Mommy's travel companions.

All of our luggage and the stroller at the Singapore Airport.

There are a few things a mom needs in order to travel overseas with a one-year-old... patience, treats, and a glass of wine. While I made sure I "packed" those three things during our trip to Singapore and back to Minnesota, I also had help from a couple products that made a night and day difference in our three-month adventure to Asia.

Linna in her Britax, and a piece of our
Eagle Creek luggage at the Singapore
Airport in August 2012.

I went back and forth on what kind of stroller I should bring with us to Singapore. We were going to be there for three months, so I wanted something comfortable for Linna and I, as well as something that traveled well. I decided NOT to purchase an additional smaller and lighter (cheaper) umbrella stroller, and I am SO happy I made the decision to bring our everyday Britax Eclipse B-Ready Stroller. If I would have brought a "cheapy" little stroller to simply "get us by" in Singapore for three months, I wouldn't have been able to do any grocery shopping, as I had no car and had to walk to and from the grocery store with Linna. Our Britax stroller was literally our means of transportation in Singapore, so I'm happy I went with something reliable, strong, and easy to maneuver. Store aisles in Singapore tend to be a bit small, so yes, there were times I wished I had a smaller umbrella stroller, but I quickly changed my mind after watching all the moms hunched over, pushing their umbrella strollers around the city. Our Britax was easy to get through security at the airport, and made it back to Minnesota in "like new" condition. We used this stroller every day, so I wonder how many miles we put on it during our three months in Singapore.

AJ and his Eagle Creek Carry-On, boarding the plane to Thailand. We each
took one carry-on for our weekend trip to Phuket, so we didn't have to check
any luggage. Perfect amount of space!

I'm also so happy we decided to invest in some quality luggage. To pack all of our clothes, toiletries, etc., we got three four-wheeled upright suitcases, and three four-wheeled carry-on suitcases from Eagle Creek Luggage. Both my husband and I have gone through so many cheap suitcases and bags, and have probably spent thousands of dollars on luggage that just ends up breaking. We always end up having to throw it away. Since we're "older" now, we decided to get some good pieces of luggage, especially since we're traveling internationally. We got a different color set for each one of us (black, orange, and green). We checked all of our bags except Linna's diaper bag, her travel bag, and one carry on. I did some research online, and after reading a review by Good Housekeeping Magazine, we decided to go with Eagle Creek Luggage because of their great review. This luggage set literally had NO damage after a 19-hour flight from Minnesota to Singapore (with one transfer in Tokyo), a 1.5 hour flight from Singapore to Thailand, a cruise of the high sea in Asia, and back! It was incredibly easy to maneuver our luggage through airports, even while pushing Linna in her stroller. The carry-on size bags basically move themselves. When my parents visited us in Singapore, they brought their inexpensive luggage from Kohls. As we were walking to our condo, the wheel of my mom's luggage fell off and she basically had to drag it behind her in the 90-degree Singapore heat. If I had to do that with a baby in tow, I would send that luggage flying into the street. Eagle Creek offers free shipping on orders over $99, and that's what we took advantage of. It was so convenient having our luggage arrive on our doorstep a couple weeks before our trip. They also offer a "No Matter What" and Lifetime Warranty, so they'll replace or fix our luggage should it become damaged. Very thankful that we finally have a reliable set of luggage that will last a lifetime for our little family of three!

AJ with Linna, the Britax, and our Eagle Creek
Upright Suitcase on a Star Cruise in Singapore.
One bag for three people worked very well!

Back in minnesota.

After a 19-hour flight and two airplane diaper explosions, the Saighs are back in Minnesota! We knew it was going to be cold when we arrived, but MAN it's freezing! It's a lot different than the 90-degree and sunny weather in Singapore that we're used to.

My parents and sister picked Linna, AJ, and I up at the airport around noon (complete with a "welcome home" sign), and there was obviously lots of hugs and happy tears! My sister hasn't seen Linna in three months, so it was great to have them reunite. My parents took Linna to their house so she could sleep and play today, while AJ and I went back to our house to unpack and clean. We are both exhausted. Linna has a cold/cough, so she just hasn't been herself and slept a lot on the plane. I'm so happy to have her sleeping in an actual bed after 19 hours on a plane.

