Travel: Plane Rides with a Baby

A picture of Mars mid-change on the plane, taken on my phone.

So far, Mars has been on ten plane rides. Four of which were very short, 1 hour rides to Southern California, four were to Costa Rica (one roundtrip journey, broken into four 3 hour rides), and these past two 11-14 hour long rides to Taiwan.

I always dread the plane ride right before we get on and feel extremely nervous about how Mars is going to do. Our trip back from Costa Rica was not that long, but I remember being very close to losing it because Mars wouldn't sleep and was getting overstimulated by all the passengers sitting around us, trying to play with him. With that being the trip right before our long 14-hour flight, I was terrified and was expecting the worst. 

However, things turned out great! I would even say that it was a very pleasant experience. Mars did very well and didn't cry or scream or anything like that! I'd give him all the credit because he generally is a very happy baby, but I can't say that my preparations didn't contribute either :) A mom recommended I bring some Benedryl "just in case", but in the end we didn't even need it, and I'm glad we decided against drugging our baby for convenience.

Here are my top 5 tips for flying with a baby:

1. Make sure to get bulkhead seats!

I called a month ahead of time to get a bassinet, but it seems like none of that got communicated to the airline, however it was good to say, "I called a month earlier to request it and...". We asked at check-in for seats, and we asked again at the gate for seats. At first they said that the flight was full and there was nothing that they could do, but in the end, they were able to switch some things around and get us the front row seats. These seats played a major role in making us feel so comfortable on our flight! 

On our flight there, we sat at the bulkhead seats on the left window side. On the way back, we had aisle seats in the middle row. I'd recommend the side window seats if possible. There were times during the flight when I put down a blanket and let Mars sit on the ground and crawl around. It was also nice to sit down there to switch things up after getting tired of sitting in one position. Being by the window also offered more privacy for easy nursing. 

2. Pack more baby snacks and toys than you think you'll need!

I brought two mesh bags full of toys and one big bag of snacks. When packing the toys, I made sure to pack many different textures, rattles, and uses. I even got this new vibrating teether and introduced it to him on the plane. That kept him busy for a while. A few times, Mars would throw toys behind our seats so I was glad to have extra. Same goes for the snacks. Having extra snacks came in handy when he would drop his cracker on the floor because the five second rule does not apply on an airplane. Those seats and floors are filthy!

3. Anything can be a new toy to keep baby busy!

When Mars needed a new distraction, the headphones in the seat pocket came in handy as something new to explore. When the flight attendants were serving drinks, we asked for extra cups (hot and cold!) for Mars to play with (as pictured above). The blanket they provide was great for peek a boo, and the pillow kept him busy for a short while as well!

4. An inflatable nursing pillow adds a lot more comfort!

On our Costa Rica flights, I remember my arm losing circulation and getting really sore from holding the baby. This time around, we got an inflatable My Breast Friend and it made a huge difference! It takes up a lot of space when inflated so the trick is to not blow it up all the way so that it fits in you seat. 

5. A nursing cover can help block distractions for a good nap.

I used my nursing cover to help battle distractions on the plane when it was time for a nap. Mars was really interested in everything that was going on since being on a plane is still new for him so covering him up for nap time was a must. Sometimes, he'd still pop his head out and it was funny and cute so we didn't mind :) 

Those are my top 5 suggestions for traveling with a lap infant. 5 because I can really go on and on with this one (For example, babywearing, packing, preboarding, getting through security, etc!) If anyone has any other good ideas, please don't be shy and comment below! Happy travels!

An Update! Christmas!

Has it almost been a month already?! My apologies for the lack of posts... Christmas came and went so quickly and right after, we were off to Taiwan! Upon our return, we've been battling some extreme jet lag and I just haven't found the time to post. But I'm here now! And here's a quick Christmas update before it's really too late! 

On Christmas Eve, the in laws came over and we had a big dinner along with some present opening. I made some roasted butternut squash, parmesan and rosemary sweet potato stacks, and some other sides. My flourless chocolate cake fell apart so I put the pieces in crystal glasses with graham cracker crumbs and marshmallows and turned it into s'mores cups! After dinner we crowded around the TV for a screening of The Interview, and about half-way through, Mars and I went to bed.

On Christmas morning, we let Mars open up his remaining presents, and boy was this baby lucky on his first Christmas! After typing all this out, it seems that we didn't really do much on baby's first Christmas, but I feel like we were busy this whole season with activities so it's not so bad. 

The day after Christmas, we left for Taiwan, and after we got back, we put away the ornaments, the tree, and the decorations. It's always sad when the holiday season ends. September through December are always my favorite months, and a friend and I were joking the other day that now, it's just the normal time of the year again. Booring! Until next time, Christmas! I can't wait to see you again!

10 months and 5 days old

He was way more into crawling than taking pictures today... Also, his little scab on his nose is from falling off the bed the other night. It was very scary and still very sad to think about :(

Mars is 10 months and 5 days old.

