If I can get internet up and running in our new home (I struggle with the choice of insufferable bureaucracy or extortion pricing, neither of them prompt) then I have a lot to share with you including: a review of the new book Traveling with Kids by Leslie Forsberg and Michelle Duffy, a preview of my New England Summer, a guide to visiting San Francisco from a resident turned visitor, and more.

Off to the hardware store for a wire brush and then to meet with an electrician.

Sunscreen 101

There are two types of harmful rays – UVA and UVB.  The easy way to remember how they affect us, is A is for Aging and B is for Burn.  Burns show up right away so if we don’t burn many assume their sunscreen is working.  But, the UVA penetrates deeper in the skin and is believed to cause skin cancers as well as premature aging.

Until recently sunscreens focused on blocking UVB rays, but with increasing linkages between UVA and skin cancer, sunscreens are adding UVA protection.  These are called “broad spectrum sunscreens.”  The most effective sunscreens combine ingredients to absorb and reflect the UV rays.  The American Academy of Dermatology has a great summary, including the ingredients to look for on their website.

I am sure you know this already but here are the basic sunscreen rules:
1) Apply liberally a half-hour before going outside. Use more than you think you should.
2) Reapply every two hours.  The chemicals that protect you from the sun break down in the sun.
3) Reapply after swimming or sweating because water-resistant and sport sunscreens do wash off.
4) Throw out sunscreens that are over one year old. The chemicals that protect you from the sun lose efficacy over time.
5) Sunscreen only works if you use it – keep a bottle, tube or stick everywhere: one in car, purse, diaper bag, stroller, beach bag, etc.

Finding the best broad-spectrum sunscreens

At the time of my skin cancer discovery, the best broad-spectrum sunscreens were available only outside of the US, combining micronized titanium dioxide and a chemical with the brand name Mexoryl.   I stocked up on Anthelios when traveling and found a source on EBay.  My doctors were doing the same thing.

Mexoryl is now available in the US through L’Oreal owned brands and Neutrogena has introduced Helioplex, another advanced broad-spectrum sunscreen booster.  Oxybenzone and avobenzone (Parsol 1789) also provide UVA protection so I made sure all of my sunscreens had at least one of these listed in the active ingredients.

Sunscreens for my baby

Along came my red-haired, blue eyed, pasty skinned daughter and I used the imported sunscreens on her with nary a freckle.  At her 18-month check up, the doctor noticed she was growing boobs!  I quickly learned that there are lots of chemicals that act like estrogen.

First, we had to get rid of products with parabens, which are common preservatives in most sunscreens (and lotions and butt creams and shampoos.)  Second, it turns out most of the actual sunscreen chemicals are estrogenic.   The Sprecher Institute for Comparative Cancer Research at Cornell Univeristy was a great resource for learning about the links between chemicals and breast development.

Using the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database and reading a lot of ingredient lists, we started finding paraben-free physical sunscreens which use zinc and titanium dioxide to reflect sun.  There is mixed information on the safety of avobenzone, so I have avoided it for the time.

If you have tried a “baby” sunscreen, which are often free of chemical sunscreens (though many have parabens), most have the consistency of toothpaste.  Have you ever tried covering a toddler in toothpaste?  Sunscreen only works when it applied thoroughly and liberally, so consistency becomes an important factor in sunscreen selection.

Also, it turned out that the right ingredients and a high SPF do not always mean the sunscreen works.  Both Consumer Reports and the EWG found this in their testing.  It cost us a few freckles testing new sunscreens.

Finally, as these are “niche” products, they cost a lot more than store brand sunscreens using less expensive parabens and chemical sunscreens.  The trial and error was expensive, and we have yet to find a bargain sunscreen that is chemically OK, a reasonable consistency and effective.

There are many sunscreens we tried that failed because they were too thick, too greasy or just didn’t protect from the sun.  I am also constantly on the lookout for new sunscreens, especially in spray bottles that work for us a reasonable price.

