Maui with Baby

Hi Friends! 

Let it just be said....B and I love us some Maui. 

It's our special place. 

We have our favorite beach which we call our own. We talk about all the things we've done and how young and fabulously free we were when we did them (we first went there when we were 23 and won a free trip!) There is nothing better than sipping a Mai-Tai on the flight and then hopping in your Jeep...top down...Hawaiian air in your face and rolling on the Hana Highway or pulling over to lounge on any roadside beach (and yes, there are many). We even photographed B's Brother and my dear friend, E's engagement proposal at sunrise on the top of Haleakala. What a moment that was! 

As I said, Maui's our place. 

So .... when we decided to take Isla there we both got a quick initiation into what it's like to "vacation" with a baby. I'm going to be preface this by saying, we had a great time and loved our family vaca...thank goodness for my Sis who made it 100% easier for me to not lose my mind with Isla alone... on an island (ahhhh!!!) but "vacationing" (please notice the intentional quotes) with a baby isn't a vacation. 

It's not. sorry. 

It's just doing the same stuff you do at home- the middle of the night wake-ups, 5 spit-ups, 3 blow-outs and a drink only after breastfeeding to squeeze in those 2-sober hours ....on an island paradise and calling it a "vacation." 

same baby mess&craziness- different locale ;) 

That being said....we were SO grateful for our impromptu vaca and  as the week went on it got a lot easier and we got into a little routine with Isla. Usually my "thing" is to wake up super early before B....grab my Kona coffee and post up on the deck over-looking the ocean (like my dreamy Hawaiian hotel fantasy?) Unfortunately our stupid condo didn't have a deck and my baby didn't sleep past 6:30 so my "thing" was sadly put on hold but we started strolling Lahaina town in the morning with Min. It was our "new" thing and it was so calm and lovely before all the crowds converged. I loved those minutes just strolling along in the early morning sun as Isla caught extra zzz's and my Sis and I had lovely, sometimes meaningless chats :) 

our first walk :) 

(If I didn't state already- bring the baby carrier! You'll need it!)

So....I thought it would be super helpful to give you my best tips on traveling to Maui (and in general) with a little-one. 

I should also mention we stayed in Lahaina this time (you can read my hotel review here) but we've stayed in Ka'anapali and Kihei .... and each area's a little different. Some of these specifically have to do with Lahaina. 

1. If you stay in a condo (and you should) shop Costco after you land. 

We always stay in condos with a full kitchen and laundry. Maui can be really pricey and we like to make full pitchers of icy beverages and picnic lunches to save money! We always shop Costco after we get our rental car and buy groceries for the week. You can hit up Safeway in Kihei or Foodland in Lahaina (but it'll be much more expensive) for non-bulk items. 

This time I didn't bring my stroller for our 8.month old Daughter. I gate checked our car seat in a car seat bag. Tip here: I borrowed a car seat bag from a friend and put a bag of toys buckled into the car seat which technically is a free checked bag. Isla loved her floor playtime with all her usual toys. Next time- I will most likely bring my stroller. (more on that below)

Isla was just too sleepy for the big box store :) 

2. Strollers (where do I begin?)

I wore Isla through security which was much easier and I highly recommend that. That being said, I will most likely take my stroller next time and I would recommend considering it if you have a stroller bag for your stroller- they really throw them around at the gate) and your little one isn't walking. I rented a stroller on Maui from Wild Wheels Wentals which was great since they dropped off and picked up at my hotel. I considered buying a cheap umbrella stroller but when I looked at them at Walmart the $23 option looked like a rickety death-trap. Seriously scary. (PS- If you do intend to shop at Walmart bring in your own bags- they don't have any and make you purchase them). I ended up going with the 3-wheel jogger style stroller rental. It was $8/day and I used it a lot. I don't think you would need it for your entire trip if you weren't staying in Lahaina but we strolled every morning and evening around town and I took it on many of our adventures. Wearing Isla after about 11am was out of the question. The stroller was the Jeep brand and was possibly the size of a Jeep Liberty but everyone on the sidewalk seemed immune to it and I even got complimented on the sheer size of the beast. Isla of course loved it--her own personal chariot. 

