5 TIPS FOR TRAVELING WITH A MINI STYLE TODDLER

Since having a family, my dream has always been to do a lot of family trips. I remember going on numerous trips with my parents and their friends but I haven't been able to do anything like that with my own family.  My husband still hasn't seen most of California since we moved back from Tokyo, so you can imagine my excitement when he told me that his company from Japan wanted to do a photo shoot in San Francisco with Zooey! I immediately planned this into a family trip tho it was really a work trip.  As much as I wanted to blog our experience right when we got back, being a working freelance mom, it took me about a week to unpack and the blog was put on the back burner again! OOPS! Before I go into how we Road Tripped with our mini fashionista 3 year old, I want to jot down some memorable moments to re-live our experience!  One of the best memories of our trip was the comfortable drive in this KIA SORENTO that we had the opportunity to use courtesy of Drive Shop.  I refuse to drive a Mini Van, and was excited to test out this SUV and it by far exceeded my expectations! To see more of their cars see #drivekia

My husband has never driven further than to Long Beach but he got used to this car right away! He is over 6 ft tall so he was really happy with how roomy the seats were! One of my favorite features was the blind spot indicators, where the car would beep when your blinker is on to change lanes. The rear end camera also helped with parking (especially for someone tiny like me!) The traffic in San Francisco was also pretty crazy so the blind spot indicators were super helpful!! There were also other fun features in the car but I can't even say enough about these, and the seat warmers..aaaah. Now let me get into some tips on how I prepared for this Family Trip with our toddler, but be warned, this was not your typical family trip...

TIP #1

ORGANIZED PACKING

Has anyone who traveled with a toddler been able to pack light? I actually tend to pack everything I think I might need, picking up extra basics on the way out of the house. lol If you can't pack light, at least pack in an organized manner. One of the focuses of our trip was to take photo content for Zooey's blog & Instagram, so we actually had to pack a lot..In addition to my suitcase, I packed shoes in one clear box, sweaters + jackets in a tote bag that could stay in the car and not have to be taken into the hotel, and a box or tote of clothes that I could easily bring in and out of the hotel to style the next day's looks.  You don't want to be dragging a suitcase in and out of your hotel every night, so prepare accordingly the items you can leave in your trunk and things that you MUST bring into your hotel room at the end of everyday. Most of the clothes in this trunk are to shoot for zooeyinthecity.com. Clothes we already shot, stayed in a different clear box in the trunk. Me, organized? I did it! Photos will be up soooon I promise! (Note: This tips is for Road Trips and not for flying by air. Those baggage allowances..)

TIP #2

HEALTHY SNACKS

On the way to the freeway we stopped by the Japanese Supermarket and got Zooey some snacks. I also prepared some popcorn in our Angels souvenir bucket but Zooey actually ended up sleeping the entire drive because the car ride was SO smooth! If you didn't use your snacks for the drive, they are good for keeping your kids motivated during photoshoots.  

Cardigan: Gap Kids // Sweater: Tiny Whales // Jeans: Gap Kids // Sneakers: Converse  // Beanie: Tiny Whales

TIP#3

PREPARE FOR UNKNOWN WEATHER

Always bring a basic sweater that can be layered with a Jacket or Coat when traveling with a toddler! You can never depend on the weather forecast so layering will most often be your last resort!! When we arrived in San Francisco it was REALLY chilly! I mistakenly looked at the weather forecast which lied to us so I just ended up layering everything we brought in the car. Luckily all her basics went well with each other. 

TIP #4
STROLLER + STROLLER COVER

Don't leave home without your stroller!!  You never know when your toddler is going to get sleepy or tired from walking so the stroller is the only thing that will help you enjoy exploring the city without having to make a pit stop back at the hotel for nap time. Even if your toddler has outgrown his/her stroller, you will really need one for any road trip or vacation! Note: I'm talking about for Toddlers, and not kids who are like 10 years old who don't need naps. *wink*

I also highly recommend this Fashionable stroller cover by LITTLE DREAM BIRD too! It will prevent sunlight from hitting their eyes, protects from the wind and allow them to sleep comfortably with no distractions. Zooey could nap a good 2 hours with this cover over stroller! The quality is nice and thick, yet breathable, and who can resist the sparkly heart on the side? 

TIP #5
HAVE FUN & TAKE TOURISTY PHOTOS WITH YOUR FAMILY!

I tend to always be the one behind the camera, or sometimes my husband takes photos of me and Zooey so we RARELY have family photos together. I sometimes regret not being one of those wives that absolutely MUST have professional photos taken for special occasions, such as maternity, wedding, etc. I'll be into it one day. Luckily someone awesome took this photo for us.

