The Eye in the Sky

My name is Janann and I have a gambling addiction. 

I make it no secret that I LOVE craps.  If there was a table anywhere in my city limit, L’s college fund would be in trouble.  When I was in my first trimester, I went to Vegas for a bachelorette party.  I was still keeping my pregnancy under wraps which was no easy task in that town!    When I would make my secret departure from the clubs dying to get some sleep, I managed to find myself at the craps table for a couple more hours.

(***Keeping it Simple*** side note:  To hide my pregnancy, I drank ginger ale in a champagne flute and it worked like a charm.  The key is in the bubbles.)

As demonstrated in Smock-tions, I tend to use gambling references more often than I should.  Today’s post is no different.  We call our baby video monitor “ The Eye in the Sky." 

My husband takes it even further when he puts L down in the crib.  When he knows I am watching through the monitor, he put L in her sleep sack and “checks out” like a black jack dealer by flipping his hands in front of the camera.  You know what I mean?  They have to show the Eye in the Sky that they are not holding any chips or cards up their sleeves.  Why do some jokes never get old?  It still makes me laugh!

This very long intro is to present the Summer Infant Video Monitor. 

When I was registering, I thought the video monitor seemed unnecessary and only registered for the audio monitor.  A couple of people decided against my choice and got the video monitor anyways.  I am thankful to them daily.  IT IS THE BOMB! 

I can't tell you how much it helped us implement Baby Wise.  We learned L's sleep habits: when she was just talking in her sleep and when she was actually awake.  Letting her cry it out was one of the hardest things to do when sleep training.  I found that hearing the cry was completely unbearable and would make me want to go pick her up immediately.  With the video, I could mute the volume and just keep the video part on.  Success! 

I highly recommend making the investment towards a video monitor.  They keep coming out with new models, so it is hard to recommend a specific one.  Read the reviews to decide which one would be best for you. 

Registry suggestion:  Also, register for an audio monitor for travel and staying with grandparents.  Since you mount the camera for the video monitor, it is not easily portable. 

Good luck to you with your eye in the sky and all future craps rolls!  I guess are new saying the next time we roll will have to be , "Baby needs a new pair shoes!"

Up in the Air 3

As promised in Up in the Air and Up in the Air 2, the final installment of Larkin's traveling with infants advice.  Today she shares a story about the first time she flew.  I had no idea that security tests your milk!  Thank you Larkin for all your travel insight!

My daughter was 3 ½ months old when I decided to fly home (1 hour, 20 minute flight) to see my family.  I did not know what to expect since I had never flown with a baby.  Since I was flying alone, my husband and I decided to buy our daughter her own seat so that I had a place to keep the car seat in our case our daughter got fussy.  Thinking I was organized, I packed her diaper bag full of anything and everything I thought she might need.  I never check my jewelry, camera, make-up brushes, etc. because I’ve experienced airlines losing my luggage too many times.  I also had to pack my pump with accessories.  I did not want that getting lost so it went in my carry-on bag.  That was probably the most valuable thing I took with me (other than my daughter, of course)!  Security was a little tough because you have to carry your child through, the stroller does not fold down enough to go through the x-ray machine, you have to put the car seat through the x-ray machine, and you still have to take off your shoes, etc.  Plus, security has to test your milk to make sure it is not an explosive.  I was like “really, does it look like I am carrying liquids just for fun?”  But security was actually very helpful and patient with me.  Once I made it through security and had all my gear together, I was strolling through the airport with no problem.  My daughter was a trooper and continued to sleep the whole time. 

           

It was finally time to board our flight.  When you travel with young children, you get to board first.  I thought, “this will be a breeze.”  I pushed the stroller down the jet bridge, unclicked her car seat from the stroller, placed the stroller on the gate-checked baggage cart, and was boarding the plane.  Well, I had forgotten how small the aisles of the plane were and I had to carry her car seat above the aisle to make it fit without hitting other passengers in the face.  Even while doing this, my carry-on bag and the diaper bag were still taking out each chair I passed.

           

The flight attendant walks up beside me and I’m thinking “this is wonderful, she is going to help me.”  Instead, this is what comes out of her mouth, “does your child have her own seat?”

            “Yes ma’am, she does.”

            “Well, next time you need to learn to travel with less. I have three small children I travel with and I never have that much stuff. You do not need that much stuff. You really need to learn to be organized and pack less when you travel with a small child.”

            I wanted to turn around, slug her with the car seat, and cuss at her, but I thought I might get thrown off the plane if I did.  So instead I replied, as politely as I could,

“Ma’am, this is my first flight with her.  I did not know how she would be and if there would be delays, so I wanted to be prepared. I thought a diaper bag and my purse was pretty light.”