3. Buy an insulated refrigerator bag 

We got one of those reusable insulated freezer bags from Safeway that was perfect for hauling lunch, snacks and beer to the beach. Much cheaper than a cooler and easier to carry than those Styrofoam contraptions that most likely end up in the ocean strangling a fish. 

4. Renting a Pack-n-Play

If you read my hotel review you will notice that our stupid condo rental didn't have a pack-n-play. It's so ridiculous! That's the first time we've travelled and not had the option to get a crib in our room. The company we rented from was great but didn't have P&P sheets. I used a blanket in lieu of a sheet but you may want to bring one if you're renting a P&P. 

5. Boon Spoon

This thing is so epic. If your little one is on purees seriously get this spoon. You can use it on the plane and when you're travelling around. It's the only way to travel and feed baby solids!

6. Remember your car charger and any charging cords for your monitor/white noise maker

I had a serious debacle when I forgot my charging cord for the car for my phone so I could use the monitor. Just don't forget it. 

7. Try to keep your original schedule

Maui is 3 hours earlier than Seattle time and we never really fully adjusted. Isla's schedule varied by 1-2 hours earlier. Do what you can to stay on the same schedule. It will make flying home and adjusting at home easier. That being said....Isla goes to bed around 7:30 and putting her down at 4:30 and getting up at 5 wasn't an option so slight adjustments may need to be made. 

8. Baby-Mail 

Buy postcard stamps before you leave so your little one can send postcards to family at home :) (BTW: Did you know postcard stamps are 33 cents?!! what the? I remember when they were like 19 cents. I'm feeling so OLD! Anywho- family loved getting the postcards Isla sent out. 

Remember! ... to save family addresses to your contacts on your phone before you leave. 

9. Check off-season sales

I needed to get out of the condo one of the days B was working so Isla and I hit the mall for some coffee&strolling. I found a great sale at Gap on wintery clothes that weren't selling in Hawaii that will work perfect in Seattle. Keep an eye out for good sales if you get stuck wandering the alfresco mall :) 

ah yes, shopping off-season deals and breastfeeding in the dressing room. gotta love it. 

10. Strike up a convo with a Local

While strolling the mall I got some GREAT restaurant reccs from a local. They totally paid off...here are her favorites: 

- Sushi: Sonsei (Thur & Fri after 10 is half off! By the Four Seasons)

-Fish & Chips: Captain Jack's

-Fish Tacos: Coconuts

-Ice Cream: Banyan Tree

-Shave Ice: Ula'lani (on Front Street- SO good!)

-Dinner: Pacific-O! or Io (We've been before and both are really yummy with a great view!)

-Brunch: Plantation House

-Casual: Aloha Mixed Plate (in the Cannery Mall)

The Haleakala- super YUM!

My Baby got her wings :)

Hi Friends!

We're back from Maui! It was completely bittersweet coming home. I so love my Maui but I was ready for my own bed, to get Isla on a schedule and to welcome Fall.

We went to Maui totally last minute because B had a business trip pop up and you better believe I wasn't going to let him leave me at home with our crazy Daughter while he sauntered off to Hawaii with mai-tais in hand- no sir-eeee!

I was terrified to fly with Isla (who is a brand-new 8.months) but I got lots of advice from other mamas and thankfully Isla did awesome! She definitely did better on our flight TO Maui because it left at 11am. She was able to get in her morning nap (about 30 minutes) and then was a happy camper the rest of the flight.

Truth is.... it was exhausting for us entertaining a baby for almost 6 hours but she did great and other passengers complimented her fabulous flying skills.

 2 mais-tais and a bottle please :)

I was going to do a separate email about my tips on flying with a baby but I'll just do them here- why not?!

1. Wear Baby through the airport. 

You can go through security with your "little one" in their baby carrier. You will just have to get your hands swabbed (to check for explosive residue). If you don't want to do the full body scan you will need to do a pat down which isn't bad at all. Bringing the Ergo was one of the best pieces of advice I got. It worked great and when Isla wouldn't sleep easily on the way home it helped me rock her as I stood for almost an hour- ug! Next time- I'll download a book and bring my headphones so I can multi-task as I double as her mommy-rocker.

