baby + passport = ready for anything!

In the spring, we were toying with a couple of opportunities that were presenting themselves for us to go abroad this summer. We didn't have any definite plans (and ended up not making them after all), but realized that--duh!--Ruby should have a passport, just in case.

I just thought about this again recently because my cousin and her husband just got an offer to move to Switzerland through work. They are super excited, but the fact that their two kiddos didn't have passports yet delayed their visa applications and, thus, their move.

Jude and I are both spontaneous people and can each cite numerous examples of last-minute trips we have taken throughout our lives, whether for work or for play. We always make sure that our own passports are up-to-date so that we are ready if a cool opportunity comes up...so why shouldn't Ruby be ready for anything, too?

Anyway, last March, we spent a morning at the post office applying for Ruby's passport. She got it in the mail a few weeks later. International travel, here I come!

First, get yourself together. Here's what you'll need to do and gather:

1. Find an application center nearby. Many USPS post office branches have passport services. Check the hours and the rules for the passport window at the location you choose--many times, the passport windows have separate hours than the rest of the post office, and some even require an appointment.
2. Get a passport photo. The location in downtown Brooklyn that we went to with Ruby did passport photos on-site, but not all locations do. Make sure you know whether this is an option. If not, many photo shops, drug store chains, and business centers do passport photos. Ruby was old enough to sit up on her own, so I just propped her on my knee while I stood with my foot on the chair.
   
3. Fill out the DS-11 passport form. I suggest filling it out online and then bringing a printed copy with you, but just don't sign in until you're in the presence of the official "Acceptance Agent" where you apply for the passport.
   
4. Gather the necessary documents. Things you'll need: a) baby's original birth certificate (they'll take it for the application and send it back to you with the passport in a few weeks) with both parents'/guardians' names on it, b) baby's social security card, c) photo IDs for each parent/guardian (valid passports or driver's license), and d) photocopies of parents' IDs and the baby's social security card. If you have extenuating circumstances or further questions, check the government page on applying for a passport for a minor.
5. Make it a family outing! Both parents, as well as the baby, need to be present while applying for the minor's passport.
   
   
   

Here we are heading to the post office for the passport application. Unfortunately, I didn't do the timing well and she fell asleep on the way there, so we had to wake her up and take her hat off for her photo.

beach baby, take two

So, almost a year later, we snuck away for another quickie beach vacation (this time in the opposite direction to the Jersey Shore) with the baby. We pulled our baby beach tent out of storage and, to my delight, found that it actually fits into our large suitcase for traveling!

Ruby loved to crawl in and out of the tent and was happy to sit inside playing with toys and reading books.

Plus, bonus: she and I still fit inside together (she might be bigger, but I am significantly smaller!) for quick nursing sessions.

beach baby, beach baby

As the end of summer is drawing near, I'm itching to make it out to a beach somewhere on the coast before it's over. If I do succeed in planning a little mini-vacay, I'm going to need to pull out my tot tent from storage. That thing was a great-great purchase for a beach trip with an infant and I'm excited to get some more use out of it!

Last fall, before I went back to work, we took our first family vacation to Montauk. I wanted to be able to spend time on the beach, but with a two-and-a-half-month-old baby, there were logistics to think about...How do I keep the sand out of her face? How do I keep the sun from melting her? Where will I breastfeed? The answer to all of these questions was a little pop-up tot tent! I read lots of reviews and chose this one. It was perfect for our needs. It was compact for traveling, it popped up and was easy to close, it has open flap pockets lining the outside to weight down with sand so it wouldn't fly away, it was big enough for me to crawl in and nurse the baby, and it had a screen mesh zip-door so we could see Ruby when she was napping. Good stuff! One thing I did that was *really* helpful was that I brought enough gallon freezer bags for each of the pockets plus an extra one. That way, I didn't have to get the actual tent super sandy to weight down the side pockets. I filled the bags each day at the beach and plopped one in each pocket. Then, at the end of the day, I would dump out each bag and stuff them all inside the clean, non-sandy carrying bag and pack them up with the tent. Clean and easy.

Here is Ruby's wonderful napping place, with real-life ocean sounds to lull her to sleep and fresh breezes!

