Essentials for Flying Solo with Baby

February 17, 2018 The Provident Princess 0 Comments

I have traveled cross-country many times with babies and toddlers. Over the years I have found what is really useful and worth bringing even if it takes extra space and what to do without. When I am traveling by myself, I have a diaper bag for my baby and a backpack for my personal item. I will put the diaper bag in the overhead bin because it is usually bigger than my backpack and I will pack that as full as I can of everything I will need once I get to my location but I will use my backpack exclusively on the airplane because I can shove that under the seat and that way I won't have to keep getting up every time I need something. Here are my top 5 must-haves for traveling with a baby along with a few extra tips to help things run smoothly.




1. Car seat Gate Check Bag

Airlines allow you to take carseats for your babies without charging you like a checked bag. I didn't know that the first time we flew with our oldest, so we left it in the car at the airport. For some reason I thought the car rental place would have them available for free but no, we had to pay to rent it for $45! So don't make the same mistake I did. I know I'm not the only one who feels like I have spent a fortune on baby gear and want my stuff kept nice. I don't want some TSA person ruining my carseat or stroller because they aren't being careful when they are tossing things around.

This Travel Babeez car seat gate check bag comes with shoulder straps to carry it like a backpack which is so handy when your hands are already full with baby, boarding tickets and diaper bags. It also has another strap handle making it easier for said TSA agents knowing where to grab instead of grabbing where ever and ruining something. I also love this car seat bag because of the bright color, huge ID label, strong material and also unlike most other car seat bags, this one has a zipper closure instead of drawstrings. I feel like drawstrings are just asking for trouble because they can get caught on other things so easily. You may also need a gate check bag for your stroller if you are taking one. My stroller requires us to buy their brand's padded stroller bag for the warranty to stay valid so you may want to look into that.

If you don't need your car seat at the gate or during layovers,you could just check it at the luggage check-in counter. Just one less thing to worry about. But, then again, if it is checked at the gate, you will know it's not going to be lost in transit or transfers and is on the same flight as you if you get delayed or something.  Just something to think about.

Babyganics Alcohol-Free Hand Sanitizing Wipes, Mandarin, On-The-Go, 20 count reseal pack (Pack of 4)

2. Sanitizing Wipes

Air flight is notorious for spreading germs and the last thing you want is to get sick while traveling. I'm not normally a 'germaphobe' but you have no idea who or what was touching the surfaces around your seat last. If you are traveling with a baby then you know they will be touching and sucking on everything in sight. A quick once-over with some sanitizing wipes will help set your mind at ease. These wipes are great for baby because they are alcohol-free.

Boppy Nursing Pillow and Positioner, North Park, Blue

3. Boppy Pillow

You might think I'm crazy with this one, but hear me out. If you are traveling with a baby, especially a nursing baby this will be a godsend. I once traveled with my 7 1/2 month old across the country and she did great, she fell asleep in my arms right after take off. Unfortunately, my arms and back couldn't take holding her for that long. It was so uncomfortable! My husband kept trying to wedge the diaper bag under her so that she could rest on that instead but all the jostling woke her up and it all went downhill from there. Fast forward a couple years and we were flying cross country again this time were going to be living in NYC for an extended period. I packed the boppy so I could have it at our apartment once we got there and it was just too big to pack in the suitcase so we shoved it in the diaper bag. Wow, what a difference! I was able to feed my baby then she just curled up against me and fell asleep for the majority of the flight and the best part was that I still had my hands free. It was so worth it. If I was bringing an older toddler, I wouldn't use it probably because it would just be in the way but who knows they like to be held too? If you think your baby will fall asleep for any amount if time I would bring it.



4. Easy Baby Sling

I love babywearing. It makes things much easier when you need all your hands free for other things. There are many different kinds of wraps and I use different ones at different times. The one that is the best for travel like this is a ring sling. It is the easiest to use while nursing. There is no fussing with tying and re-tying everytime you want to get baby in or out. There aren't any knots of fabric located on you back that would be uncomfortable to lean against in your chair. And any adjustments that need to be made are easily done by tightening or loosening the fabric right at your shoulder so you don't have to worry about elbowing anyone while trying to get situated. This baby sling is made out of super soft bamboo and doubles as a blanket which is perfect since airplanes get so cold and you won't have to worry about the extra room a blanket would take up in your bag. Your baby can even sleep in this if you aren't bring a boppy.

Fruigees Fruit and Veggie Squeeze Snack Pouches (12-Count Variety Pack) | Made from 100% Fruit & Vegetable Juice | Organic • Non-GMO • Kosher • Vegan • Gluten Free | Tasty, Healthy Snack for Kids & Ad

5. Snacks

This one is probably a no brainer but you can never have too much food for baby. Just make sure to pack any liquids you are bringing for baby in a separate container that you can hand to TSA so they can check them and also so they don't go through the x-ray. The air is super dehydrating so make sure you don't make only dry food. Obviously little pouches of applesauce or other food are great because they help keep things clean. I love these pouches because they are reusable. You can put anything you want in them and use them over and over if you like making your own baby food. Also anything that you can put on the tray and have baby feed himself will help keep him busy. These bowls with the suction bottom will help things from getting too messy. Or these are awesome because baby can only pull one piece out at a time. 

