How to Over Pack for a Week in Florida

Here is my blog for what I packed for my week trip to Florida, to visit my mom and stepdad. If you're looking for a minimalist's packing list, you have come to the wrong place. I'll share with you what I packed in my 3 bags. I'll provide all the links to the items that I bought. What I ended up overpacking were diapers and wipes. I was glad though that I didn't run out, though I only needed 2 backs.

This is what I packed in my diaper bag. I wanted to make sure all the items I would need to access frequently were easily accessible so I wasn't fishing around in the bag looking for something. When I make packing lists I always make sure I add everyday items that I would most likely have on me to ensure I don't forget anything. These items are my wallet (credit cards, cash, ID), my phone and my tickets. Then before I leave for my trip I can ensure that they are also with me.

Food
   👽 Oatmeal Cookies
   👽 Baby Mum Mums
   👽 Apples
Necessities
   👽 Wallet (Credit Cards, Cash, ID)
   👽 iPhone 7 Plus
   👽 Travel Pack of Tissues
   👽 Phone Charger and/or Portable Charger
   👽 Neck or Travel Pillow
   👽 Bluetooth Headphones. I love these because I don't have to fumble with my phone when I get a call while walking through the airport.
Playing
   👽 Toys. You want to make sure they are not ones that make any noises as a courtesy to other passengers. This means no electronic toys or ones with bells or squeakers. I packed my LO's rings, sensory book, and Butterfly security blanket. The best items to pack are your babies favorite. If one of their favorites is an electronic toy then just make sure it stays in the off position or the batteries are removed.
   👽 Books. As well as toys I pack a few books to keep their attention. I have recently started to purchase books that have to do with my LO's first. For this trip, I have a Day at the Airport by Richard Scary. Then inside the book, I marked the date that we went on her first airplane. This way I have a little memorabilia. I am also going to take some pictures of us in the airport. Then add the pictures and our ticket to the back of the book. Also, I packed some smaller Bitty Baby books and a Bizzy Bear Space Rocket book to match our travel outfits.
Changing: This is one of the most important things to pack. I would say every parent will most likely have all of these items in their diaper bag already.
   👽 New pack of Baby Water Wipes
   👽 About 10 Bambo Natures diapers. I am also going to back 20 more in my larger carry-on just in case.
   👽 2-3 Ziploc bags. This will be for dirty clothes or diapers I am unable to throw away. If you don't have Ziploc bags then disposable poopie bags or reusable wet bags would also work.
   👽 Changing pad. If one does not come with your diaper bag we use these pads from Target.
   👽 Grey Fleece Baby Blanket
   👽 Nature's Baby Organics Silky Dusting Powder
   👽 3 Basic Amazon Face Cloths
   👽 2 Pairs of Cotton Pajamas with Feet
Toiletries:
   👽 All medications and vitamins
   👽 Badger Unscented Balm
   👽 Hand Sanitizer

Carry-On Suitcase
I usually pack secondary essentials in my carry-on suitcase. These are items I probably won't need unless we got stuck at the airport overnight.
   👽 Tooth Brush/Travel Size Tooth Paste
   👽 Contacts/Travel Size Saline Solution
   👽 Breast Pads
   👽 Makeup. Most of my makeup comes from the brand 100 Percent Pure.
   👽 Face Cloths
   👽 Underwear
   👽 Pajamas
   👽 20 Diapers
   👽 Bras (Under Wire and Sports)
   👽 Sunglasses for Mommy
   👽 Jewelry
   👽 Grooming Kit/First Aid
   👽 Baby Carrier
   👽 Extra Changing Pad
   👽 Toys.
   👽 Books

Checked Bag
   👽 2 Packs of Wipes
   👽 3 Packs of Diapers
   👽 Toys
   👽 Books. We will be going to the beach for the first time so I purchased A Day at the Seashore. Then I'm going to print the date we go to the beach in the back of the book. Also, we are going to her first boat ride so I purchased Richard Scarry's Boats.
   👽 Matching Outfits. Some of these outfits are from our Matching Outfits Monday Post. But there will be a few more surprises that I will post on Instagram. To organize Sephira's headbands, socks, and legwarmers I used Ziploc bags.
   👽 Shoes

I looked up so go ways to prevent ear popping and all said that nursing as the plane is going up then down it the best. They also stated that it is the suckling that helps so if you don't breastfeed then a pacifier would work just as well.