Happy blue-tinted baby in her little hideout:

Big enough for mama to fit inside to nurse!

I'm excited to use this tent again now that Ruby is on the verge of being a full-fledged toddler!

a perfect compact, lightweight stroller

In the city, you need to invest in a good quality, sturdy, lightweight, and compact stroller for being out and about with only one adult and a not-yet-walking baby. Getting up and down stairs (especially the narrow stairs at the subway stations) without the help of a second person is close to impossible with a clunky stroller. I researched a lot and read a lot of reviews before I ended up with the UPPAbaby G-Luxe. I got it in early February and haven't looked back.

Here's what I love about it:

• It's very lightweight in comparison to other strollers of similar size and functionality.
• Not only does it fold up quickly and easily, but it stands upright by itself once it's folded. It also has a built-in carrying strap. All of this made it super easy to travel with when we took the train to Washington, D.C.
• It's a good lookin' stroller and the colors it comes in are unisex for future babies. I'm not saying that it being cute is the most important thing, but you know it counts for something.
• The cup holder holds all sort of things...I don't drink coffee, but I use it for my cell phone, mama snacks, etc.
• It rolls smoothly and got me through many snowy sidewalks this winter.
• Ruby is comfortable in it. She's never had a problem napping in it and she loves to swing her little legs.
• The sun visor is pretty good--it angles different ways and had pretty expansive coverage (though I still slather her up and put a sun hat on her, too).
• The basket for stuff underneath is decent (for a compact stroller) and I can fit Ruby's changing stuff plus some farmer's market veggies and goodies in there no problem.
  

Here's the munchkin in her swanky ride.

does your baby love to destroy books and magazines as much as mine does?

We were in Washington D.C. this weekend and Ruby got to visit with her Auntie Coco (my best friend, Coral). Coral gave her a present that was the hit of the trip (and, thankfully, the train ride back to NYC): an "Indestructibles" book. I read somewhere recently that "exploring" books through trying to rip them up and chew on them is actually an important step in the early (very early) literacy process. So these books are great--Ruby can "explore" it all she wants, but it stays intact, the materials and dyes are non-toxic, and the pages won't rip. She can slobber all over it to her heart's content and it just wipes dry no problem. It is soft and floppy--almost like a magazine or a pamphlet for your baby (not like a book-book).

The one that Ruby got was the book entitled Flutter! Fly! and she is in love with it. She spent a half an hour the other night trying her best to destroy it, but the thing will just not tear, rip, or come apart! Of course, it does crinkle, so she gets a laugh out of crumpling it up. These are just brilliant. Now I want the one called Mama and Baby! (available for pre-order only right now). It looks adorable.

These are pretty darn inexpensive, too, considering how much Ruby loves them. It's got a great amount of excitement to the dollar!

baby goes high-tech...iPhone apps for mommies

After resisting the iPhone for years and then getting it as a Christmas gift this year, I have to reluctantly admit that it is, in fact, a most amazing gadget. If you happen to have one, here are some of my favorite baby-related apps:

1. Baby Piano (lite: free; full: $1.99)

This is so stinkin' cute I can hardly stand it (especially when you hit the button that makes the animal sounds for the keys) and Ruby loves to bang away at the "piano." I just have to hold on tight while she plays, because she really wants to chew on my phone! We only have the free lite version right now, but may upgrade soon.

2. Baby Monitor ($4.99)

No point in getting this for home--a real baby monitor is more practical than having your iPhone out of circulation while your baby is sleeping. But, this is so brilliant for traveling! I wish I would have known about it when we were staying at my parents' house at Christmas, because the room where Ruby slept was so cut off from the rest of us that we couldn't hear her wake up and we didn't think to bring our baby monitor on the trip. Just put the phone near the baby and when she wakes up, it will call the phone number that you program in to let you know.

3. White Noise Baby ($0.99)

Another great one for traveling. Ruby likes the "car ride" sound the best, which is funny since she has ridden in very few actual cars in her life so far (though lots of buses and subway trains).

4. Bubbles ($0.99)

This is about as simple of an app as they come. You create bubbles and then pop them by touching them, at which point each one gives a satisfying popping sound. The person who created it did it for a plane trip to Korea to occupy a baby. Ruby loves to pop the bubbles and I think we'll be using this on our train ride to D.C. in a couple of months.