I also can't believe how much I missed our house! We didn't have cable in Singapore, we had to sleep in full-size beds (we are used to our king-size bed), and our kitchen in Singapore was the size of a toe, so being back in our home feels so nice. We had so much mail to go through, cleaning and organizing to finish, so it's wonderful being able to spend a baby-free evening, getting it all done. Plus, I know how much Linna loves being at her Grandma and Grandpa's house:) Tomorrow I have to go grocery shopping, get a new phone (I lost my phone in Tokyo), and finish getting the house in order. It's so weird running errands in boots and coat, and actually being able to drive myself to places we need to go. I am excited to dress Linna in all her cute winter clothes. It's a far cry from being in just a diaper or swimsuit in sunny Singapore:)

Three months FLEW by, and we miss all of our friends at our condo back in Singapore. We are so incredibly blessed to have had the opportunity to live in Asia, and know we'll be lifelong friends with some of the people we met there.

I'm hoping jet-lag doesn't hit our family too hard, as I know how difficult it was when we first landed in Singapore. I made the mistake of falling asleep around 6 this evening, so now I'm WIDE awake. Linna slept a lot on the plane, and was napping again when I stopped over at my parents for an early dinner, so I sure hopes she sleeps tonight. Very thankful to be home!

Little green pouch.

UPDATE TO OUR UPDATE 12/5/12 (Response from Maggie at Little Green Pouch): "We found that with a small percentage of the orders that we were shipping customers were having the zippers fail (they are dishwasher safe, that is not the problem). We have new product that just arrived that remedies this problem." If you're having this issue with your pouches, please contact Maggie at Little Green Pouch (maggie@littlegreenpouch.com). Thanks for the prompt response Maggie!

UPDATE 12/5/12 (Potential Issue): Today when I was filling up one of my Little Green Pouches, I noticed the top seal is starting to peel off, making it impossible to "lock" the pouch. I have reached out to the company to find out if this issue is due to the heat of my dishwasher, or just a "faulty seal", and I will keep this blog posted with any updates! Just thought I'd pass this "issue" along.

ORIGINAL BLOG POST: A few weeks ago, I was sitting around with some of my "mom" friends talking about the disposable baby food squeeze-pouches we all buy at the store. As we were chatting, I thought about how smart it would be if someone came up with a REUSABLE baby food pouch that we could put our own homemade purees in. After a little research, I found out this idea is already on the market, and I of course placed an order.

The Little Green Pouch was created by a couple moms (Maggie and Melissa), who were sick of throwing away and spending money on the single-use food packs. I especially love this product because of the traveling we've been doing with our 15-month-old. When we travel, all the "healthy food rules" go out the window, and Linna basically gets to eat whatever makes her happy (nothing like a unhappy toddler on a 19-hour flight). No matter what kind of a mood Linna is in, she always wants a squeezy food-pack, so I can count on her getting her daily fruits and veggies in these little packs. While the disposable food packs cost a buck or two at home in Minnesota, they are around $4 to $5 in Singapore (crazy right?!)! Linna eats at least one pack a day, so we had my parents bring an entire suitcase of disposable food packs with them when they came to visit. However, we quickly ran out, and I wasn't about to spend $4-$5 per pack in Singapore.

I ordered a 4-pack of the Little Green Pouch for under $15. I'm able to make my own purees (packed with veggies), and Linna sucks them down like she would a disposable pack. I'm very excited to take these on our flight back home to Minnesota, so I know Linna is getting at least some fruits and veggies, along with the massive amounts of "crap food" she'll likely be eating on the plane! I'm happy I ordered these reusable food pouches when I did, because currently (as of the date this blog was posted) the Little Green Pouches are SOLD OUT! The company just launched on October 11th, and there's already a waiting list. If I were you, I would get on that list, simply because of all the money you'll end up saving by making your own purees. My 15-month-old couldn't tell the difference between the disposable pouches and the reusable, dishwasher-able, freezable Little Green Pouches. We are big fans of this product in the Saigh household!

We swam with sharks... in singapore.

The shirts we got after our dive. We wore them PROUDLY around Sentosa:)

Never in a million years did I think that I would be able to honestly say the phrase "I swam with sharks", but now, I can. I'm even able to say "My husband and I swam with sharks... in Singapore"! Unreal.

AJ and I touching an actual shark. He or she was very friendly!