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JUST KEEP ON TRUCKIN' - MOTHERHOOD'S BEEN REAL

I can't believe that it's already September. Summer flew by SO fast. I can't even remember what I did yesterday because of this mom brain (yes it's real!) but I do remember going to Disneyland a lot with Zooey.  

 Investing in a premium annual pass is the best decision that I have ever made!!! When we don't have any plans, I just take Z to Disneyland.. Isn't she a lucky girl.

Now, back to reality. Motherhood. Motherhood is HARD. Fun, but HARD.

Do you ever watch your child sleep and wonder to yourself, wow, I made that little person and he/she is growing into a little mini me. But, am I doing enough? Shoot, I didn't have time to read to her last night, am I a terrible mother? She didn't eat any veggies for dinner and only ate the rice and meat..is she getting all the required vitamins and nutrients!? 

I constantly feel guilty about things that I can't control. I applaud the moms who are on a routine and schedule.   It's impossible for me to get Zooey to bed at a reasonable hour (is it 8pm these days?) but she does sleep until 8:30-9:00AM and takes 2-3 hour Naps in the middle of the day when she's not at school. Note: I've chosen not to have a 9-5 job because I find happiness in doing freelance PR / Social Media for clients that I love, which means my working hours are kind of all over the place and I'm kind of on the computer and my phone a lot..But this problem is under control and when Zooey calls for me, I go to her as quickly as I can. But..at the end of the night before I go to bed...I still contemplate about the day..

Am I doing Motherhood wrong? 

What did I not do today that I should have done?
I'll try better tomorrow I say...

 What I've learned about Zooey is this...

Her vocabulary is growing. She can speak Japanese, Vietnamese and English. She will automatically speak to you in the language that she knows you speak. If she accidentally says something in Japanese and you give her that 'huh?' She will say it in English. 

She can use chopsticks while eating rice.

She loves to draw and is drawing shapes and is still trying to perfect her Minnie Mouse.

She's well behaved (unless we sit somewhere for way too long)

She LOVES to sing. She can listen to a song once and can sing along to it when she hears it again. 

She likes to sing pop songs which might have some inappropriate lyrics. 

She sometimes closes her eyes when she sings and is really into it. 

She has passed me in Instagram followers.

She understands when she has a photo shoot and totally performs.

She just learned how to ride a scooter. She has already mastered her bicycle with training wheels.

She's very thoughtful and will help you when she can. 

 This face!! When I look at her and when she tells me she loves me my heart just melts!

So, I am not raising her exactly by the book, but she seems to be doing just fine. I sometimes have to take a step back and tell myself to stop being so hard on myself. If you're thinking how I'm thinking, then you're doing just fine too!! You're trying the best that you can to keep your child above water and that's all that matters! Stop comparing yourself to other moms. You're amazing. Now go tell your child you love them and give them a kiss.

 On another note, I started a hashtag series with my friend Julia of AVGVSTA for Zooey and her daughter LALA..If you haven't already seen it click here ---> #zooeyandlala

Anyhow, I just wanted to touch base because I haven't posted since Playground. I've become a horrible blogger too (but Zooey hasn't! Check her blog here: Zooey In The City)

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WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE PLAYGROUND SHOW AT MAGIC MARKET WEEK

August 17-19th, 2015 marked the 2nd season of The Playground Show at MAGIC MARKET WEEK.  Zooey and I were invited as the Official Bloggers for the show and I have to say it was a very busy and successful experience! Everytime I walked the floor there were always people in booths and I often found myself having to wait a bit before I could take a photo of the booth or even get a minute with the designers or showroom reps!! (If you do see an empty booth, it's because everyone was camera shy!) I also loved the layout of the floor this season and the white carpet floors made the hall feel very clean and bright. The Playground Show is fit for all types of buyers and I'll be listing some brands in categories below, but before I do, I wanted to thank MODIFY 101 for providing the show with amazing denim tote bags!

(please note: I was not able to feature all brands)

CHILDREN'S INNER WEAR + HOISERY 

TRIMFIT

All kids need innerwear! From basic undershirts and legging to undies and socks, TRIMFIT had a nice big booth displaying their items. They mentioned they were starting to make shoes as well.  

 Do I spy little Zooey? 

My favorite pieces.

CANDY PINK GIRLS

Fun and soft pajamas and home wear for boys & girls!

PERFECT FOR TEA PARTIES + PLAYDATES CHILDREN'S WEAR 

MAYORAL

A Spanish Brand that has been around for over 70 years with over 100 designers contributing their brand.  Their objective is to create affordable products without compromising quality. They make clothes for babies and kids up to age 18! 

