Flying with Toddler and Celiac

Last week was spring break so Cameron and I headed to North Carolina to see my parents.  Despite three adults (my mother, father and myself) getting the Rotavirus and Cam getting an ear infection, we still managed to have a good trip.  The part I am always the most nervous about is traveling with a toddler. 
In Cam's short 16 month-old life he has made several long car trips (10 hours or more) and flown 4 times. And yet, every single time we fly I get insanely nervous.  I have boiled down the core reasons for my nervousness to the following: 1) I fly sans husband, so I am solely responsible for the care and entertainment of this child, 2) toddlers are unpredictable!, 3) my child has never been able to nap well (or at all) in cars or planes, making travel timing imperative, and 4) there is always a possibility of things going wrong (i.e. delayed/cancelled flights or lost luggage).

So, I am going to share what I did to prepare for flying with my toddler. 

Before going to the airport:  Especially when traveling alone with your toddler it is imperative you can get everything you need in and out of the airport by yourself.  I had to take a suitcase, a car seat, and Cam in a stroller.  I bring a case to put the car seat in and I always check the car seat so I don't have to tote it around the airport.  On Delta (and many other airlines) car seats ship for free, so always ask when checking luggage.  I brought along a bungee cord to hook the car seat to the top of the suitcase, so I could push that with one arm while pushing the stroller with the other hand.   I use an umbrella stroller because they are easier to break down at security and to check plane-side.

Success!

At the airport:  I checked the suitcase and the car seat.  I had a diaper bag and a purse.  Clean out everything before you get to the airport so you know there aren't liquids you aren't aware of or anything that might get you stopped for security search (I put ANYTHING that might get me searched in my checked luggage, including nail clippers or my allergy nasal spray).  I don't wear shoes that are hard to take off, belts, jewelry (other than wedding ring and stud earrings), jackets, scarves or anything else I will have to remove at security.  The idea is to streamline! 

You are allowed to bring liquid medication and baby food (as well as breast milk or formula, but we are past that stage) if a child is traveling with you.  I always put these items in a separate plastic ziploc so they can go through x-ray easily and I have yet to have any issues.  Just tell the TSA agent as you are going through you have baby food and medication.

At security:  Keep out license and boarding pass until you clear the first TSA agent.  Put up license but keep out boarding pass.  DO NOT even get in the security line if your ticket does not say "infant in arms."  Check with the ticket agent first to double check you have a ticket and seat on the plane that is appropriate for children (only specific places on a plane have extra oxygen masks).

Hold baby, break down stroller.  Stroller goes through first so it's the first thing to come through the other end--that way you can put baby back in the stroller while you gather your items and put your shoes back on.  Take off shoes, put shoes and purse in one container.  Take out your plastic bag of any liquids or gels.  Put on top of the purse and shoes.  Second bucket, diaper bag.  Push all through x-ray.

On the way to gate:  Stop to get water, juice or milk for baby and something for you.  Stop at a restroom to change diaper and go to the bathroom.   Once you find your gate let the baby run around for a little bit to use up some of that energy!

Boarding:  Board first!  When they announce boarding for people needing extra time, you are that person!  Plane-side check the stroller and get on the plane.  I always try to sit in the bulk-head seat (first row) so Cam can't kick the seat in front of us and we have a little extra leg room.  The bad news is you can not keep carry-ons with you during take off and landing in the front row because there is no storage in front of you (in small regional planes with no first class cabin).  In the front row I put our carry-ons in the overhead bin and keep down a sippy cup, one snack, a small book, and Cam's lovie.  After take-off you can retrieve your bags for additional entertainment.

During the flight:  Make sure you have something for babies to drink on take-off and landing, it will ensure they keep swallowing thus reducing the pressure in their ears.  I use watered down juice.  I usually only give Cam water or milk, so the juice ensures he keeps drinking during take-off and landing.   Snacks, snacks, snacks.  I know it's not the healthiest idea to let my child eat an entire container of (fill in the blank with snack of your choosing), but it keeps him quiet.  Cam ate every snack I had available.  After snacks I broke out the new sticker book I had gotten for the occasion.  Although he was still too young to really "get it" he loved sticking the stickers on the arm rests and on my face (make sure to get re-positionable stickers). Between the snacks and the stickers Cam was fairly well entertained.  It was a short flight and he did really well.  The return flight I did have to break out the IPod with some baby apps I had downloaded (Fisher Price has a couple of cute ones) because he really want to get down and walk around, but we made it through.

A few of our favorite gluten-free snacks for baby

The GIANT sticker book--great entertainment!

What's in my diaper bag?  Pull-up diapers (try changing a diaper in an airplane bathroom and you will understand why), wipes, large sticker book, IPod, pacifer (just in case), sippy cup (remember to leave empty through security), snacks (lots!), baby food pouches (love these!), pad of paper, Tylenol, and a change of clothes (again--just in case).  After security I add a bottle of water and a bottle of juice as well.