2. Feed baby on take-off and landing to help with ear issues. 

I fed Isla too early when we landed but thankfully she seemed to have no issues with her ears. She stood up and made friends with all the other passengers. She was like the welcoming committee. I would wait until the pilot asks the flight attendants to cross check before preparing. I also suggest taking a back-up bottle and asking the flight attendant to fill it with water. They were happy to accommodate this request. If your baby will take a paci this could help too!

3. Skip the nursing cover.

If you're packing light or going carry-on I suggest you skip the nursing cover (which can be just a lot of fabric to fight with) and wear an Aritzia sweater (I blogged about these previously- they're magic) or bring a blanket to double as a nursing cover and blanket for baby if they get cold. Our plane home was really chilly and I was really glad I did this in lieu of bringing my cover.

 passed.out. thank.God.

4. Make Friends with the Flight Attendants

The flight crew is much more willing to help you out and allow you to be places you're not supposed to  be (like loitering in the breezeways rocking a fussy baby) if you're nice and try to do your best to stay out of their way. If you ask for water for that bottle (as suggested above) it makes for a nice "icebreaker" to start a new in-flight-friendship.

 5. Introduce new toys or snacks on the plane to keep baby busy. 

We introduced Puffs and 2 new toys and they kept Isla busy for a bit. One of the toys (the Oball ) doubled as a swim toy in the pool! (If you get this toy- grab it at Target- it's only $5!) On the way home we brought the two books we usually read to her before bed. Even though we were in the air it helped cue her that it was sleepy time (even if she only got the memo for an hour :)

 6. Bring socks and shoes (if baby's trying to get mobile)

There is nothing grosser than your little one with bare feet in the airport. (And remember your socks to get through security- I failed on this! ewww!)

7. Bring more diapers and wipes than you think you'll need. 

My Brother&Sister-in-law were just on a flight where some poor mama forgot to bring extra diapers and she had to bum one off another parent. She apparently forgot an extra outfit too because her kiddo ran around in a diaper the rest of the flight (I can only imagine the blow-out that occurred).

Remember those extra diapers and wipes- you will need them and even if you don't you'll be glad you had them. I ended up using my wipes to clean Isla's hands/face/and any suspect surfaces that scared me.

Remember to pack an extra outfit and PJ's if you have an evening flight as well. I changed Isla into PJ's right before our evening flight and it was seamless. The baby changing tables on the plane aren't bad at all- I was shocked! Isla loved looking in the mirror while I washed my hands.

8. Download the Iphone app: Talking ABC

Now I'm not one to let Isla get on electonics but this was my back-up if all else failed and I needed a break. It will seriously save you. get it! It's a cool claymation presentation of the alphabet that lasts like 30 seconds and seriously chills out kiddos. It gives you a much needed break if you need it. I've also heard episodes of Sesame Street on Netflix are key for older kiddos.

9. Bring Baby's Birth Certificate

One of my mama friends mentioned this but said they never asked for it. I brought it out of precaution and Hawaiian Airlines checked it- which actually made me feel safer. Remember to bring a copy!

10. If your baby has a schedule book your flight around it (if you can)

For future vacations, I will try and book our flights around Isla's morning nap and early afternoon hours. I would be hesitant to recommend booking an evening or red-eye and assuming your child will sleep. There were a lot of restless kiddos on our flight of all ages and I would assume all blew through their bed time.
---------
At the end of the day....don't stress out too much. It's not as bad as you think it's going to be. Isla's kind of high-maintenance right now between her crazy sleep schedule (she's been up 3 times screaming just since I started this post- more on that later) and she's just started crawling and being really mobile so I was terrified. Thankfully, she did great!

and also....don't beat yourself up when all the rules go out the window because at some point they will. You can only wipe the dirty arm rest with a sanitizing wipe so many times or keep baby away from the mini TVs for so long. At some point you realize it's just a couple hours and in the framework of the total time that 5 minutes watching Toy Story 2 isn't going to damage her forever. Look, even I needed a serious break from the baby madness!

and Isla.....flew like a Champ! :)

Hope these help- Happy Flying!

xo-S

truth.

:)

For the Record.

Let it just be said.....

Isla will NEVER:

- Twerk ANYTHING before she leaves my house. Especially Robin Thicke. I mean really? That guy is 20 years older than her- they BOTH should know better.

-Be a Chris Brown Fan. I can't handle it. That guy is a total loser who beats women. period.