           

She just sighed in a condescending way and let me continue down the aisle to my seat, judging me the whole time.  I was causing a traffic jam behind me due to this encounter with the flight attendant, but I just wanted to get to our seat and take off without any more lip from the flight attendant.

            We had a very pleasant flight, and my daughter slept the whole way.  We have flown a few more times since then—sometimes just me and my daughter and sometimes with my husband as well—and ever since that first flight most everyone is very helpful and polite.

Up in the Air 2

As promised in the first Up in the Air post, a few more useful travel tips from Larkin.  This time she weighs the pros and cons of buying a separate seat for your infant.  I definitely learned some things!

First Scenario – Buying your child a seat

Pros:

·         Your child has the comfort of the car seat (assuming your child likes the car seat).  Your child can just sit in the car seat and play or nap, but either way your hands are free.

·         If you are on a small plane that only has two seats on each side of the aisle, you do not need to sit by a stranger. It is just you and your child.

Cons:

·         Security takes a lot longer, because you have to disassemble all of your gear to get through security and then put it all back in place to get to your gate.

·         You might accidentally take someone or something out while getting on the plane while trying to lug a car seat and your carry-on bags.

·         The price of a child’s ticket is the same as an adult ticket.

One thing to remember if choosing this scenario is that you should be sure you have a stroller that is a Snap N' Go style when going through the airport.  This type of stroller means you won’t have to carry the heavy car seat plus your bags all by yourself.

Second Scenario – Infant in Lap

Pros:

·         It is easy to get on the plane.

·         Saves you money.

Cons:

·         If your child is fussy or sleepy, there is nowhere for them to go other than your lap.

·         Your arms and hands are never free.

·         You might have a wiggly child that could cause you or your child to constantly bump the person next to you.

·         Not all airlines have the option for booking a child-in-lap ticket on their websites so you may have to call the airline to reserve the ticket.  The catch is that some airlines (ahem, American Airlines) charge you $20 when you call the reservations agent to make the reservations, even though there is no other way to do it.

If you choose this scenario, I would suggest using a Baby Bjorn.  This allows you to have your hands free for whatever you need and you are not constantly repositioning your child.  You do have to take your child out of the BABYBJÖRN to go through security. 

***Keeping it Simple side note*** - I had some friends that forbid me from buying one of these.  They told me, "You will not wear your baby."  My answer to them, "I do not rule anything out if it makes it more convienient."  Someone else recommended the Bjorn to me when you have multiple children saying it was much easier to be handsfree around the house.  Like my friends say, if you don't want to wear your baby out and about, no problem.  However, do allow exemptions for around the house and going through secutiy at the airport.  I think this is such a fantastic suggestion from Larkin.

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Up in the Air

Congratulations!  George Clooney has officially mentioned you in a film.  Oh!  How I wish it was by name?!?! 

In the film Up in the Air, George is explaining to Anna Kendrick the best way to get through airport security.  During this speech he says, "You can't be serious.  Never get behind people traveling with infants.  I've never seen a stroller collapse in less than 20 minutes."

This is YOU!  Too bad it is not a flattering comment about traveling moms.

The idea of going through the whole airport debacle with L gives me hives!  I get stressed enough traveling without L and all of her gear.  I have yet to do it, so I can't offer any help in this department. 

My friend, Larkin, and her baby are frequent jet setters!  I consider her an expert in the infant traveling field.  I asked her to write up a post with any travel advice.  She has some VERY helpful suggestions.  I have decided to break this up into a three post series.  Thank you Larkin for taking the time to write this!

Overall tips for traveling with a child:

• Arrive at the airport at least an hour and a half early. Security does take longer.
• Bring extra formula, milk, and food (if you are at the solid foods stage).  Also, you can ask the attendant at the gift shop closest to your gate for bottled water that has not been cooled yet.  You can then use it to mix with your formula and your baby won’t have a meal straight out of the refrigerator.
• Change your child’s diaper just before boarding begins, so that hopefully you will not have to change it on the plane.
• Take advantage of pre-boarding and board first.  Its also a good idea to wait and get off the plane last.  This helps you avoid pushy people that are in a hurry, and sometimes the pilot or flight attendant will offer to help if you look like you need it.
• Take a change of clothes for you and your baby (hopefully not needed).
• When taking off and landing, feed your child a bottle.  A pacifier does not work as well, because you want your child to be swallowing so that their ears pop.
• If flying with a car seat, you may consider getting a shell for the car seat so that strangers feel less compelled to breathe on or touch your child. 

• Right Start has a great play set (Keeping it Simple FAVE) that slides over the tray-table in front of you.  It is small and compact, and zips closed.  The benefit of it is that you do not have to take a lot of toys with you.  Also, if you use the play set only with airplane travel, it seems brand new for your child with every use! 

 Hope you find these travel posts helpful! I know I did. 

Any other suggestions out there?