Items that were a must to have on the plane were a neck pillow. This acted like a mini nursing pillow and made it much more comfortable for me. Also an infinity scarf or nursing cover, this was nice for my own privacy and doubled as a blanket to block out the light so she could sleep. With my outfit, I wore a nursing necklace and bracelet. This worked perfectly to have toys on hand that she was able to play with. We had 2 diaper changes during our trip there and back. If you haven't traveled on a plane with a little one they do have changing tables that pull down behind the toilet. Also because it was too much to bring Sephira and the diaper bag to the bathroom everytime I would just grab a diaper and 2 wipes. So, make sure you have these easily accessible. If you are traveling with another adult this will all be a lot easier. But because the trip was quick it was not too hard alone. Most people are more than willing to help you out which I was quite surprised about. Many times people offered to get my bags, pick up items I had dropped or offer me any help I might need.

I would try to travel when there is a school vacation this way there are other families on the plane. Because it was school vacation the week we went I felt more comfortable the more families with babies that I saw.

For transporting Sephira I used a baby carrier from LILLEbaby. I loved this because I was much more comfortable than my wraps and it has a convenient pocket on the front that was big enough for my phone, mini wallet, and ticket. When I went through security they let me wear it through the metal detector. This also left me hands-free to load my stuff on the conveyor belt and then gather my stuff up. You may want to bring a stroller depending on what you are doing once you are at your destination but my mother had already purchased one for our trip. If you are bringing a stroller and traveling alone I recommend the Austlen Entourage. This is great because you will be able to load your carry-on luggage and personal item onto the stroller.

I wish you all luck on your next trip and I hope you found this post helpful. I will be posting the Matching outfit we wore on Monday.

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Fast Fun Friday - Paper Play

So this week's Fast Fun Friday came to me by chance. I was going through a few months worth of paper, bills, and pamphlets. If you're like me you wait til there is an enormous pile of paper to go through before sorting them. My LO and I were going through the paper together and I had the throwaway pile nearest to her. As I was sorting my LO was rolling around. She rolled over to the throwaway pile and started to spread the paper around and play with it. The light bulb went off in my head and Fast Fun Friday came to mind. So this week's Fast Fun Friday you will be able to have fun with your LO and clean up all that paperwork that has been piling up.

So this project will be the cheapest one I think we'll ever do. You will only need your baby and all that papers you need to do through. My LO doesn't really need a prop anymore but if your does you can just a bolster, rolled up yoga mat or DockAtot.

Have fun and get to sorting. I will see you all tomorrow when I post my ultimate packing guide for our Florida trip.

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Matching Outfits Monday - Butterfly Kisses

Thank the universe for Matching Outfits Monday! Today in spite of all the snow we are doing a fun spring/summer look. We all need a spring time Mommy's Outfit, for the first warm days that come. This year butterfly prints are extremely popular. I think this will be a great look for a nice day in the park. For mommy, I found a realistic butterfly print t-shirt. I paired this with a cute distressed jean skirt. I ordered this shirt a size larger than I usually do because it has no stretch to it. For my LO I purchased a butterfly print shirt and jean skirt set. This was extremely lucky and got so excited when I found it. Since I found the outfit from Babies"R"Us I also purchased a purple butterfly teether and blanket. This way she had the complete look and I received free shipping.

A few notes on my LO's outfit in the picture it shows the skirt with buttons and a pair of bloomers. But, Mine came with no buttons and bloomers attached to the skirt. I didn't mind this at all because I liked the one that came even better. Also, the socks I purchased are a lot lighter then they appear in the picture on Amazon. The color you see in my picture is more accurate (light purple).

