Flying with a toddler...

My daughter and I are heading home tomorrow from out lovely trip to Maine to visit my parents. I am a firm believer that organization is the key to a safe and relatively peaceful flight.

Here are some tips that have helped me get ready for 6 hours of traveling:

· Start preparing to pack a few days before you travel. Keep a running list of things to bring, or put items out on a table or dresser as you think of them.

· Use a diaper bag with a waterproof lining and a shoulder strap.

· Pack an extra shirt for yourself in your carry-on bag — just in case.

· Prevent leaks by packing medicines and toiletries in re-sealable plastic bags.

· Keep your child's outfits together in one suitcase so you can find them easily.

· Take your camera — and don't forget the battery charger if it's digital.

Here's a checklist of things you'll need to put in your carry-on, plus tips for easy, efficient packing.

• Diapers- Bring extras in case of emergencies or delays

• Wipes
• Pad to put under your toddler during diaper changes- You can buy disposable changing pads at supermarkets or reusable ones at baby stores

• Blanket- For comfort, shade, and warmth

• Plastic bags- Carry a variety of sizes for storing soiled diapers, clothes, and shoes

• Small bottles of disinfecting hand gel and toiletries
• Tissues
• Toys and books- Your child's favorites, plus several new toys for surprises along the way.

• Clothes, socks, and shoes- Dress in layers.

• Bibs
• Sun hat and sunscreen
• Sippy cups, or bottles- Encourage your toddler to drink lots of liquids to avoid dehydration, especially when flying

• Lightweight plastic feeding set with utensils
• Snack food- Don't forget high-energy snacks for yourself, too!

• First-aid kit- Pain reliever, allergy medicine and supplies for treating minor injuries

• Collapsible stroller- Can be gate-checked or stored in the overhead bin of an airplane.

All in all, just remember: pack right, arrive early, stay patient and most of all try to have a good time :)

Using the Food Pyramid to Feed Your Toddler

I am always asking myself if I'm feeding Élina to much or too little...

Here is a great little article with good advice and portions for how much to feed your toddler.

Grains: (example: 1 slice of bread, 1/2 cup of cooked rice or pasta, 1/2 cup of cooked cereal, 1 ounce of ready-to-eat cereal)

Vegetables: (example: 1/2 cup of chopped raw or cooked vegetables, 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables)

Fruits: (example: 1 piece of fruit or melon wedge, 3/4 cup of juice, 1/2 cup of canned fruit, 1/4 cup of dried fruit)

Milk or Dairy (Calcium): 2 servings a day (example: 1 cup of milk or yogurt, 2 ounces of cheese)

Meats (Protein): 2 servings (example: 2 to 3 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish, 1/2 cup of cooked dry beans, 1 egg counts as 1 ounce of lean meat, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter count as 1 ounce of meat)

Fats & Sweets: Limit calories from these as they are "empty"calories and often times of little nutritional value. We suggest making your own "sweets" in the form of carrot cookies, trail mixes, dips made from yogurt and fruits etc. The new Food Pyramid does include "fats", some in the form of oils - such as olive oil in cooking. The "fats" limit refers to food such as doughnuts, fried foods etc.

Daily suggested foods portions:

Grains: 3 ounces

Vegetables: 1 cup

Fruits: 1 cup

Milk (Calcium): 2 cups (16 oz)

Meats (Protein): 2 ounces

Hope this article helps you as much as it has helped me.

Halo Heaven

HaloHeaven.com

This is a great (and cheap) website with all kinds of goodies for little girls--(there are a couple of things for boys as well).

You can find cute little bows, tutus, hair clips, outfits and many more...

I just bought Élina her Halloween costume (little lady bug) for less than $10-- Black leotard, red tutu and ladybug hair bow.

If you spend at least $20 at checkout, the shipping is Free so I bought a few more bows and hairbands ;)

Hope you guys make good use of their amazing prices and inventory!

Please check out their website for all the wonderful items they have available:

Gerbera Daisies, Wholesale Daisy, Pettiskirts, Feather Boas, Ballet Tutus, Princess Halos, Marabou Boas, Crochet Headbands, Kufi Caps, Butterfly Wings, Pixie Wings.

How to meet new mommy friends

This is a great site to meet other moms and have your child/baby "socialized".

Join the East Broward Moms (South Florida) to make new friends for you & your kids (aged 0 to 4).

Events include play gyms, coffee/bookstores, strolling on the beach w/ the babies, fitness activities, playdates at the parks, arts & crafts, baby clothes swaps, and much, much more!

Feel free to email me with suggestions or to host your own event.

The fee is $5/year (which is very cheap)

Hope to be able to meet some of you on here soon!

Here is the link: East Broward Moms Meetup Group (Fort Lauderdale, FL) - Meetup

Diapers, Wipes & other necessities for very cheap!!

AmazonMom.com

Amazon Mom is a free membership program aimed at helping parents and caregivers, from the prenatal days through the toddler years, use Amazon to find all the products their family needs.

To join, simply sign into your Amazon account and tell them whether you are a Mom, Dad, or other caregiver of a child.

They have a great selection of items with free shipping and also have a "subscribe & save" option that gives you even more discounts on the item you are purchasing.

I've used this site to buy diapers, wipes, organic floor cleaner, organic jar foods & much more.

Here is the link: Amazon Mom