In my purse:  Try to take it down to the necessities, wallet, chapstick, anti-bacterial hand sanitizer, Dramamine (I get motion sickness), pen (for Cam to draw with), some gluten free snacks and my phone.  When I fly I always take Larabars and Kind Plus bars because they are gluten free, packed with protein, don't fall apart, and are quick and easy!  You can often get fruit in the airport, and Starbucks is great about having veggie and cheese snack trays.

My favorite gluten-free snack/protein bars

Mostly importantly (and most difficult for me) is to remain calm!  Not to compare my child to a dog, but I really do sense his anxiety rising when mine is, so I try (as much as possible) to stay calm.  As my dad told me the last time I flew, "either people have children and 'get it' or they don't have children and they never will."  

Why Jonesboro, Arkansas is Better than the Bahamas: A Response

I saw an article recently where the author was talking about vacationing in Jonesboro, Arkansas.  The author speaks of the "slow pace" of life for "'country' folk" and the "relatively stress free" lives we all lead.  Now, if you haven't read the original article (Why Jonesboro, Arkansas is Better than the Bahamas) then I advise you do so before you read my response.  But here I take the opportunity to address some of the statements made about the place where I live--Jonesboro, Arkansas.

I am originally from North Carolina and I have lived in small towns and large cities prior to moving to Jonesboro, AR.  I have enjoyed living in Jonesboro because this is where my husband and I bought our first home, it's where I have made some wonderful friends, it's where I have a job that I really enjoy, and it's where my son was born.  Tom Fuentes made some statements I agree with, such as, "[there are] plenty of open space, trees and lakes and friendly people to enjoy."  Yes, you don't have to go far to find some outdoor space to let your pets or children play, but let me assure you while we do have bushels of nice, enjoyable people, we too have our share of assholes--no place is immune.  The more glaring issues to me are his gross generalizations and statements reflecting opinions masquerading as fact.  Fuentes paints a picture of Jonesboro, Arkansas that resembles Little House on the Prairie, which is a flawed view of our city.

First let me address the issue of diversity.  Fuentes states that Jonesboro is "a surprisingly diverse city."  However the statistics don't really reflect this.  Seventy-seven percent of the population is White, 16% Black, 4% Hispanic and 1% Asian.  In a city with a population close to 75,000 individuals, only 1,430 are foreign born.  Four percent of households have unmarried partners, and a tiny .2% of the population is gay.  The major religion is Southern Baptist, representing 47% of the population.  These statistics do not scream diversity to me.

The second thing I would like to address is Fuentes image of "country living."  The picture he paints of Jonesboro is a city where you can "hear silence, crickets, and not one police siren or honking horn."  We all "eat delicious home cooked meals," "rise early and leave work early" and "enjoy napping and leisure activities."  Wow!  That sounds like a place where I want to live. The truth is we work just as hard as any other people, in other place.  In fact, I would make the argument that many of the farmers around Jonesboro, AR work harder than most.  If they get up early and quit early it's because the heat is so intense in Arkansas that you have to work early in the day, sometimes as early as 4am.  I don't know many people who are afforded the luxury of getting to take naps during the day, no matter where they live.  It is quiet sometimes, but we have our share of sirens or horns honking (although at 3am the horns are more likely to be from a passing train than an automobile).  Fuentes states that he has family in DC but he rarely sees them because "[e]veryone's too busy."  Being in a place like Jonesboro doesn't automatically make you closer to your family and doesn't mean you see them more often.  It does mean that people who want to spend time with their families make it a priority, no matter where they live, and maybe this visit will help you re-evaluate yours.

The third issue I take with Fuentes argument is that "[p]eople in Jonesboro look younger and relatively stress free."  While I assume this was meant as a compliment it also implies that our lives are void of the "stresses" that one would find in other cities.  We are people just like other people, who too have stress of jobs, family, money and multiple responsibilities.  Stress is not unique to large cities.  Perhaps some of the stresses are different, but they are none less-severe.  On a city level, unemployment is close to 8%, the obesity rate is approximately 29 percent and we have tornadoes at a frequency 232% higher than the average US city.  So, don't let anyone fool you into believing our life is a stress-free one.

And the final issue I would like to address is the issue of crime.  Fuentes states that "[d]oors are left unlocked without a care in the world. Kids can run around without much parental concern."  There may be some people in Jonesboro, Arkansas who leave their doors unlocked and kids unsupervised-- I am not one of these people.  I left my car unlocked once (in our small, suburban neighborhood) and had things stolen from my car.  Yes, I feel safe here, and that's one reason we chose to live here, but we are not the town of Mayberry from the Andy Griffith Show, this is a real place that does have some crime.  Our city may only have 26 registered sex offenders to your 883, but we are also much smaller in population.  Per 100,000 people the incident of rape crimes is actually higher in Jonesboro, Arkansas than it is in Washington, DC (32.6 Jonesboro, 30.6 DC).  Thefts per 100,000 people were actually fairly similar (2,402 Jonesboro, 2,999 DC).  So, while I do feel safe here, I don't feel stupid--I lock my door and suggest you do the same.

