Sad...

They don't fit! It's a sad day for me, but a happy day for my pocket book...

Back to the drawing board...

Jet setting with Duck

This is Honey Bun. We had a great Thanksgiving but it was bittersweet as my grandfather, who we usually celebrate with, was very ill and had to stay home this year. We live pretty far away from one another and I was down in the dumps about missing this opportunity to spend time with him. ACP is great and he bought me a ticket to go see him this upcoming weekend. What a great surprise! The only thing is that my parents are begging me to bring Duck. I'd like to bring her, but I am feeling a little nervous about plane travel with an infant. I did find these helpful tips:

First: Stick to a regular schedule Try to schedule the departure of your trip around your baby's regular naptime or bedtime. That way your baby will sleep for at least part of the trip. "I would recommend that a parent refrain from interrupting a baby's sleep schedule before a flight," says Daniel R Bronfin, MD, clinical pediatrics professor at Tulane School of Medicine in New Orleans and physician at New Orleans' Ochsner Foundation Hospital. "Trying to sleep deprive an infant, for example, in order to make him/her sleep on the plane, will often backfire."

Second: Plan ahead
Catharine Shaner, MD, FAAP, a pediatrician and advisor with the American Safety and Health Institute in Holiday, Florida, recommends parents try to schedule flights during non-peak times or days, so it is less crowded and less over stimulating for your baby, which can make for a very fussy baby. She also recommends parents call and confirm their travel itineraries with the airlines ahead of time. At that time, request any special seating requirements, such as asking for a bulkhead seat -- where there is no seat in front of you -- which should offer the most room.

"Some airlines do not make these available ahead of time and sometimes the bulkhead may be the emergency exit row," Dr Shaner says. The emergency exit rows are typically off limits for parents traveling with young children.

If you can't get a bulkhead seat, ask to be seated in a "noisy" area of the plane, recommends frequent flyer Phoebe Dey of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. "I think most airlines do this anyway, but if not, I would request it," she says. "Most of the babies were seated in the middle of the plane, right over the engines. Not only does it muffle some of the sound from crying babies, the vibration seems to knock the babies right out."

Third: What to bring
I plan to have a diaper bag handy and packed with the following:

Plenty of diapers, wipes and diaper rash cream for the trip. (Ask friends or relatives to have some diapers on hand for you at your final destination).

A bag to hold dirty diapers, especially if you use cloth (I don't but you might).

A bottle of hand sanitizer, like Purell, so you can "wash" your hands when you don't have access to water.

Bottles and extra pacifiers.

A baby blanket -- good for warmth as well as for privacy when breastfeeding.

A change of clothes -- or two -- for Baby. You may also want to dress her in layers, since airplanes can be rather cold or get very hot!

If you are new to nursing, an extra top for you.

A travel-size diaper changing pad or disposable diaper changing cloths

A bottle of water for mixing formula and for you to keep hydrated! Make sure to ask the flight attendant for a cup of warm water to put the bottle in to heat the formula or breastmilk.I'm planning to get a six pack of the formula that comes pre-mixed and packaged from Similac.

A bib, bowl, spoon and baby food if your baby is on solids, along with snacks for babies on solids.

A cloth to quickly wipe up spills or spit up.

A carrying case that can keep pumped breastmilk bottles cold.

Some toys to keep Duck entertained.

I'm also bringing BabyBjorn.

They also recommend bringing an umbrella stroller -- maybe even one that reclines -- or a front carrier to make getting around the airport a lot easier. Typically, travelers will be allowed to check strollers just before boarding the plane and it will be stored with the luggage. The airline workers will then bring it up for just after you get off the plane.
I was planning on bringing my stroller that can snap in Duck's infant car seat just in case there is an extra seat available and I can strap her in (rear facing) on the plane. What do you think? Rear facing car seat or umbrella stroller?

A Dream Come True

Hello Honey Bun, Muffie, and Trixie, and Readers!!!

We are here in NYC!!! OMG - it is amazing as always, but especially so since there are twinkling lights everywhere!! this is my third Doc family Thanksgiving in the Big Apple, but this will be the first one where we are staying in the city for Thanksgiving Day. I have always for my whole life wanted to go to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Every year on Thanksgiving my family would watch Miracle on 34th St. I loved watching that movie! And each year when we watched the parade on tv, I would imagine myself being there in person to see it. And finally it is happening. Tomorrow we will wake up on the Upper West Side, and walk three blocks to sit and wait for a Snoopy balloon to float on by. Can you just picture it!!! A lifetime worth waiting for! I would say look for us on tv, but there is no way this Southern girl is sitting outside in the cold to get a front row spot. So instead, just think of us!! We will be making the dreams of a little girl (who might be 29) come true.