To give the outfit a more matching aspect I sewed a pink flower ribbon to the skirt. I sewed it toward the bottom of the skirts so they wouldn't be covered but the shirt.

Mommy's Outfit
💟 Butterfly Print Shirt - L
💟 Jean Skirt - 14
💟 White Sandals
💟 Purple Baby Carrier

Baby's Outfit

💟 Butterfly Print Shirt and Jean Skirt Set
💟 Butterfly Blanket
💟 Butterfly Teether
💟 Purple Bow
💟 Purple Leggings
💟 Purple Socks

Next week for MOM I'll show you what me and my LO will be wearing for our plane trip to Florida, plus what we will be packing for the week away.

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Fast Fun Friday - Ribbons

A great sensory play time is using different types of ribbon. There are so many types of colors, texture, and sizes. Because the ribbon is thin they will be great for baby's fine motor skills. I came up with this idea after my LO's 6-month photo. She was so interested in playing with the ribbon I used for the rainbow.  I alway try to have something that is a part of my LO's photos that will keep her attention and keep her happy. I also like this project because you can keep the ribbon in a plastic bag and use it again. Also, you can add more ribbon as time goes on. This will keep it interesting for your LO. You can add scraps of ribbon you may have from different projects, so they do not go to waste.

What you will need;
💜 Different color, texture and size ribbon
I'm using some thin red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple ribbon. Then some thinker black and white ribbon.

For this project, I just propped my LO with a rolled up yoga mat and DockATot and placed the entangled ribbon.

Do not leave your LO alone with the ribbon because this could be extremely dangerous if they get too tangled.

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MOM - Blue and Grey Skies

This week on MOM I'm doing a more simple look. Matching outfits don't have to be identical to match. This is one of my more casual, comfy but, still awesome looks. I ordered a custom size 2 piece jumpsuit from one of my favorite sellers on Etsy ElvenForest. I love this jumpsuit because you get the best of both worlds. First, this is a jumpsuit that you don't have to get naked to go the bathroom. Also, this jumpsuit is good for breastfeeding mommy. It gives you plenty of access and privacy with its cowl neck. They sell the pants in a flared style as well. I picked the gypsy style because I wanted the gray color. But, I'm glad I did because they are spectacular. A reason I like ordering from here is your ability to give your exact measurements. This way you don't have to worry about if it will fit. You will definitely be seeing this jumpsuit again in another edition of MOM in a different color or one of their other awesome pieces. Please note that these are custom and handmade items, so be kind to your Esty seller and give them the time it takes to create their masterpieces.

For my Little One, I found a sweet jumpsuit with snaps at the bottom for easy diaper changes. Then I made another pair of baby sandals with some elastic and ribbon from Joann's Fabrics. Click HERE for the tutorial.

This look is great for a day at the park, festival or concert. You can also, dress it up with some heels and dramatic makeup for a more night on the town look.

Mommy
💙 Grey Gypsy Pants
💙 Blue Cowl Neck Crop Top
💙 Grey Jacket
💙 Blue Baby Carrier
💙 White Faux Leather Necklace

Baby
💙 Heather Blue Jumpsuit
💙 Grey Rose Bow
💙 DIY Baby Sandals
💙 Grey Long Sleeve Onesie
💙 Still on the hunt for a Faux Suede Jacket for Baby. I'll update if I ever do. Here is one for an older child. You could also pair with a gray baby sweater.

I hope you enjoyed this week's Matching Outfits Monday as much as my LO and I do. See you later this week for a baby picture's tutorial.

Don't forget to follow my blog by clicking the Follow button at the bottom. Also, you can follow me on Facebook @Veggiemomster and on Instagram @Theveggiemomster.

Baby Shirt Tutorial

Today we are going to make a cute Easter shirt. This is a great project for when you are strapped for cash bust still want a super adorable outfit for a party, photo shoot, or just for every day.  I used a sewing machine to make the process go a bit faster, but if you have the time and patience then you can use a hand needle and thread.