Finally, I would like to say that I appreciate your overall view of our city.  It sounded reminiscent of a quaint southern town you might see in movies.  But therein lies our problem--it also sounded reminiscent of every southern stereotype insinuating living in "small" (albeit a subjective term) town means living a slow life.  We may talk slower (although those who know me know that stereotype doesn't hold true here either), but we move just as quickly.  The world spins just as fast in Jonesboro, Arkansas as it does in Washington, DC.

Tom Fuentes visited Jonesboro on vacation.  Vacation should be stress free. You are going somewhere that is not where you live and work on a daily basis.  How often in your daily life do you reminisce about a past vacation and say, "I wish I could be back in [fill in the blank]?"  That's what makes a vacation wonderful, and I am glad that Fuentes has those memories of this place I now call home---despite his rose colored glasses.  I am a southern girl and like living in Jonesboro, but it's a real place, not a town in after-school tv special.  But, if you are curious--just check it out for youself!

* All statistics cited from citi-data.com. 

Hamburger Cupcakes

Last night was an awesome night. Those of you who know me know my love for Tar Heel basketball.  We had some friends over to watch the Duke/UNC basketball game, including two Duke fans (one alum).  If you caught the game you know the ending, but if you didn't, let me just tell you--it wasn't even a fair fight.  Duke, on their home court, just did not show up.  UNC led within the first few seconds and never gave up the lead.  Maybe not the most exciting game to watch, but an awesome retaliation from last month's loss to Duke.

I made hamburger cupcakes for the game.  A student of mine did their demonstration speech last week on how to make these and I immediately wanted to attempt a gluten-free version.

Final Product

I found the recipe on Pinterest, so you can see the original pin there, but here is what I did to adapt the recipe.  Not having time to make cupcakes from scratch I went with the Betty Crocker Gluten Free Cake Mixes.  You need two mixes, one yellow cake mix and one chocolate.  You need 1 tub of icing (unless you make your own), a bag of coconut, sesame seeds and food coloring. 

Bake the yellow cupcakes and chocolate cupcakes according to the box directions.  While the cupcakes are baking you can mix your icing.  I used half of a container of icing for the yellow (mustard) and half for the red (ketchup).  Mix in bowls and put in separate plastic baggies.  Cut a small tip off one corner of each baggy to create your icing bag.  This will allow you to pipe icing onto your cupcakes like condiments would come out of a squeeze jar.

Take about half a bag of coconut and add green food coloring to create your lettuce--use a utensil to mix so you don't dye your hands green (or wear gloves).  Set aside.

Once cupcakes come out I sprinkled some toasted sesame seeds on the top of the yellow cupcakes to make them look more like buns.  This is obviously an optional step, I happened to have the seeds in my cupboard.  I gently pressed the seeds into the tops of the cupcakes to keep them from falling off.  Let both sets of cupcakes cool.

Once cupcakes are cooled cut the yellow cupcakes in half to create your "buns."  Cut the bottom 1/4"-1/2" off the chocolate cupcakes to create your "burgers."

You will begin each burger by putting down the base of your yellow cupcake (bottom of the bun), then piping on your yellow icing to look like mustard.  Then lay the chocolate cupcake section on top of the icing.  Layer again with your red icing to look like ketchup.  Sprinkle with your green coconut--your lettuce.  Finish with the top of your yellow cupcake and a toothpick (bonus points if you have the deli-style toothpicks with the little plastic "fringe" on top).

You have now completed your hamburger cupcake! 

Not pictured: Betty Crocker Yellow Gluten Free Cake Mix

What I would do differently:  First of all, if you don't have to make them gluten free then don't :)  Making anything gluten free is more expensive and usually more complicated than making a "normal" comparable.  Secondly, if you do want to make them gluten free I would recommend making the yellow cupcakes from scratch.  The mix tastes more "gluten-free" to me than a homemade cupcake.  But, if you are short on time, like I usually am, go with the mix! I think for the chocolate cupcakes the mix works well because you are using such a small part of it.  Thirdly, I would buy some icing already dyed red.  It is very difficult to get a true red using food coloring.  My "ketchup" therefore ended up more hot pink than red.

What to do with the leftover chocolate cupcakes?  You can freeze them and have cupcakes later or use them to create a delicious looking Triple Chocolate Trifle  or some amazing Chocolate Cake Balls.