Is there something you have always wanted to do? Is there a particular experience you have always imagined having??

It's An Addiction

I love boots. Boots are so fun -- they can be dressed up; they can be dressed down. I am currently loving the look of boots over the top of skinny jeans or worn with a dress and tights. I love boots so much that I have way too many pairs to my name...

Exhibit A:

I bought these Naughty Monkey boots a couple of weeks ago. I had had a pair of brown boots from J.Crew for years. The Farmer got them for me the first Christmas that we were married -- almost 8 years ago now. I have loved those brown boots, but they have started to look a little dated so, I was in the market for some new brown boots. I found these on Nordstrom. They are comfortable and cute and a pretty shade of chocolate. The only problem is that, while I was packing to go out of town last weekend, I found another pair of brown suede boots that I had bought last year and had forgotten about! Luckily they are a lighter brown and flat, so I didn't totally double-buy but I felt really stupid! Just please don't tell The Farmer -- he would kill me! I like my Naughty Monkeys better than last year's pair anyway...

Then there is Exhibit B:

I just ordered these Frye cowboy (cowgirl?) boots last night. I had decided that I wanted some last year, and I even ordered a pair, but then they were backordered. And I bought a Dooney & Bourke bag with my Christmas money instead. I found the Fryes on Piperlime a couple of weeks ago and put them in the shopping cart but never pulled the trigger. Last night I got back on Piperlime and found that the size that I had in my shopping cart was sold out. I am between a 7.5 and 8, so I originally put the 8 in my cart; however, since the 8s were sold out, I decided to hurry up and buy the 7.5s. I am keeping my fingers crossed that they will fit!

I figure that these cowboy (cowgirl?) boots are less expensive that the ones that I bought last year, I have a rewards certificate from GAP to go towards my purchase, I have a bit of a credit on my GAPcard, and I will use some Christmas money to pay for them, so I am saving money, right?!?!

And, finally, Exhibit C:

I know that people have a love/hate relationship with Uggs: they either love them or they hate them. I don't have any, but I think they are cute. I know, I know -- people say that they are sweatpants for your feet, but I think they can look pretty cute over jeans. Really, people -- I have seen that look with my own eyes, and I think it can be cute! I would love a pair to wear around town when I don't feel like really dressing up with other boots. And, I have a pair of Danskos that I heard that I had to have because they are so comfortable and wonderful and blah, blah, blah...and I hate them. I only wear them every once in a while, and I always roll my ankle in them. And they are so ugly (sorry if I am offending anyone...)!

Anywho, Miss Priss has asked for real Uggs for Christmas. We have always gotten her the knockoffs from Target, and they have been fine in the past. However, she had a friend who had the real deal last year, and she has decided that she needs the real deal, too. The Farmer and I decided that, since it is from Santa Claus, Miss Priss can get the real things. Since there has been so much talk about Uggs around our house lately, The Farmer got the idea in his head to get me my very own, real Uggs for Christmas. He spilled the beans when we were getting ready to go to a football game in the cold a couple of weeks ago; he thought that maybe we could just swing by someplace and get some before the game. That didn't happen, but I am glad that I know what he is planning so that I can have some input into just which Uggs he gets -- The Farmer is a great guy, but sometimes he struggles in the gift-giving department.

So, there you have it: my boot obsession. I really could apply this obsession trend to pretty much anything that has to do with fashion -- clothes, makeup, shoes, bags, jewelry -- but we won't go there tonight. Suffice it to say that I need to do a better job of watching my pennies...but, like Scarlett, I will think of that tomorrow...

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!

Trix

The Craze

Let's see a show of hands for those of you who are crazy about The Twilight Saga!

My hand is definitely in the air.

I must admit that I didn't want to start the series when I read them about a year ago. It took some coaxing from Muffie to get me to start Twilight, but once I got into it, I got hooked. I walked around with my nose in a book for six days until I had read every last word of all four books. I think all of my little chillens forgot what my face looked like for those six days -- they had to talk to me through the cover of a book! I hate to admit it, but my life felt a little bit empty after finishing that last book -- I didn't want it to end.

Naturally I was beyond excited when Twilight came out as a movie.

And I have never been more disappointed by a movie in my life. (Really. I am not hard to please when it comes to movies. I love movies!)