That is a REALcrab that AJ met before our dive. HUGE!

At Underwater World Singapore, they offer a program where people like you and I can actually dive and swim with sea life. Underwater World in Singapore is almost exactly like Sea Life Minnesota at the Mall of America, and AJ and I actually got to scuba dive in the big aquarium that visitors walk underneath, in the long clear tunnel. So while we were swimming with the sharks, our friends and other Underwater World visitors got to watch our entire experience!

Geoff, Steph, Max, and Lottie Legg (our friends from the UK that we met
in Singapore) came to watch us and take photos/video of our dive. I'm not sure
if Max knows what to think of us in that aquarium!

Getting suited up. Wet-suits are not very flattering;)

With our instructor, right before we went into the aquarium.

Neither AJ or I have ever been scuba diving, and that's perfectly alright! At Underwater World Singapore,  they have certified/experienced divers to teach you all that you need to know, in order to enjoy your experience swimming with the sea life. Our session was about 90 minutes (30 minutes of actually under-water time, in the aquarium), so we had plenty of time to get trained on how to use our scuba equipment. We were actually in the water for half the training session too, so it was never "boring".

Once we were suited up in our wetsuits, oxygen tanks, masks, etc., our instructor led us into the aquarium for our training, where the sharks swam just inches from us (it makes my stomach nervous just thinking back on this experience). We learned how to breathe properly with our masks, learned hand signals, and all the "dos" and "do NOTS" once we were near all the sea life. Then, our instructor told us we were going in! Eeeeeee!

Looks like this Eagle Ray was getting a little too close for my liking.

Unreal.

Steph taking photos in the aquarium tunnel.

I don't know if AJ or I have ever been this type of anxious/excited/nervous in our lives (well, maybe on our wedding day, or the day Linna was born). This was an actual potentially-dangerous situation we were putting ourselves into (we knew we were safe the entire time - but there's always that doubt in the back of your mind). One by one, we climbed down the ladder, and into the aquarium. It's incredibly unnerving when you reach the aquarium floor, and turn to see a huge shark or fish swim right by your face!

I definitely felt a pressure change when I hit the aquarium floor, but our instructor taught us how to relieve the pressure even before we were down there. For the first 5-10 minutes of our dive, I moved about very slowly, keeping my arms close to my body. I really just observed all of the beautiful fish, eagle-rays, and sharks living in the aquarium. We were guests in their home, and I didn't want to find out what the outcome would be if I disturbed their current lifestyle;)

About half-way through our dive, I became more and more comfortable. Our instructor allowed us to touch two different sharks, which literally makes my stomach turn with nervousness just thinking back on that experience. I was so incredibly apprehensive to even touch one of the animals, but I am so happy I did it (I made AJ go first)! The sharks we touched were actually much more rough than I expected. I always imagined them to be smooth. One thing is certain, these animals were incredibly welcoming to us as we explored their home, and I am very thankful for that!

Toward the end of our dive (which seemed MUCH longer than 30 minutes), I didn't want to get out of the aquarium! I found myself becoming more and more adventurous, and actually swimming with the fishies, instead of floating there with my hand clenched to my body. I could have explored that aquarium and watched the beautiful marine life for days... or until my oxygen ran out;)

Right after our dive. We couldn't stop talking about how cool it was!

This was one of the BEST experiences I've had with my husband in Singapore (if not THE best)! We were so lucky to have AJ's sister and brother-in-law in Singapore to visit, so we could enjoy some "couple time". Throughout the entire experience, AJ and I were smiling from ear-to-ear (even behind our oxygen masks), and we're still talking about it a couple weeks later. This is an experience I would HIGHLY recommend, and it is absolutely worth the cost to do it (no doubt about it). I am so thankful that we have these video and photos to look back on and show our daughter. How lucky are we that we're able to say "I swam with sharks... in Singapore"?! Incredible.

Singapore science centre.

After hearing many of our neighbors rave about it, we decided to check out the Singapore Science Centre a couple weeks ago with Linna. I wanted to see how the Singapore Science Centre measures up to the Science Museum of Minnesota. Overall, both are very similar when it comes to space, activities, and of course the Omnitheaters.

That's one big mouth.

Chicks hatching.