-wear shorts that show anything that resembles cheek skin. The high school girl in front of me in Target  was showing the crease of her butt. That's real. Where was her MOTHER?!!!

*Ps- No, this is not her but it might as well have been. CHEEK SKIN!

That is all.

xoxo.
Isla's Mean Mommy.

Today

Hi Friends-

I'm officially stuck in a sleepless, bad hair, I'm "cutting dairy" (and it's the hardest thing in the world)....HELL. 

My baby won't sleep. 

(That's a bit dramatic since she's sleeping right now...but it feels like she won't sleep). 

The past week she's been up every two hours to eat, fuss on my shoulder, do a backbend and try to wiggle out of my arms- whatever she feels like. That means on average I'm up 6 times a night....SIX. I've gotten to the point where the more I sleep the worse I feel so I just stay up and deal with it. I completely understand how people get to the end of their rope with this whole sleepless process- there's just SO MUCH conflicting information. Everytime I try something new and hope it works I read something else that says to do it different. The bottom line is every baby is different and what works for one won't work for another. I just PRAY she's getting through this phase because I'm exhausted! Last night I was so tired I passed out in bed so B took the first 2 wake-ups. 

This weekend I did have a friend tell me her kids crawled and got their first tooth in the same week and it changed their schedule. Isla's super close to both. I'm hoping that will help her settle in! 

That being said, we're still dealing with digestive issues. She spits up ALL.THE.TIME and that's not even being dramatic. She went through three outfits and 2 pajamas today. I'm back to giving her a probiotic, giving more time between meals and sleeping and burping her after eating (always!). If anyone has advice on that issue- let me know- I'm open to any suggestions at this point. 

Ok, enough of that! Lacie and I took the girl to Bellevue's Kelsey Creek Park today to see the petting zoo and play in the grass, it was super fun! Isla and I love our Wednesday dates and hanging out with these girls. Chatting with L makes me feel 100% less crazy....grateful for that :) I LOVE the pics of our Wednesday playdate. 

Isn't this one the cutest :) love. 

I'm thrilled for tomorrow and this weekend. My Brother & (soon to be) Sister-in-law are flying in from Miami for some family time (and bonding with Isla) before our good friend gets married on Saturday. I can't wait to see them and celebrate! 

More pics to come! 

xo. 

S

7 Months: Sleep Woes

Hi Friends- 

I'm in full on zombie mode today. Isla is a nighttime terrorist. The kid doesn't sleep. I know that it can being annoying when parents complain about their kids sleep because it's never consistent and right when you think they've turned a corner something changes but when you're in it, it truly feels like the world will end if you don't get 10 blissful minutes of restful zzz's. 

A little like this......

Or this......

and one of my all time favorites---this.... (I should have posted this with Isla's "I sail, I'm a sailor, I sail" pic - circa What About Bob?) 

This 7th month was a big one for MIss.I on the sleep front. She went from her co-sleeper to crib almost 3.weeks ago and we officially put it away today. I think she was ready for the move and needed the extra real estate to kick around (she's like B in that way- she flails around a lot in her sleep). We also have been working on a consistent nap schedule and she has been eating 2 solid meals (i.e.: purees) a day.

After she was moved to her crib she did great for the most part. She still woke up once or twice a night but she went to sleep great and we had a loose routine. Last Week she did great in Priest Lake. She was sleeping about 6 hours straight with 1-2 nighttime feedings and a very consistent nap schedule (I think the activity wore her out!). She did great over last weekend...but as soon as Monday hit all hell broke loose. She started waking up 5-6 times a night, sometimes after only an hour or less of sleep. She is still having some digestive issues with gas waking her up so I've tried feeding/burping/rocking to try and get those stubborn burps out, gripe water before bed and even in the afternoon sometimes, elevating her mattress and an infant probiotic (which I didn't see a big change from). The Dr. said she can have a very low dose of Mylanta or Maalox but I wasn't comfortable giving it to her and I got other recommendations from Mom Friends  to try first.