5. ShakeItPhoto ($0.99)

It's not exactly meant specifically for parents, but I tend to forward lots of pictures of Ruby to family and friends from my iPhone to theirs these days. Photos on the iPhone aren't that great, but this app does a good job masking their fuzziness with a funky old-school Polaroid look. Plus, Ruby loves to watch the photo appear after it's been taken.

6. Peekaboo Barn ($1.99)

This is ridiculously adorable and Ruby is mesmerized by it. I love that it is a little kid's voice that labels each of the animals. Too darn cute!

7. Voice Cards ($0.99)

There are lots of flash card apps out there for babies and toddlers, including various ones that have voices label the pictures. What makes this one stand out is that you can easily re-record the voiceover if you want to make it have a familiar voice, or if you don't like the way that they say it. Ruby loves to stare at the flash cards, though she's too young at this point to really "get it." Below I quickly re-record the voice for the word "chocolate" (which I pronounce differently than the pre-recorded lady).

baby photography for dummies

I love to capture memories with photos and I especially love to take pictures of babies (this is not a new phenomenon since giving birth to Ruby--I have always had this hobby)! While I am nowhere near a professional photographer (I honestly know just about goose egg of anything technical), I do really enjoy taking photos, critiquing them, and savoring them for years to come. When we live in the age of digital with so many options for taking, storing, and printing pictures, I am often surprised at just how bad people's photos can still be. It is such a shame to see sweet babies being captured forever in ultra-crappy photos.

Here is my take on simple photography that is not going to hurt your brain or swallow up your time.

First things first: you need a decent camera. This being said, I hate it when people see your photos and immediately assume you have a fancy camera. With a discerning eye, you can take good pictures with anything--I even use my phone a lot these days if that's what is nearby.

My oldest brother once gave me the advice that you should choose a camera from a company that's primary focus is in cameras, because they are the most committed to quality photography. I have been using only Olympus cameras (with the exception of one small Canon) for about 12 years now and I love them. For a mid-range camera that is as nice as you should go without going for a digital SLR, I am a big fan of the 500-series ultra-zoom line. The one I own is the SP-500 UZ below, but it has limited availability these days as everything is getting megapixel-ized like crazy. The newest version of the same camera is more expensive but has twice the megapixels--if that's important to you, by all means get it, though I personally don't think the extra megapixels are going to help you take any better of photos (unless you want to blow up your photos the size of your living room wall, it doesn't really matter). I love this camera because it has a great zoom lens and, more importantly to me, a great macro setting that allows for high-quality close-ups.

Although my 500 UZ is what I use most often with Ruby since I can leave it out and grab it whenever the moment strikes, I also own a digital SLR that I love for traveling and more heavy-duty photography. It's an investment to get a new camera, but if you can take great photos of your baby yourself, you may take her to a professional less often. If you do splurge on an SLR, I recommend getting a nice macro lens for amazing close-up baby photography and one good lens that has a big range for zoom and nearby. Below is the Olympus Evolt camera that I bought a few years ago. It's great, but I originally made the mistake of buying the package deal that includes two lenses. I say this is a mistake because if all you're going to have are standard not-that-great lenses, I actually don't think this is very much of a step up from the 500UZ non-SLR camera that I was talking about earlier. To be honest, I think that if you feel compelled to buy an SLR, then you need to do it right and get good lenses. In that case, my recommendation would be to buy the body-only and separate lenses. Since I bought the two lenses listed below, I have literally never again touched the two that came with my package deal.

Okay, regardless of what camera you are using, here are my tips--in no particular order--for capturing good photos that will showcase the beauty of your little darlin' in all of his or her glory:

1) The background does, indeed, matter! Plain backgrounds for photos of your baby look the best, especially when she's so young that all your photos are of her lying down. Spread a blanket down underneath her, or a bed sheet, or a piece of cloth--anything that will serve as your background. When I say "plain," I don't necessarily mean a solid color...Actually my favorite backgrounds are the incredibly beautiful quilts that our friend Mary has made for us (one for our wedding and one for Ruby's birth) that are anything but "plain." More so, I mean just have one background. For example, if I use my busy quilt, I will make sure that when I frame my picture the entire photo will have the quilt (rather than some quilt and some of the room behind the quilt). Also, find interesting backgrounds when you're out--living in a city lends itself well to finding exciting backgrounds--like graffiti, brick walls, city skylines, etc.--for photos.