What you will need for this project;
💛 Fabric, of your choice (I choose broadcloth with an Easter print that I got from Hobby Lobby
. Broadcloth is extremely easy to work with especially if this is your first time sewing.
💛 Thread
💛 Sewing machine or hand needle
💛 Scissors
💛 Tape Measure
💛 Iron
💛 Pins
💛 Snap Closure or Elastic
💛 Any extra embellishments (optional)
💛 Double Folded BiasTape (optional)

First, you want to measure your baby's chest, you will need a tape measure to do this. With you baby lying down wrap the tape measure around their chest. For my LO I got 19inches. I added an extra inch for seam allowance. I then with my fabric I cut 2 identical pieces. This will be the front and back of your shirt. For mine, the top measurement of the pieces is 10, the bottom is 18 and each side is 9. The 10 comes from half of my LO's chest measurement. The bottom was 4 inches longer on each side than the top (10+4+4=18). The sides came from how long I wanted the shirt to come down plus an inch for seam allowance.  After measuring out your fabric you should come out with a trapezoid. Cut 2 trapezoids with the same dimensions.

Now we are going to finish our edges. You can use double folded bias tape or you can double fold the fabric like I did and use an iron to make your creases before sewing. If you are using an iron make sure your fabric can withstand the heat and won't melt. First, you want to fold over your bottom edge of your first trapezoid and iron that down. Then fold it over again so you can longer see the rough edge and iron that down. Repeat this for just the top and bottom edges of both of your trapezoids (NOT the sides).

One Fold

2nd Fold

Now to sew those sides down. I have a Singer Patchwork machine so I chose a cute leaf stitch but any stitch will work for this. Taking your machine or needle and thread tack down the sides you just ironed.

Once that is complete you can sew your 2 pieces together. Make sure you place your fabric with the print side facing each other before sewing. This is so when you sew your pieces, the seams are on the inside of the shirt. Pin them together, then using your machine or needle and thread sew the 2 raw edges together.

Once the 2 pieces are sewn together you can take the pins out and turn it right side out. now its time to add your closure. I'm suing some sew on snaps. The fist thing you want to do is decide what side you want to be the front. Then at the top of the back piece right in the middle cut it down 3 inches.

The like we did in the beginning, fold the raw edges down twice, iron, then sew to finish your seam.

This is a good time to try it on your little once to see where you need to add your closure. Once you add your closure you are done. If you want you can also add some embellishments to finish it off. I have this crystal button that I added to hide the stitching from the closure.

For bottoms, I took bloomers from another outfit or you can purchase some really nice cheap ones from NordeensBabyCouture. They have them in every color and they are really soft.

I hope this was a fun and easy project that gave you an opportunity to get creative and save some money.

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Fast Fun Friday - Rice Play

This week for Fast Fun Friday, we are going to be playing with rice. I like using uncooked rice for playing because your baby will be able to manipulate it easier. You can write numbers and letters using your babies fingers or your own. Also, rice is one of the best things for fine motor skills.

Thing you will need;
💙 Rice
💙 Pan or Tupperware
💙 Food Coloring (Optional)
💙 Small Baby Toys (Optional)

If you have food coloring you can also add color to your rice. If you decide to do this I would suggest making 2 to 4 separate bowls of rice and coloring them each a different color. Then on your pan, you can add each color of rice to the separate corners. Your little one will have fun as they mix the colors together. If you don't have any food coloring you can use different types of rice for you LO to mix together. Some good options to mix would be White, Brown, Chinese Black Rice, Wild Rice, etc.

Also, like more of my Fast Fun Friday project you can add small toys to the rice. Feel free to add more rice to hide your LO's toys so they can use their hands to dig for them. Rice will get everywhere so make sure your playing surface is easy to clean.

*Never leave your baby alone unsupervised while playing with the rice. 

Hope you had fun with this quick and easy sensory play. Tomorrow we will be doing an Easter outfit sewing project, so stay tuned.

Don't forget to follow my blog by clicking the Follow button at the bottom. Also, you can follow me on Facebook @Veggiemomster and on Instagram @Theveggiemomster.