Other Travel Essentials

The diaperbag is the only thing standing between you and disaster so you need to pack it carefully but obviously there are size restrictions. Think about all the things you would need if your luggage were lost.  Extra diapers, enough wipes, change of clothes (at least 2 in case of spit-ups or blowouts), I bring ziplock bags for said dirty clothes so I don't have the choice of either throwing them away or letting them stink up my diaper bag. Do you use a white noise machine? I would pack that in the carry-on if you have one but if not and your baby needs it to sleep I would bring it in the diaper bag. You don't want to risk having the airlines misplace your luggage for a day or two and not have everything you need for baby to sleep well. Because if baby isn't sleeping well, no one will sleep well.

Those are my top 5. What do you absolutely make sure you bring when you fly with baby?


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Thai Coconut and Mushroom Soup

February 15, 2018 The Provident Princess 0 Comments





I was at one of my good friend's houses for lunch the other day. We both share a passion for yummy, healthy food and love making recipes for each other to try.

She served this amazing Thai Coconut and Mushroom Soup and it was definitely a hit with all who tried it. I was feeding my 10 month old baby Andrew some hummus but he kept looking at my soup so finally I started dipping his hummus in the broth and he couldn't get enough. I was somewhat worried it would be too spicy. (I'm kind of a wimp when it comes to spice.) But he loved it. That is also one of the great things about this soup. You can really tailor it to your own taste with all the different toppings.

The lime, coconut and the spice from the chili garlic sauce all blend so well and then you get the meatiness from the mushrooms. Mmm, and who doesn't love rice noodles? The have the best texture and really make this soup feel filling.  You will love how fast this recipe comes together. Like 15 minutes start to finish. 

Bon Appetite!




print recipe

Thai Coconut and Mushroom Soup
by February-15-2018
Ingredients
  • 1 tsp coconut oil
  • 1  jalapeno pepper, minced (seeded and de-veined
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
  • 4 cups Vegetable Broth (chicken tastes good too)
  • 1 (3-4in) piece of  lemmongrass
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk
  • 1 (8oz) package mushrooms, sliced
  • 4 oz (small handful) dry rice noodles
  • 3/4 teaspoon soysauce
  • 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons  fresh lime juice
  • 4 Tablespoons cilantro, chopped
  • 3 stalks green onions, sliced
Instructions
Saute coconut oil, jalapeno and ginger in a medium sized pot on medium heat until fragrant and soft. (2 minutes) Add broth, coconut milk, lemmongrass and salt and mushrooms. Bring to a boil and simmer for 7 minutes. I love to use my dehydrated mushrooms here and they don't need to be reconstituted since they are being cooked in liquid. (3/4 cup dry mushroom slices) Once 7 minutes have passed, throw in the rice noodles and cook 2-3 minutes. When noodles are done, take off heat and add soy sauce, chili garlic sauce and lime juice. I like to just use half of a lime which is about 1 Tablespoon of juice and then cut the other half into small wedges to serve individually. You can add all the cilantro and green onions to soup now or let others garnish their own with extra chili garlic sauce on the side as well.

Enjoy immediately.
Note: rice noodles really don't hold up well so I would only plan to make as much as you want for one meal without planning for leftovers. Or once you get to the point of needing to add the noodles, divide the soup broth in two. One to leave in the pan to continue cooking and eat immediately, then next to refrigerate and you can add the noodles when you are going to eat the rest.
Details
Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield:

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Why You Should Visit Arches National Park in Winter

February 12, 2018 The Provident Princess 0 Comments

Landscape Arch at Arches National Park
 I love Arches National Park. There is something so wonderful and grounding about being among the red rock of Moab. My husband grew up there so I have had an insider's guide to discovering all Moab has to offer. And, I'm going to share it with you! It is definitely where we like to go when we need to recharge.

Over the last few years it seems like everyone else has the same idea and Arches has begun to feel sooo crowded. Almost unenjoyable crowded, which is definitely not the point. I think most people think about visiting Arches in the spring, summer, and fall. But my favorite time really is winter.

Most of the town is shut down from the lack of tourists so you really get to live like a local. Arches is pretty deserted so you aren't waiting in traffic trying to get from place to place. Moab does get snow sometimes and it is only about 5 degrees warmer that Salt Lake City up north, but the red rocks just suck in the sun's warmth and makes it really comfortable to be out and about during the day.

It is such a different experience to be able to be alone with your thoughts or letting your kids run free up ahead then when you are having to wade through hoards of tourists and stressing about losing sight of one of your children.

If you have been considering visiting Arches, I would definitely consider going in the winter. Especially if you are from out-of-town, then you can hit two birds with one stone. Stay up in Salt Lake City or in Cedar City and enjoy our world class skiing for a few days, then head over to Moab for a few days to take in the other worldly landscape that Arches has to offer.

A word to the wise though. Since there are so few tourists in Moab a lot of the restaurants are shut down til tourist season. There are definitely some to choose from. But my favorite, The Love Muffin on Main Street, is not open which is a must try if you ever have the chance. The Turkey Chipotle Sandwich is to die for. They make all their bread and roast the turkey in-house. Mmm I might just have to share my copycat version of it with you. One easy way to save money on a vacation is to not eat out and Moab has 2 grocery stores right in town to shop at. We almost always cook at home when we visit. When I am already trying to plan around naps, the last thing I want to do is waste 45 minutes 3 times a day sitting in a restaurant. Why not pack some muffins and fruit and head out on a trail early? Ditto picnic lunch.

If you can't find a way to visit Moab in winter, stay tuned. I have a post in the works about how to get away from the crowds and still enjoy amazing hikes with breathtaking arches.

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