I had Ruby at the farmer's market one day in October wearing a pumpkin hat and jack-o-lantern t-shirt. My photos at the market weren't anything that special, but, when I got home, I took off the black scarf I had been wearing and happened to lay Ruby down on top of it. It struck me that this was a great background, so I stuck two small pumpkins that we had bought on either side of her head and--voila!--I had a great shot that I ended up sending out as Halloween cards.

A lot of times, especially as baby gets older and can sit up, a solid-colored wall is a great background. Just think about what is behind her, though--is there an electrical socket in the photo that will cause eye traffic in the shot? Then move the baby a few inches to the side to avoid it or just take the picture from a different angle. My apartment may be cluttered, but my photos don't show it!

2) Natural lighting is your friend! Photos outside are always brighter, shinier, and more vibrant than indoor flash pictures that wash out and unflatter even the most gorgeous of people. Whenever possible, snap your cutie's pictures in natural light. And it doesn't have to be outside--just sit baby down to play next to a window and you have your shot. If you don't have enough light, then your pictures will turn out fuzzy (especially if your hand isn't steady). I tend to take most of my pictures on the auto settings, so my flash pops up when it wants to based on the light. I usually just hold it down manually if I don't want it, but then just brace myself against furniture or something that helps me keep a steady arm while shooting.

3) If you can't fix it, fake it! I am not somebody who does a lot of modifications to photos on the computer. For one, there's no time for it. But I also don't own Photoshop or any fancy post-production tools. That being said, the very basics are sometimes super helpful to someone (like me) with little technical photo knowledge. For example, all those photos from in the hospital when Ruby was only minutes old and Jude looked tired, Ruby looked bright pink, and I looked like...well...like I had been in labor for 36 hours with no drugs! Turn them all black-and-white! Everyone will look better and all those nasty hospital lights that accentuated your imperfections are a moot point. When I take random flash pictures in my house, too, they sometimes get so washed out or the colors are just so "off" that I will just switch them to black-and-white on the computer and see if it helps.

I have also recently gotten an iPhone, which makes it so easy to text real-time photos to my parents and siblings. My new favorite app is a 99-center called ShakeItPhoto, which lets you turn any photo you took on your iPhone into a "Polaroid." I love it! Instead of fretting about the graininess or poor quality of my iPhone pictures, I embrace it and glorify it by making it into a retro-looking little square. So fun!

4) Use a couple of your camera's basic settings! Like I said before, I don't actually know anything technical about photography. However, I have learned what "looks good" through playing with my camera. Use the macro setting on your camera (depending on the lens, some will be better than others), which is the little flower icon, to take close-ups of your baby. Combine this with natural lighting from a window in the morning and you're in business! If you're taking macro pictures, then you need as much light as possible and to hold the camera very still. I took a bunch of close-ups of Ruby's face and body parts recently in my living room by the window.

Here are some from the beginning: the first one is Ruby at about three hours old in the hospital, next to a window. The next one is next to a window in my living room when she was about a month old.

The other setting I tend to use a lot is the action setting (the running man icon). This one I use whenever there is water in the photo because it catches droplets and waves really well. Also, if something is moving in the background, like the subway below or cars on a busy street. It helps to blur the action that is not being focused on.

5) Props help! Babies are going to do what they're going to do--don't try to force a "pose" for a picture or it's just going to end up looking unnatural and/or cheesy. I like to give Ruby props to hang out with when I'm going to take a picture and just catch her interacting with them (as opposed to interacting with me as the photographer). A Boppy pillow is a good thing to have a young infant stationed in. Stuffed animals make cute and fun additions to a photo. The red tutu picture below I recently took in an effort to make some Valentines. I wanted her to have something to play with while I snapped pictures, so I just cut out some hearts from pink paper and--sure enough--she was enthralled!

