This is how I revamped it. (click on tree to enlarge)
I matched it to her faux sky wall. Soon, I will add some homemade crystal ornaments. (gotta have sparkly). I also temporarily covered the red base. When it's warmer out, I will repaint it so it looks a little nicer. So, she'll only have this one little tree in her room until I can find the 3ft one. Maybe next year!
Found this interesting tip on one of my newsletters. For all of you BTDT parents...this is probably not new news but for some of us first-timers...I found it informative!!! "Traveling by Air with Kids" Allow extra time for getting through security, especially if you're taking a car seat & stroller. Sometimes the stroller doesn't fit through the scanner and they have to take it off somewhere to manually scan it. Make sure you put bottle, sippy cups, anything with liquid in it in a ziplock back they will leak in flight do to the pressure. I always take DOUBLE the diapers you think you need onboard. We have sat for hours on runways due to Air Traffic Control problems or weather. Being 4 1/2 mos. old, you aren't needing REAL milk, but for others reading this, a lot of airlines no longer carry milk as it winds up getting tossed at the next stop."
Easy clean
Water Resistant
Lifetime Warranty *
Fits as carry on luggage for all airlines
Padded pocket to hold camcorder or breast pump
Deep inside compartment with zippered pocket and 1st Aid compartment
Cell phone/PDA/Sunglass case
Soft-sided cooler integrated into the backpack (holds 6-8 canned beverages)
Modular insulated pocket holds large-size baby bottles
Mesh water bottle holder
Toy loops
Bungee X Cord to hold jackets, toys, blankets
Oversized changing pad 26" x 17"
Touch as nails zipper with easy pull
Heavy duty lug handle
Reflective tape for safety
First time parent? I am? Still trying to figure out everything that should go in a Diaper Bag. Here's what I found:
Here's what's inside the Diaper Bag
put all this stuff in labeled ziplock bags and so that it's easy to put in Diaper Bag once in China. But when getting it ready first put all in Bag to make sure it fits.
One bottle of water for making formula
One bottle of water (two packs of Crystal Light mix)
Five Huggies diapers
Two disposable changing pads
One travel size package of wipes
Diaper Disposable Bags
Diaper Rash Ointment
Two plush toys (hang from little "nooses" on bag)
One package of Gerber Graduates Mini-Fruits
Sunglasses
Key(s)
Pen
Thermometer
Vaseline
Passport(s)
Wallet with money
Digital Camera extra battery extra memory
Zone bar (snack for mom)
Small hairbrush
Baby nail clippers
Thermos with hot water
pacifier with pacifier clip
Vinyl bib
Three single serving sized baby formula
Playtex nurser (bottle) with small bottle of juice inside.
Small sippy cup juice inside
Five disposable adhesive placemats
baby silverware
One small covered container with suction bottom
teething ring
Light green receiving blanket
One pair of pink socks with non-slip soles
Motrin or Tylenol for mom
One pair of pink lightweight pants
One "onesie"
lightweight baby sweater
One terrycloth/velcro shopping cart handle cover.
lightweight sweater for Mommy!
Ziplock with chapstick, hair bands, disinfectant wipes, mirror, bandaides and pill container with Advil, etc. makeup
Since I have a little doggie, my spin will be about dogs and babies. I am sure that this applies to any type of pet.
*Get less sleep and eat less than normal the few days before leaving. On the plane select juice from the drinks offered. And don't think about what time it is back home. Change the time on your watch upon takeoff.
*Water. If you drink lots of cold water, you will breeze you through the jet lag.
*Bring eyeshades and earplugs. They're indispensable!
*Go to bed extra early about 2 nights before a trip. The day of my trip, I'll go to bed around 7 p.m. (using a sleep aid usually)
If you’re jet lagged, you probably feel some (or all) of the following:
Fatigue;
Insomnia;
Disorientation;
Poor coordination;
Swelling limbs;
Ear/nose/eye irritations;
Headaches;
Bowel irregularity; and
Dizziness.
Loss of appetite
Irritability
One of the secrets of seasoned international travelers is to book flights that arrive at night. That way you can go to sleep as soon as you get to your hotel. This helps you get adjusted to local time – you go to bed late at night once you arrive, and then wake up the next morning and fall in step with the local time zone.
*During your flight, get up and walk around every few hours. Not only will this little bit of exercise help alleviate jet lag, it will also ward off blood clots (a very dangerous, although rare, side effect of long distance air travel).
*Stay well hydrated during airline travel. In addition to helping your body fend off jet lag, good hydration will help your body resist the nasty germs that are inherent in the re-circulated air on planes.
*Some international travelers swear by melatonin. Available over-the-counter, melatonin is a hormone your body naturally produces at night. Supposedly, it tricks your body into resetting its sleep/wake cycle. If you take melatonin in the morning it will delay your bedtime; if you take it at night, melatonin encourages your body to sleep. (It’s probably wise to consult your doctor before taking any dietary supplement.) Furthermore, researchers have found that taking supplements of vitamin B-12 and vitamin C can help you fend off jet lag.
*Use the complimentary earplugs and blindfold.
*Invest in an inflatable pillow.
Melatonin, which had been available as a food supplement in health food stores, has been shown to be of help in reducing jet lag. Its effect is opposite that of exposure to light, so it helps to reset our biological clock by inducing “chemical darkness”. It has also been of benefit to many others with sleep disorders.
The recommended dosage, according to one expert, is as follows:
• For eastward flight, take 3 mg per day in the late afternoon prior to departure, and then for four more days at your destination, at the local bedtime.
• For westward flight, only take at local bedtime for four nights after arrival at your destination.
It seemed to work for me, but that is hardly scientific. Government authorities also seemed a bit skeptical about melatonin, not so much because of its use in sleep disorders, but perhaps because it was being promoted for everything else, from removing cellulite to improving one’s sex life. Correct dosages and potential side effects have not been adequately studied. So until that time, it may be prudent to search for other ways of dealing with this problem. Considering that it is no longer legally available in Canada, I shall not dwell on it.
