Happy One Year (+ one Month) BTG!!!!!!

So with being sick, and the craziness that was January, I missed the one year anniversary of BTG, but today marks the 13 month "birthday" of this blog. As to be expected, I started with a "welcome post" explaining a bit about who I am and why I started this blog. I have posted over 300 times this year and I'm very happy with the state of the blog and its progress. Yeah, I wish I had more time to work on it, clean it up a bit, maybe try a new layout, but right now I'm just making sure to get the content out and document our trips, adventures and my ideas. I love when readers and friends write me, or ask for baby travel suggestions, that is the essence of what Baby To Go is all about. And I love that someday I can print this blog and show my little guy what fun we had (and will continue to have). So thanks for sticking around these past 13 months and I am excited for the future of this blog!

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Flying with a Toddler

This past trip to Florida represented the end of an era. C’s 21^st and 22^nd flights, and the last one where he would fly free of charge… he turns 2 on March 18^th. The cheap side of me was psyched to squeeze in one more trip with “Infant In Arms” but the practical side of me wondered if flying with an “older” infant, sans ticket, was actually a good idea.

Flying down to Florida, I was with my husband, so I was less concerned about that leg. We booked our flight around naptime, instead of the 6am-er which would have gotten us there much earlier, but in the long run was a better decision. On this trip, we traveled with our Britax Boulevard Car Seat in our JL Childress Ultimate Car Seat Travel Bag, my 49.2lb suitcase (do I know how to pack or what?) and my Vera Bradley diaper bag, which has been a travel staple. The day before we left, there was another huge snowstorm in NYC, so I knew that there would not be open seats on the flight, so we checked the car seat at the ticket counter.

We tanked C up on an early lunch at the airport and he was asleep in my arms right around take off. He didn’t sleep quite as long as we had hoped, but the flight was less than three hours and the two of us entertained him with snacks (gotta love Jet Blue for their snack selection), walks up and down the aisle, an Elmo DVD, and Trader Joe’s stickers.

The flight to Florida was such a success, that I was nervous about flying home, alone, with C. I even thought about buying him a seat at the last minute, but I’m glad I did not. I was so lucky that there were open seats on the flight home! I carried our car seat through the airport in the backpack, installed it on the airplane seat and during taxi/take-off, C passed out. He slept almost the whole flight! It was great, I was able to watch TV (Jet Blue) and enjoy snacks and a beverage!

Flight home was a total success, although in the cab ride home, C was sitting on my lap, facing me (no car seats needed in a taxi and I have always felt safe holding the little guy this way…) he barfed all over me when we were still about 15 minutes away from our apartment. So I had to sit there, covered in barf (at this point he was fine and happy) while the taxi driver complained and I tried really hard not to puke myself!

Next flight, Puerto Rico in May. We will be purchasing three seats (yikes!), but we have had a good run with C flying for free!

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Back in Blogging Action!

Yes, I am still alive. And still blogging. Just been on a bit of a hiatus. Some time being sick, and then 12 glorious days in Florida = quiet around BTG. But I’m back and our most recent trip was so FREAKING FABULOUS,  I  don’t even know where to begin!

This trip had so many adventures, and I do plan to write about them in more detail. But lets just say that leaving snowy, cold NY and enjoying 12 days in 70-80 degree weather (you don’t always get so lucky in Florida) was just what the doctor ordered. Add in time with my husband, and lots of time with my mom and dad, who had such a blast with C… and I enjoyed resting lots while my parents doted on the little guy.

I will upload pics soon (still trying to get my life back on track, you know how that is after a vacation) but in Florida we enjoyed three days at the beach, a trip to a science museum, a visit to a citrus factory, lots of walks, time at the playground, a visit to the zoo, a swim in the pool, and a side trip from Ft. Myers to Orlando and Nickelodeon Hotel. Hubby and I enjoyed two date nights and I played golf with my dad one afternoon. Glorious! Just glorious!

PS I really didn’t want to come home! And I want to go back ASAP

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A Quick Hello... and the Chiquita Mom Winner!

I know I have been uncharacteristically absent from BTG, FB, Twitter and email. But I've been a bit under the weather and just trying to relax and feel better. I plan to write about my one year blog-anniversary (which was on 1/15) and how we are settling into winter. But for now, the winner of the Chiquita Moms Giveaway:

comment number 12, left by:

The Rosanova Family! Congrats! I will email you shortly!

And I'll be back soon!

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Last Day To Enter! (Healthy Giveaway)

Today is the last day to enter the Chiquita Moms Giveaway. Please submit entries by 5pm EST. I will announce a winner tonight or tomorrow! Good luck

PS Even if you already entered, you can tweet again for another entry!

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Wordless Wednesday: Why Do I Buy Toys?

Linking up with: Angry Julie Monday, Life of Rylie & Bryce, A Beautiful Mess,  Live and Love Out loud & Goober Grape, Monkey Man

*** Get Healthy in the New Year, be sure to enter the Chiquita Moms giveaway HERE***

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Stepping Stones

So I cheated a little and added a visit to the Stepping Stones Children’s Museum to my Winter 2011 To-Do list, knowing full well that I had a visit planned before Christmas. My friend, Emily* was visiting the Norwalk area for the holidays and invited C and I to come with her and her daughter to the museum one morning before Christmas.

Now, living in NYC, Connecticut may seem like a word away, but without traffic (and you have to hold your breathe and keep your fingers crossed on that one), Western CT is really not that far. I allotted 90 minutes to get to Stepping Stones and I was there in under an hour (so I had to sit in the parking lot with C because it wasn’t even open yet, and it was wayyyy too cold to wait outside).

Stepping Stones does not have reciprocity with The NY Hall of Science, to which we are members, but it did have reciprocity with a museum that Emily belonged to, so we were able to enter free of charge. At first we let the kids (C, 21 months and K, 15 months) run around in what was really an area for older children to explore the exhibits, but as the museum started to fill up, we all headed to Tot Town which is where we remained. In fact, C spent about an hour playing with the play kitchen. And what a mock kitchen it was, complete with sink, stove, fridge, and granite countertops... only in CT I guess. But I forgot my camera, so I have no photographs.

We skipped the very large indoor water exploration area (for obvious reasons) and around 11:30 decided to leave the museum and go out for lunch. We called in our order to Valencia on the drive over and our food was ready when we arrived. At Emily’s suggestion, I had a wrap with deep fried, breaded, cauliflower, white beans and some other fillings that I can’t remember. And it was… AWESOME! Topped with this fresh herb sauce, this was one of the best lunches I have had in a while. And apparently this restaurant is quite a gem, good enough to be featured on Diners, Drive-In’s and Dives (Guy’s signature was on the wall!).

Luckily we did not hit traffic on the way home and were back in Queens in about an hour. I definitely plan to return to Stepping Stones, and Valencia again!

*Emily has been a frequent, and awesome guest blogger for BTG. Read about her BOB Revolution, her Hawaii trip, or her adventures in Cloth Diapers.

Also, our bloggy buddy Cole visited Stepping Stones over the holidays! Read his recap HERE.

*** Get Healthy in the New Year, be sure to enter the Chiquita Moms giveaway HERE***

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