6) You can get in your pictures, too! I can't tell you how many times I have been on a trip or at an event where I'm taking pictures like crazy, only to realize later that it doesn't even look like I was there at all because there are no photos with me in them! I cherish photos that I have of me with my parents when I was a baby, and I think it's important for Ruby to have photos with us in them, too. We might be trying to remember her in all of her baby cuteness now, but someday she is going to be trying to remember us the way we were "way back then," too!

Of course, if there are people around, you can just ask someone to a take a picture of you. However, if you've ever had a photo of you and your best friend's feet and an ancient Greek ruin at the Acropolis (no joke!), you know that asking a stranger to take your picture can be pretty disasterous. My advice to you is this: look around and scan for people carrying fancy cameras or looking like they're taking their pictures very thoughtfully--they will likely take the task of your family photo very seriously. And when someone then says to check and make sure you like it, take them up on it!

I usually prefer to set up a timer. This way, I can control exactly what the frame-up will be. I love to have a tripod and highly recommend having a simple one on hand, but I so rarely think to carry one (and who needs one more thing to lug around when you've got a baby and a diaper bag). You can get creative and scout your location--you may end up setting up your camera on a garbage can, a railing, or once my clever friend Coral even hung our camera from a tree by it's strap (which gave us a unique--albiet slightly crooked--picture)!

jetsetter baby

Let's be honest: the prospect of flying with your infant is terrifying, especially around the holidays when planes and airports are chaotic and full of anxious travelers. I have heard lots of people recently talking about giving their children Benedryl or other sedatives for flights, but I am wholeheartedly against giving anyone--much less a BABY--any medications that they don't need. Clearly, if I can break my foot while 4 months pregnant and walk around in a cast in NYC for two months without even taking one Tylenol, I am not somebody who is about to shove chemicals down my baby's throat for a plane ride! I also recently read about a plane that had to be diverted for an emergency landing because a sedated baby stopped breathing (no, thank you)!

That being said, a whole day in airports (with an almost 4 hour layover in Detroit--yuck!) with a 5-month-old is not exactly my idea of a fun day.

My biggest worries are Ruby's safety in my lap (we did not pay for an extra seat) in the event of severe turbulence, her ears popping upon takeoff and landing and scaring her into a crying fit, diaper changes in an aiplane bathroom, and her ability to nap in the bright airports and aircrafts.

Here are some things I am carrying with me to combat said worries:

1) Safety Harness

This is a pretty clever little tool that allows your baby freedom of movement on your lap, but holds her close in case of intense turbulence. To me, it's worth the price to have an added safety measure in place.

2) Pacifiers

During take-off and landing, I think breastfeeding is the best option to both soothe baby and help keep her ears clear. However, if baby's not hungry, a pacifier will help do the trick. Also helpful in the airport and for getting to sleep on the flight. For travel, I like the Haba chains that clip to the baby carrier so she can't knock her pacifier to the ground. Also, the soothie pacifiers are BPA-free and my daughter LOVED hers from the first time we offered it. Wubbanubs are also great--they have a Soothie pacifier attatched to a little stuffed animal that makes it easier for baby to hug and hold onto it.

3) Hooter Hider

Breastfeeding is definitely the easiest way to feed (not to mention soothe) baby on the flight). No need to worry about how much milk you're bringing with you in case of delays or layovers. The Bebe Au Lait covers are great because of the boning at the neck to help make a line of vision between you. However, I love-love-love the Busy Baby Wrap because they are simple and stylish enough to leave on as an extra layer on-flight or could double as a blanket for baby.

4) In-flight Entertainment

The key to bringing toys on the plane is that you want stuff that is small enough to pack and also quiet enough to not bug your neighbors (ie. not rattles or squeaky toys). Here is an assortment of some non-toxic toys and teethers that fit the bill.

5) Clean-Up and Cuddling

They are a splurge, but I adore Aden & Anais muslin blankets. They are oversized, which makes swaddling easier, but they are so thin that they can fold up tiny in your bag. I use these for everything--burb cloth, wiping up spit, peek-a-boo, swaddling, cuddling, sun shade, nursing cover, etc. Plus, they're adorable.

6. Diaper Station

There's not a lot of room to change a diaper on an airplane. Keep everything in one place so you're not dragging baby plus five other things into the lavatory.