It just did not live up to the book at all. I know that it is common for a movie to not live up to a book, but this one just stunk big time. I was so disappointed! As I watched the movie, I wondered to myself if I didn't like the movie because it just brought the whole vampire saga to life and made me realize that is was just so cheesy (I mean, really, vampires? How unbelievable can you get -- that is why I didn't want to read the books in the first place. I don't get into that stuff...) or if the movie was just that bad.

I am pretty sure that the movie was just that bad. It seems to be a general consensus among those I have talked to who loved the books.

So, although I have heard that New Moon is so much better than Twilight, I am approaching it with the realization that it is highly likely that this movie will also fail to be as good as the book.

That's right, I haven't seen it yet. And I am dying to!

Muffie and I are going to meet our friend, Hogie, in a couple of weeks at a city halfway between our homes where we will go to the spa, eat great meals, and watch New Moon. I cannot wait; I hope I can hold out that long! Muffie and I have talked about rereading all of the books (or at least the first two) to hold us over until we actually get to see the movie -- you know, because everyone else in America has already seen it.

Or, should I say, every other chick in America has seen it. The Farmer would not be caught dead at that movie.

How about you? Have you seen the movie? Did you love it? Will it be worth the wait?

Oh, and just FYI, I am totally on Team Edward.

Trixie

All I want for Christmas...

Peace on Earth? No. College Savings fully funded for Duck? No (well, yes, but not this year). The Barbour International Jacket. For years ACP has been saying that I NEED a Barbour jacket. I don't know how much anyone actually NEEDS a Barbour jacket. We don't live in England, we do live where it is sweltering hot most of the time, and I haven't found one that I am in love with...until now.

Which brings me to my next point to all of you reading this blog. I hope you don't make the same mistake I do and set your sights on a big Christmas present early. This year I was in Charlotte with my mother in law and I happened to see that one of my favorite jewelry stores was going out of business and everything is at least 10% off. This was the perfect storm: A deal and something new and sparkly sitting behind a nice glass counter waiting for me. Well, of course, I found something that I could not breathe without that Roberto Coin made ESPECIALLY for me. I called ACP and asked if he didn't want to think about Christmas this year, he said to pull the trigger and now it has been staring at me on his dresser for the past month. Sigh. Now given the choice between the new something sparkly and the Barbour International jacket I would still pick the new something sparkly, of course. However today it was chilly and the International would have been perfect en route to see New Moon.

Not to be depressing but the best part about Christmas presents is wondering what you are going to get and now I have sort of ruined it. Don't tell ACP because he would completely agree with me. Husbands do sometimes know best.

What do you want for Christmas just so I can get some new big ideas?

HoneyBun

Pack Rat

Today I have been completely distracted with my upcoming trip to NYC for our Thanksgiving celebration with Doc's family. We leave on Tuesday after work, so I have been mentally packing for the last half hour. Doc and I travel quite a bit, so I have become quite accustomed to packing for a three day weekend, but I become completely unravelled when it comes to packing for an extended stay in NYC. I find that NYC poses some packing challenges unlike any other city we visit. First, you walk so much when you're there, that you have to have at least one pair of comfy shoes (for me some flat boots). On top of that, we will spend our days shopping, going to shows, and have nice lunches, so i need outfits that are comfy, warm, and wearable, but that are also fashionable. Then you have to pack for your evening costume change so that you look just right for dinner and drinks. So many outfits, so little space.

Doc and I have made a promise that we will make every attempt to avoid checking bags. We have dinner reservations at Les Halles very late Tuesday night (10:45), and by not checking bags, even if we run a minute behind, we should still be able to hop in a cab and head to dinner. Plus, I just heard on the radio that a couple in Phoenix has been charged with stealing over 1,000 pieces of luggage from the Phoenix baggage claim. That is my BIGGEST fear about checking. I would just die if my luggage was lost or stolen. As a result, all of my outfits must fit nice and snug in a tiny little carry-on!

I have a trick or two to make packing a little better. I roll small items (tights, tanks, socks) and stuff them in my shoes. You'd be amazed how much space this saves. I also pre-plan an outfit itinerary for every day so that I only pack what I need and nothing extra. I try to stick to outfits that can all be paired with the same accessories so that I'm not packing multiple purses/shoes/etc. And I always wear my bulkiest outfit on the plane on both travel days, including my coat, scarf, and heavy boots.

PS - We have found that if you have a rolling bag and a purse, the airlines have not ever said anything to us about also carrying on a hanging bag. So I try to make all of my dinner outfits dresses and I hang them on one hanger so that I have even more room in the roller!

I am wondering, do you have any good packing tips?


Lola