It's amazing how much Mars grew physically from 0-6 months. He looks completely different and got so big so fast. After 6 months, he kind of slowed down, but mentally, he is still going. For the past couple of weeks, we've been playing this game where I say, "Shakey, shakey!", and he'll shake his head left and right. It's so cute! But sometimes he did it, and sometimes not. However this week, it's different because I'll say it, and he'll sorta smile and then do it every time. Like he knows and understands now and it's incredible!

I've been exposing him to a lot of baby sign language but kind of gave up because I didn't think he was picking it up, but today, on our way home from getting his booster shot, I strapped him into the carseat and said, "Ok! We're all done!", and he just shook his hands in the air for the "all done" sign. His facial expression looked like he was asking me if that's what I meant. It's so crazy! He's not a little baby anymore! He is learning and growing everyday and soon he'll be one! 

After scheduling his 12 month appointment with the receptionist today, she said that by then, he'll be running into the office. Can we just slow down for a moment here? How is time going by so fast!?

Simple and Easy Mochas

We had some friends visiting and staying over this past weekend, and rather than all going out for coffee, or sending one person out on a chilly morning, we made our own at home! I adapted a recipe I found online and used ingredients that we already had around the house. Super simple, easy, and yummy on a cold morning!

Simple and Easy Mochas (makes 4 cups)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup of sugar

1/4 teaspoon of salt

4 1/2 cups of milk (we used almond milk)

4 shots of espresso OR 4 individual packs of instant coffee

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Whisk together the cocoa powder, sugar, salt, and about 1 cup of milk in a pot over medium heat.

2. After the ingredients are dissolved and blended, slowly whisk in the rest of the milk.

3. Whisk occasionally until it starts steaming and is at your desired temperature.

4. Stir in the vanilla extract

5a. (If using espresso shots) Prepare 4 cups by putting a shot of espresso in each, then pour the hot chocolate mix into the cups.

5b. (If using instant coffee) Prepare 4 cups by putting a pack of instant coffee in each, then pour the hot chocolate mix into the cups, and stir to dissolve.

6. Enjoy!

9 months and 4 weeks old

Mars is 9 months and 4 weeks old.

In just two days, Mars will be 10 months old! These pictures were taken last week in Costa Rica where we pretty much spent all our time in our hotel room because it was so hot and humid! During our trip, Mars reached so many milestones.
He...
...started mimicking drinking from a cup
...points at things
...makes a new funny smile when people interact with him or when he's happy
...popped out his second tooth!

After we got back from Costa Rica I also noticed that he is starting to express his feelings more. For example, when his dad leaves the room or when we take something away from him, he whines a bit and makes crying sounds without really crying. Also! He can turn the water on in the bathtub and play with it, which can be super dangerous!

This weekend, we have some friends driving up from Los Angeles and staying with us, so it'll be a lot of fun for Mars. He had so much fun interacting with all the new people in Costa Rica, I think he really likes being social and having people around!

Happy weekend, everyone!

Travel: Wedding in Costa Rica

One of the reasons why I've been so MIA on this blog is because last week, we took a trip to Costa Rica to be a part of our good friends' wedding. J was one of the groomsmen and Mars was the ring bearer. I wish I took pictures during the ceremony because it was a beautiful sunset beach wedding, complete with a double rainbow, but with baby in one arm and an extra long dress, it just wasn't possible. Hopefully we'll be able to grab some pictures from other people. So far this phone picture is the only one I have of us during the day with Mars in his full outfit plus his little ring bearer pillow:

During the reception, and actually the whole trip, Mars was a social butterfly. Strangers would come and pick him up and play with him and he was completely fine and laughing the entire time. 

It was a really beautiful wedding, and overall, a fun trip. Next week, I'll post more pictures of Mars' first swim in a pool, and on the beach. Congrats to the happy couple!

Vintage Bottle Brush Trees

This holiday season, I've been obsessing over vintage Christmases. I grew up in the 90's but the city I grew up in still had a lot of houses, buildings, and signs from the 50's and 60's so everything midcentury feels very nostalgic to me and reminds me of home. Pair that with Christmas and I think we have the perfect combination.

After obsessively searching and pinning "midcentury modern Christmas" images, I kept coming across the beautiful pastels and silvers in vintage Shiny Brite ornaments. This set the stage for my color scheme this year, and so I decided to make my bottle brush trees match.

I started out with a bag of trees from Michael's, plus some leftover from last year. Dipped some in a 3 parts bleach, 1 part water solution. Rinsed them throughly in soapy warm water, and then waited for them to dry.

To make the light green trees, I just took them out of the bleach a bit sooner, and to really rinse out the bleach or it will continue to lighten the green as it dries. And for the pink ones, I just dipped them in a water and red food coloring bath.

Super easy, cute, and gives me that warm fuzzy nostalgic feeling. Also, please excuse the bad lighting, as I made these at night in the garage while baby slept!