Mommin' in Maui

I find it funny that people think life stops when you pop out a kid. If anything, i have found so much more joy in traveling now that we get to share it with Harlow. People have said to us "you're so brave" "oh my gosh, you put that tiny baby on a plane?" and so many more things that i find so motivating (really, her first flight was at 2 weeks old but that's a different story). In reality, TRAVEL WHILE THEY ARE TINY. Get the baby used to going places so it doesn't turn into a nightmare when you go to do it for the first time when they are 2+ years old or whenever.

Harlow was born January 24th. We stayed in the hospital for two nights and then we were released. Two nights after being home, Jeremy asked me how i was doing. I told him i needed to get the hell out of the house or i was going to lose my mind. He replied with a simple "Thank God, I thought it was just me". We packed up our 4 day old and went on a trip to Target. At the time this seemed like such an adventure after being trapped in the house for "recovery". While it was great in that moment, we both needed a further trip.

Maui seemed like a great place to relax and take Harlow (cause she was totally going to

remember a trip at 4.5 weeks old). We got engaged in Maui a couple years back and Jeremy kept telling people, "we wanted to share the Hawaii experience with her". EL OH EL. Again, she's totally going to remember this. We flew United from Denver to Maui. Everyone was so accommodating from TSA to checking into our hotel and everything in between. It seems like more than not, people love little babies. If you can swing it ($) and plan on traveling, invest in the Doona Stroller. Because the stroller is aircraft approved by the U.S. and European authorities for air travel, we brought it on the plane and gave Harlow her own seat. This made it so relaxing for both Jeremy and I because she was able to sleep in her seat the entire flight. She woke up when she needed changed and when she was hungry. We of course had to let out a massive baby crap right before take off. After we hit cruising altitude and the seatbelt sign kicked off, that was our queue to jump up and try out the plane changing table. LET ME JUST TELL YOU, that was super convenient. I thought it was totally going to suck but it shockingly folded down at the perfect height and made for a smooth diaper change.

I would like to think i am a chill mom. I don't want to look back after having 50 kids (or maybe just 3) and think "i wish i wouldn't have been so uptight with my first one". I'd rather just get it out of the way now and thrive on not taking every little thing too seriously. With that said, the flight attendants were so excited by this character trait, as i let them take turns holding little baby Harlow in the galley way. This made it super easy for me to take a turn in the restroom, as Jeremy was back in his seat. PEOPLE WANT TO HELP. Let them. It will make it so much easier on you.

The Doona Stroller is also fantastic for the simple fact that it is approved by the Department of Transportation. You do not need to travel with the base which makes taking an Uber or Lyft super simple. That is exactly what we did upon arrival into Maui - jumped in an Uber and headed to our Oasis for the week.

Once we arrived at the hotel, it was time to set up shop. We stayed at the Waldorf Astoria in

Wailea, which was absolutely gorgeous! The lobby was filled with beautiful art and funky buddha statues. Our room was located on the second floor facing the pool deck, looking out at the ocean. Such a relaxing feeling after just having a baby a month ago. People always go on a babymoon before the baby arrives, but i STRONGLY suggest going on a trip with the kid after its all said and done. It is the perfect bonding experience as a family and makes your first family trip feel even more special. We unpacked our suitcases and made a little area for changing Harlow. I laid down a towel for her changing mat and set her diapers and wipes in the same area so it felt a bit like home (minus the actually changing table).

When i found out i was pregnant, i knew i didn't need a bunch of crap on my registry that i would never use. I kept it short and sweet with only the things we would need. One of those things was a Lulyboo Travel Bassinet. SIDENOTE: I used this bassinet as my bedside bassinet when Harlow came home from the hospital for the simple reason that i didn't want a huge bulky one that butted up to the bed only to use it for a month or two. (she ended up in her crib after a month) The Lulyboo folds into a backpack making it super easy to pack and lug around. Not only did she sleep in this at the hotel, but we were able to take it out on the balcony with us and set it on the table while we had our morning coffee. AND - because it has a detachable canopy, it was great for the beach and pool areas as well.

Don't be scared to be a woman. We spent most of our time relaxing in the pool or chilling

poolside underneath an umbrella. Fun fact: Harlow wouldn't latch until she was 7 weeks old, so i had to pump and bottle feed everywhere we went. This required me to pump throughout the day. The last thing i wanted to do was go back to the room and pump because i would offend someone around me -- so i didn't. PUMP IN PUBLIC. And honestly, i got so many "you go girl!" and "i wish i would have been brave enough to do that". At the end of the day, you are not alone in this. So many women go through the same insecurities after having a baby. None of which are convenient, so just do it. Let your freak flag fly!

Take it easy while being on a trip and enjoy the scenery. When we would travel B.H. (before Harlow) we would do a bunch of excursions, hikes and drive to different areas to site see - all of which we can still do, but it was nice to just sit, and enjoy being present with this new little creature that we made. The hotel had decent food but the food at the market around the corner was wayyy cheaper and better in general. We spent most mornings eating breakfast at the hotel and afternoons walking to the market for lunch. Fresh ahi tuna and kimchi cucumbers were so fuego! Pretty sure i ate that everyday we were there. And i burned myself out of the lox pizza for the breakfast but i ain't mad at that either. For dinner we spent most nights eating at the hotel lounge. They had live music playing every night in the background of my Chardonnay sipping and sashimi smashing. I'm shocked i didn't grow fins with all the fresh fish i ate while being there.

I read once not to eat certain fish because it can cause blah blah blah in your breast milk. Just eat the fish. Eat whatever you want. You can die doing something stupid easier than your baby can get whatever disease they try to warn you of so enjoy the vacation and live it up as much as you'd like while caring for the sweetest little nugget alive. (obvi i'm not a doctor so do what you are comfortable with) YOU ARE DOING A GOOD JOB! I also read not to put babies in pools until they are around 3 months old - which is why it was so hard to find Harlow a swimsuit that was newborn size (thanks Amazon). She loved being in the pool. Har was so content playing in the water as her dad and i held her, splashing around.

Always take the kid, but leave time for one another. Enjoy taking a trip or simply putting the nugget in the stroller and getting some fresh air. It is so beneficial for you as a parent, and your baby will feel the happiness surrounding you.

Bottom line -- book the flights/hotel, get the stroller, buy the travel bassinet and don't forget the pack enough diapers. You got this friends! Now go make some mems.

DON’T FORGET

"Live through love, learn through patience, and accept kindness with gratitude"

:Liv