 Perfect for Baby + Mommy

ANAIS & I, NEW YORK
Hailing from New York, Anais & I is a brand that offers both fashionable and functional clothes. Their simplistic yet very cute designs make their clothes wearable through out the day for all types of occasions.  How convenient is this for a mom who has kids that need to go to piano lessons after school then a dinner party at grandmas? (assuming they didn't dirty their clothes at school!) 

Very cute accessories and cute undies.

KARDASHIAN KIDS

Kid's clothes are hard to design yet the Kardashians did it. Recently, they also launched a collection for boys.  While the girl's clothes are quite girly, the boys clothes have an assortment of everyday basics as well as fancy clothes for a fancy occasion. I wasn't disappointed when I passed by this booth and even let Zooey play a little dress up in the new faux fur coat!  

So very chic isn't she. Tho it doesn't get hot enough in Southern California, I really want this coat for Zooey when it comes out this holiday season!

ELIZABETH CATE

A high-end, made in USA brand made for girls to wear to social occasions.  This brand is perfect for girls who love to be girly, and sweet with a sophisticated touch. Their goal is to make your child feel more beautiful when she wears it.      

As you can see, Zooey loved it and said 'I'm so beautiful' while trying on this dress!

PAISLEY MAGIC

A playful children's brand that is environmentally friendly and hand-made with the craftsmanship from India.

EVERBLOOM

A very cute collection with hand-made accessories and clothing.

MINI MOLLY

A romantic young girl's brand created under the brand Molly Bracken

LOVE MADE LOVE

A very colorful and girly brand inspired from Love and Flowers

CHILDREN'S WEAR FOR BOYS

MODIFY 101

Denim and clothing for boys. 

TROY JAMES

A clothing line for boys aiming to make boys more 'hip'.  As mom's with boys always say, boys clothes are SO BORING, and Troy James aims to change that.  Another cool aspect about this brand is their reusable packaging which is stackable and environmentally friendly!

HOONANA

A 'Made in LA' boys brand striving to make comfortable yet fun clothes for boys. 

CHILDREN'S FOOTWEAR 

YOSI SAMRA KIDS
Foldable Ballerina flats for girls

OCRA
An environmentally friendly kids shoe brand made in Italy.

FUN AND COLORFUL KIDS BRANDS

CHOOZE SHOES

Originally a footwear and accessories brand but recently launched a children's active wear line!

so perfect for school!

 AMERICAN JEWELRY

Playful accessories made by Stay home moms.

These gummy bags smell like candy and are 100% washable!

emoji bracelets + hair ties.

BABY BAAZAAR
(represented by Wendy's Closet Showroom in the US)

Offers hard to find, Eco-friendly children's products varying from toys, to home decor! These sustainable wooden toys are made with Veggie Dyes! How safe do you feel when your kids are putting these toys in their mouths!?

WINKNIKS
Fashionable Sunglasses with for kids ages 5-12 that have 100% UV protection, polarized lenses and are impact-resistant!

PONY GO ROUND
A Japanese kids clothing brand that is simple but fun!

FRANKIE & SUE

Bohemian Girls clothes that are easy to wear - meaning no zippers or buttons!

TINY WHALES

Fun graphic T's, shorts, leggings, trucker hats for boys and girls.

BABY TEITH

Playful organic cotton clothes with a futuristic design for kids up to 6 years old!

ROCKIN' BABY

A brand that supports mother's in need. If you buy something, they will donate to a mother and child in need. What a wonderful concept!

BRANDS MADE FOR SHOPS TARGETING URBAN MOMS & MINI-FASHIONISTA 

These brands believe in eco-friendly, organic cotton.  I recommend clicking the BRAND NAME to learn more about them. 

 BLEU COCO

HUXBABY
(represented by Wendy's Closet Showroom in the US)

BODEGA INTERNATIONAL
A distributor for brands made in Europe. They represent brands that use sustainable or natural processes and materials while making their products.

POPUPSHOP

MOI KIDZ

 BABY BEAST

 AND

LAST BUT NOT LEAST THE BEST BOOTH AWARD GOES TO...

LENNON + WOLFE

We loved the design of this booth so much Zooey even took a little nap inside the TEEPEE while wearing L+W! 

(just kidding about the napping!)

Finally, I'd like to apologize to brands that were not featured on this post.  Please know that this isn't because your brand was not worthy! It looked like all the brands did very well! If you are a buyer and were not able to attend this season, I highly recommend attending next season! Thank you Playground Show for inviting us! We had a blast!

more info:

@playgroundshow

#playgroundshow

#magicmarketweek

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