Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Back From Long Beach

I could kick myself for forgetting some things. Here I am preaching to moms about clever things you need to take, and what do I do? I forget half of my stuff! Anyway, here's what we forgot...
Blue Painter's Tape (to tape all the drawers shut for our little cruiser, as well as tape hotel washcloths to corners of tables)
Power outlet covers (4-6 of them)
extra sticky things for the tub so the toddler doesn't slip.

Papa made a nest for the toddlers sleeping quarters... I tweeted about it. It was awesome. We used the bedcovers (because they aren't very clean) to pad the bottom. Then we used, some extra hotel blankets and finally a new set of clean hotel sheets. Myles brought her blanket and her own pillow and the nest had a ring of hotel pillows around it. At the foot of the bed was Emmy's travel bed (basically a folding drawer) and we made that cozy for her. All of this stuff was on the floor so that Papa and I could sleep and not worry about them falling off the bed.

Anyway, we did alright otherwise, but we would have had an easier time if we had brought the stuff. I am definitely bringing it on our road trip because that will be all motels.

The trip was great, we saw the Long Beach Aquarium and had a great time with family. We stayed completely under budget, so we can definitely do this again! =)



Thursday, August 13, 2009

Quick Overnite to Long Beach

Heading up to the OC for our lovely Cousin Ganzuzu's Bday party and to the Long Beach Aquarium on Sunday. Can't wait to take this teeny trip, as the stresses from work and whatnot make us want to take a couple days off. Budget for this small trip is small as well.
  • Tickets to Aquarium are $18.95 USD. (Five dollars off, normally $23.95 USD if you buy them online ahead of time. ) $37.90 USD
  • Gas will be about $25.00 USD.
  • Hotel for us, is going to be about $80.00 USD.
  • Food Budget $40.00 a Day
Total: $223.00 USD

Any trips we take we try, and try to pay for everything in advance. I like to use sites like www.hotels.com, which mostly books you and pays for it. One less expense to worry about. The girls are excited about the prospect of breaking the monotony. I think Memmy already has the travel bug because she loves, loves being in a new place and people watching. Myles is pretty much a veteran traveler, and she knows to stay next to us when she's in a different place. Knows about the value of new places and situations. I know this from the way she recognizes things and observes them. Let you know all about it as well as post pics. Have a great weekend everyone!


Saturday, August 8, 2009

CARES Harness...

So, you no longer have to lug a car seat on the plane! FAA Approved, for children 22-44 pounds.
check out Travel Mamas for more info on the thing. It's pretty awesome, gonna order mine and letcha know how we feel about it.

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Two Worlds Converge: Super Geek and Super Mom

Before my little beans were born, I never noticed the attendees who mumbled under their breath, every time a baby made a sound in a theatre, or during a panel. I never noticed how many times people exhaled in discontent every time the wheels of a stroller touched their feet in the crowded exhibit hall.


But it happens.


San Diego Comic-Con is, it’s the largest ever convention of its kind- celebrating the popular arts. Comic Books, Movies, video games, role playing games- anything and everything that at one point touched Comics or Science Fiction. It’s set up for about a quarter of a million people, at the San Diego Convention Center. The exhibit hall is where people are hawking their comics, books, costumes, zombie contact lenses... and major companies like Warner Brothers (who incidently, had a wonderful display of “Where The Wild Things Are” to advertise their new movie based on the popular Chilren’s Book. Nickelodeon had a Tribute to Sponge Bob Square Pants. Snoopy and Pikachu were walking around one of the days.


The other rooms are set up for panels and trailers and interviews with famous people and shows. there are workshops for people in the business. The panels go from The cast of Twilight to a small writer's circle with intimate Q and A's.


My conclusion, after bringing Myla when she was 3 months, and then when she was 20 months and then now when she is two as well as Emily when she is 8 months, is this: UNLESS NECESSARY, DON'T BRING YOUR BABIES. Kids over 7 maybe are great to bring on kids day, but anything under probably shouldn't attend...


Here are the reasons why:

1. After seeing Brobee from Yo Gabba Gabba, although they will enjoy it for a moment and get their picture, there really isn't much more for them to do.

2. It's way to crowded. Like horribly crowded. Germs. Toes. Arms. Legs. Not a great place to take the buggers. Now, when Myles was little, we carried her in the carrier and we also had her in the stroller. But when she got older, all she wanted to do was run around. And with god reason, there were people dressed up, big kids running around like little kids. To the two year old eye, it looks like a safe place for them to play. But it's a different kind of play. And it's really hard to explain this to an anxious Toddler.

3. There are no facilities for people with babies. They do not have a place for people to breast feed (I asked) and they said it was up to the conventions to set those up. Comic Con does not set any aside- which is again, understandable. My one complaint about this, is there are a LOT of babies there. Also, there are no changing facilities. I am fine changing babies on the floor, but something irked me about seeing all of these moms in corners changing their babies like it was a dirty shame to have one around.

4. Babies make a lot of noise. During panels, people who attend Comic-Con sometimes have to wait in line for hours to get into some of these panels, and when they are trying to hear Brucs Campbell talk, they don't want to hear a crying baby. Or even a babbling, happy baby. Music to MY ears, but not to your average 2009 Super Geek Model.


So these are some of my reasons as to why you shouldn't bring your beloved ham hocks to San Diego Comic Con... I have in the past, brought an infant (under one) and she was fine in the stroller or the carrier, but toddlers definitely a reconsider. Please, if there are great reasons as to why you SHOULD or have brought your toddlers and infants to Comic Con, please put them here! I would love to hear your input.