Last night, she went down at 8:30 (which is about an hour later than normal but she took a late nap). She was then up at midnight, 2:07, 3:30 and when she wouldn't go down around 4am I grabbed my pillow and her bunny chair and set up shop on the couch because I didn't trust myself to rock her back to sleep without dropping her. I had already dozed in the rocker at the 2am wake-up. On the couch, she cryed in her chair for a bit until she nodded off and then woke up two more times in need of more rocking. Needless to say, it was NOT a restful night.

I had heard that during mental leaps (ie: crawling, walking, solids, etc) sleep patterns can be interrupted. Isla started "army crawling" last week and is really close to regular crawling so I considered that this may be due to her crawling milestone and teething but really it's been going on longer than a couple weeks. Before the last 2 weeks when she slept great she didn't sleep well for at least 3 months, probably longer. I know my last solid nights sleep was mid-March but I'm giving her the benefit of the doubt that it was closer to 3 or 4 months ago.

Today, as B and I discussed our sleep training options I decided to commit to the No Cry Sleep Solution method to see if we can help her sleep better. I wrote down a clear routine which I will try and stick with to see if it helps. The routine includes 2 meals (morning and late afternoon), 2 naps (10am and 3pm) and a clear bedtime routine which is:

6pm: calm shower or bath if needed
         massage with lotion before jumping into PJ's and sleep sack
         2 books in her rocker with lamp on- one is Good Night Moon
         Turn out lamp, turn on white noise and twilight turtle
         Breastfeed, Burp, Sing + Rock
7pm: Put her down to sleep.

Tonight, I tried to follow this and we got a bit behind but she was still in bed sleeping by 7:37. Unfortunately, she was then up at 8:40 pm to burp and go through the whole process again. I'm REALLY hoping this process can help us all get better, more restful sleep. I'm trying to keep my goals realistic and be happy with 2 wake-ups and preferably no wake-up from midnight-7am. I'm still subscribing to naive optimism :)

Here's to 10 days of tracking our new sleep routine and the patience it will take to pull it off. Bring on the Americanos!

xoxo.
S

PS- If you have any advice send it my way....I'm open to all unsolicited comments :)

My Rose

As I was rocking Isla this afternoon I thought about words my B put in an anniversary card last week. He said that sometimes he needs to remind himself that this perfect life is 'ours.'  The impact those words had on me reminded me to stay in the moment. This time in our life may be hectic and sometimes even messy (hello, diaper #10) but when we look back we will shine a spotlight on this time...these beautiful days when Isla is new, learning and growing. When we talk about growing our family and our plans....the perfect house, the perfect careers, the perfect friends & neighbors.

I say "perfect" meaning imperfectly perfect. If there's one thing I've learned in marriage and motherhood it's that perfect is made up of imperfect pieces.... the moments when things are falling apart but you realize, "this is real life".... these are the moments I will one day look back on and cherish.

.....The gigantic mess my kid made or the time she toppled over only to pick herself back up....

.....The slow and soothing times in her nursery rocker with the room bathed in blue (from those lovely aqua velvet curtains) and that little tuft of baby hair at the nape of her neck....

.....The sweet smell of her new skin and warmth of that little nook between her ear and shoulder

These are the moments I will hold in my hand, slip in my pocket and savor later. 

There are two songs I sing to Isla during our nap and bedtime routine. One is The Rose which  you may remember Bette Midler sang. In some wonderful twist of cosmic goodness this song was the first that came to me when Isla was brand new and I searched my brain for songs with lyrics I remembered.

When we were kids my Sister, Mindy loved books on tape (Heidi was her favorite) and her most favorite tape was Bette Midler  (that's right, Tape- it was the early 90's!) From my room I would hear all of Bette's tunes and remember clearly the words to The Rose as Bette would croon through both of our bedrooms. I knew that as my Mindy was nodding off in her room with those plastic glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling I was doing the same in mine...with my glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling. There was always something very comforting about that time in my life. If those moments were put to music they would be sang by the timeless Bette and her Rose. 

So now, as I sing my own version of Bette's classic to my sweet sleepy girl I'm reminded to stay in the moment..... Put down my iPhone....stop stressing about my editing or how I didn't look up what I "should" be doing with Isla this month.... Stop berating myself about going to bed earlier or having that 2nd americano yesterday....

just, be. Such a little word, such a big lesson.

Just "be" with her..... and Brandon.... Just be in these moments.

And if I can do that.....life really will be the definition of perfect.