom is decent - USE IT! You don't know how long it is going to be before you get a chance to go again and if it will be a toilet with a seat or just a hole in the ground. Take your handy tissue with you, there wasn't any paper when we were there in October.
• At the airport, there will be many porters who want to take your luggage for you, if you do not desire their help just say kindly but firmly "Nyet, SpahSEEba" We have used the porters in the past when our agency's main Russia director's husband picked us up and the porter's cost was about $10. This amount was fine for us newbies who had never navigated the Moscow airport. But we have since learned that he must have been firm with the porter and not allowed him to rip us off! In March, when we went on our first trip to meet V, we again used a porter and ended up paying $40!! The sweet little 20 year old translator had no authority over the burly (yet helpful) porter and we were at the mercy of them with no language skills. Now we know about the free carts and now you do too!
• You will also be advanced upon by many Taxi drivers at the airport while you are waiting for your ride or searching for the sign being held by your agency representative. Again, a firm but kind "Nyet, SpahSEEba" will let them know you do not need the Taxi and they have always kindly left us at that point.

PACKING TIPS:

• It cannot be said too much. Do not overpack. After you've packed your clothes go back and take out 1/2 of it. You'll still have too much! Just make sure you have plenty of clean underthings and you'll do fine.
• Make sure your socks aren't holey as they'll often be exposed.
• Remember that even though it's COLD outside, it won't be inside. From some time in October to some time in April (there's a formula for how many days above and below x degrees it has to be before the heat is turned on or off) it's very, very warm inside. A t-shirt for the hotel (and train) is a good idea for these months.
• While the vacuum seal travel bags are great, remember that even though the stuff gets squished smaller, it still weighs the same! They're great for carrying the gifts and donations in, and then putting dirty clothes in them to return home. Especially the unmentionables.
• Do pack Pepto-Bismol chewables. Take one every morning of your trip to coat your stomach and protect against whatsoever lurks therefore. Beware, though, if you take it at night (say you wake up in the middle of the night on the train and feel queasy) you will awaken the next morning with a BLACK tongue! I know, it happened to me - ick! It doesn't brush away very well.
• DO pack lots of kleenex pocket packs and keep one in your coat/jacket pocket at all times. Most restrooms do not have tissue, especially in more rural regions, but also many times in Moscow. ALWAYS keep tissue handy. We also like to bring several of the Charmin travel tissues (available at Target)
• Do pack some individually packaged wet-wipes or Mr. Clean wipes. I was forever wiping down toilets (when they had something for me to set my bum on!)
• When you receive your Visa in the mail/fed-ex there will be a little slip of paper enclosed from the consulate, like a packing slip of sorts. Carry this with you on your trip.
• Make copies of your passport picture page and carry with you in your carry-on. If you were to lose your passport, you have this as back up. We made color copies on our in home $99 printer/copier.
• Take an extra voltage converter in case yours blows out! Most electronics have dual voltage (check on the "power supply brick", but some hair appliances do not. When first trying out your voltage converter, try it on something that is easily replaceable like a curling iron or blow dryer - not your Camcorder or laptop. Take more than one adapter (the one for Russia has two long round prongs).
• I always take two very thin, cheap beach towels. I use them for many purposes throughout the trip. If there are not enough or ample towels, they dry quickly on the radiator, or the exposed pipes in the bathroom (I love those pipes! We're going to have them installed if we ever build a house!). I use the towels to cover the feather pillows which are EVERYWHERE because I'm allergic and I feel better with that extra barrier of fabric.
• I take several of the cheap thin wash cloths from WalMart (a whole package of 18 is like $3) and I just use them and leave them. I've never encountered a wash cloth in Russia that I didn't bring with.
• Put at least two separate pieces of paper inside each one of the pieces of your luggage and any coats that you take--Including your CARRY ON stuff and check in stuff--On both pieces of paper put your name, itinerary, and phone numbers where you can be reached while traveling in Russia. Even hand carried stuff, gets left on planes, taxis, at customs, lost, etc.

IN AND AROUND RUSSIAN CITIES:

• Carry two memory cards with you and keep switching them out throughout the day. If your camera is stolen, you will not lose every picture. The camera is replaceable, those photos are not.
• Don't be shy about taking video and pictures of the places you visit.
• Always keep a few lower value rubles handy in a pocket. You'll need to pay to use the restroom (almost always 12r in our experience), and when you need just a bit at a time here or there. You don't want to EVER pull out a large wad of bills in public. Having some lower value rubles right at hand is the best plan.
• In Moscow, most of the streets have underground walk-throughs. You don't usually cross at a crosswalk like we're accustomed to. You'll usually go down steps and through an underground tunnel to the other side. There are usually little kiosks under there to purchase magazines, piroshki, sweets, sodas, etc.
• There are kiosks everywhere, the flowers are beautiful and they are bundled in these lovely ruffled paper holders. I really, really want one of those! Hubby thinks it's silly of me.
• Flowers: If you give flowers while there, always give an odd number! Even numbers are for funerals. So give 5 or 7 instead of a 1/2 dozen. Or give 11 instead of a dozen. Not 13 - that's an unlucky number ;o)

PACKING FOR YOUR CHILD:

• Do pack a little laundry soap - kids go through several outfits per day.
• Do pack plastic pants to go over the disposable diapers. Many times when there is a change in the diet, the child will have blow outs. She may also have a parasite causing much diarrhea.
• Pack several plastic bags to dispose of stinky diapers. During your wait time, you can start saving those thin plastic bags you get at the grocery for produce. We always stick those in every bag we pack, usually in that outside zipper part of the suitcase that's not good for holding much.
• Pack some plastic spoons and knives. Disposable flatware was not to be found at all in the Russian hotels we stayed in and especially in our more rural region. When we purchased a meal (at an outside restaurant) to eat in our hotel room we had to "rent" a stainless fork at the hotel Rossia once! Knives come in handy for slicing fruit for your child. We were afraid to pack a "real" knife due to air safety regulations.
• Just pack enough diapers to get you through a day or two. You can buy diapers there, but you may not get out and about for a while to shop for diapers - so have a back up plan.
• Take some disposable bibs.
• Pack tights during the late fall, winter and early spring - even for boys! You'll be accosted by Babushkas everywhere if even a centimeter of your child's skin is exposed to the outside world. (Sidenote: D slept in tights (under her jammies) for a few months after she came home, I think it was a secure feeling for her.)
• Kaolectrolyte is like pedialyte, but sold in packets you mix with water. Much easier to pack. Use in case of diarrhea. Walgreen's sells this.
• DR. Smith's rash cream (pharmacy department) The best stuff on the market.
• BE CAREFUL giving your new child apple juice. It is a natural laxative. I diluted D's apple juice until she was 4. If you do try apple juice, do so before you are set to travel to "test it out". It would be very bad when diapers are in short supply (on a plane, in a car, etc.)
• Big refill pack of diaper wipers - re-sealable. You'll use lots of wipes for everything (not just baby). I found a good one at Super Walmart, White Cloud brand. It's hard to find re-sealable soft packs these days.
• Take some disposable baby washcloths with the soap already in them.
• Take at least one plastic bowl for the child.