My favorite part of our day was sitting in the Omnitheater with AJ and Linna, watching To the Arctic (a documentary about polar bears surviving in the Arctic). You'd think a 14-month-old wouldn't be able to sit through something like this, but she was very interested. If you've ever been to an Omnitheater, you know that the film is played "IMAX style", so the action is happening all around you. The images this film crew captured are unbelievably beautiful. They documented the life of a mother polar bear, trying to protect her young cubs in the wild. The film is only about 40 minutes long, and it's definitely worth checking out... even if you have a wee one tagging along.

AJ loves gadgets and anything interactive with a "science" behind it. Needless to say, he is a big fan of the Singapore Science Centre! I think Linna was a little too young to understand and enjoy the exhibits and attractions, but she did enjoy taking in all the scenery. From the iSpace exhibit, to the Waterworks outdoor area for kids of all ages, I think Linna just enjoyed checking things out with her Papa, while Mama took photos.

Before.

After.

AJ and I took turns (without Linna) going into a simulator that let us experience gale-force winds, and we found the Climate Change Exhibit to be pretty informative and hands-on. In another area, Linna got to watch baby chicks hatch from their eggs in an incubator, which actually reminded me of the Minnesota State Fair. They even have a Snow City at the Singapore Science Centre, which basically puts you in the heart of winter. It's hard to imagine snow and cold, when Singapore is constantly 85-degrees and sunny! We ran out of time so we didn't get to see Snow City for ourselves, but we're from Minnesota... 'nouf said:)

Touching a block of ice. What kind of parents would we be if we let her forget
what Minnesota is really like?!

In the Arctic with Linna.

If you're going to check out the Singapore Science Centre, I would advise you to take at LEAST half a day to explore. Make sure you bring a swimsuit for your little ones too, so they can take advantage of the outdoor Waterworks area!

Music classes at kindermusik in singapore.

Linna is sharing her drum with her friend Felix.

Each Friday, Linna and I attend music classes at Kindermusik at the Rochester Mall in Singapore. Linna loves dancing to any type of music, anytime, anywhere. She literally stares at her teacher Shauna at Kindermusik whenever Shauna is singing or dancing. Shauna sings almost everything she says, so Linna is completely drawn to her. The class is full of little one-year-olds toddling around, and it's a great place for Linna to socialize with kids her own age and size, while dancing to different kinds of music.

(Amazing drum skills my 14-month-old has, eh?!)

I think Linna's favorite part of class is when Shauna bring the drums out. All of the children tap their drumsticks on each other's drums, while they learn how to keep a beat. Linna also loves the "name song", as each child gets to hear their own name in this song. It's so cute to see their little faces light up when the group is singing their name.

Linna literally stares and is GLUED to Miss Shauna.

This class teaches the children how to share, put toys away, and how to take turns, all while they're learning different music rhythms and body movement. We have Kindermusik back at home in Minnesota, and although I've never been to one o those classes, I'm looking forward to seeing what the classes at home are like. Music is such an important part of early childhood development, and Kindermusik offers classes for newborns, up to age seven. They have class times almost every day of the week, and in a couple other locations in Singapore. I find myself constantly singing the songs we sing at Kindermusik to Linna at home. This is a class we both look forward to going to every week!

Teacher Shauna showing the children musical instruments.

Melissa & doug terrific twenty list & giveaway.

We have been fans of Melissa & Doug childrens products ever since Linna received her first Trunki, so we thought we'd share a fun giveaway with you all! Beginning today, you can enter to win one of Melissa & Doug's Terrific Twenty Holiday Gifts for 2012. There's details on the Melissa & Doug Facebook page, but they'll be giving away at least one gift a day for the next 20 days! Don't tell her, but we got Linna the Big Rig Building Set for Christmas this year:)

We want to pass our love of Melissa & Doug around, so Minnesota Baby is also giving away one of Melissa & Doug's Terrific Twenty gifts to one of our blog followers! Simply follow the Minnesota Baby blog and comment on this post (you must do both of these things to be eligible to win), telling us what's on your child/children's "Holiday Wish List" this year. It's that easy! One person will be randomly selected on Friday, Nov. 9th, and they will receive a Melissa & Doug Trunki, which makes a great gift for the kiddo in your life this Holiday Season! Good luck:)

So, what's on your child/children's "Holiday Wish List" this year???