Our sunscreen arsenal

Vanicream – SPF 30 & 60. My dermatologist recommended Vanicream for me because it did not cause breakouts.  After the boobs diagnosis, I began using it on my daughter.  It is on the thick side and seems greasy at first but rubs in well on light and mid tone skin.  I use SPF 30 daily and the SPF 60 on our faces when we are in sun intensive environments like the beach or pool. $12.99-$16.99 for 4oz tubes (drugstore.com)

Lavera Sun Spray SPF 30 Neutral. This was the first spray/pump bottle sunscreen that met our criteria.  It has a nice watery consistency, goes on quickly and easily, is not greasy and is effective.  It is also water resistant and most of the ingredients are organic.  The downside is it’s frighteningly expensive so I am on the lookout for an alternative.  $31 for a 6.6oz bottle (lavera.com)

TruKid Sunny Days SPF 30+ Natural Mineral Sunscreen Water Resistant Face & Body Stick. I love stick sunscreens because you can stash them everywhere and your preschooler can self apply with supervision.  They work best on the face and in emergencies elsewhere.  TruKid is a little greasy but effective. From $7.99 for a 0.64oz stick (toysrus.com)

Sunforgettable by Colorescience SPF30 Brush. This powder sunscreen goes on dry and was another product I used to avoid breakouts. It comes in different form factors, but I find the brush most convenient and carry it with me everywhere.  It is expensive but lasts over a year with frequent use. $50 for a 0.23oz brush (check colorescience.com for locations).

Neutrogena Pure & Free Baby SPF 60+ Sunblock Stick and Lotion:  I plan to test this new line this summer as it passes the ingredient screen.  It is priced similar to Vanicream but is widely available so can be picked up on the go and more importantly on sale.  $8.99 for the stick and $10.99 for 3oz.

Not only is summer almost here, May is National Skin Cancer Awareness Month.  Please protect your family’s skin.

Most parents know that the only chance to change seating so the family can sit together is to check-in 23 hours and 59 minutes before the flight.  (And even that is a long shot because some airlines would rather have you pay to upgrade than seat you together.)  Now really, a day before you flight do you have any idea how many bags you will be checking? Have you even pulled the suitcases out of the attic?

I don’t know about most parents, but I am packing right up until the minute we leave the house.  Between getting the toys, diapers, snacks, change of clothes, electronics, and children on the plane, I check as much as I can.  And, despite my resolution to travel lighter this year, when you have to leave the house in 15 minutes and realize there has been an “accident” that you have to clean up, I just throw whatever I think I might need into any bag that doesn’t seem to be over 50lbs.  If I fly US Airways with my family, I will always be paying the extra coin.

So you see, US Airways is really trying to discourage all but the most organized parents, (who maybe they assume have the most perfectly behaved children?) to fly their airline.  And all anyone is talking about is the latest fee.

As cases of swine flu emerge worldwide and deaths of healthy adults are reported in Mexico, it is encouraging to see the rapid response by public officials.  While there will be some fear mongering, we are a very interconnected world of travelers.  Even if you haven’t gone anywhere recently, someone you pass by at the grocery store has.  Or someone they passed by was somewhere last week.  Just take a look at this map tracking cases worldwide and you will see an emerging travel pattern.

This should not surprise parents of young children who know you can talk to your sister cross country about the cold your niece has today that will spread like wildfire through your son’s preschool next week.  There is little you can do to stop it, except frequent hand washing, covering up when you sneeze or cough, get a good night’s sleep and get your vitamins.  Most importantly, if you or anyone in your family is feeling ill, stay home!

Some airlines have followed public officials’ lead and are allowing rebooking of travel to Mexico without penalty for those who are concerned about the illness.  (I wish this was a standard practice for those who are sick at all.)  Meanwhile travel stocks are taking another hit as investors remember the impact of SARS on travel.

We did not reschedule our stopover in Hong Kong on our return trip due to the deadly flu outbreak. We let Mirielle play with other children, took her on public transportation and ate at local restaurants.  We were fine.  We weren’t worried in fact.  Then, as with the swine flu risk now, we did the only things we could to prevent infection:  we washed our hands; used tissues; tried to get eight hours of sleep; and, ate our fruits and veggies.

Mirielle at the Hong Kong Airport

I am deeply hopeful that this outbreak is brief and the quick response prevents further deaths.  I am also deeply hopeful that paranoia, fear mongering and sensationalism do not cause families to cancel future travel plans.  It is good time to delay a trip to Mexico City, but don’t rush to cancel your August vacation.   In fact, I suspect that this could present outstanding bargains for travelers once the scope of the outbreak is understood.

Now, take a break from our computer and wash your hands.  Seriously.  It is the most important thing you can do to help slow down or stop this disease.

We would like to visit the Middle East this year and you can bet I will pay extra to fly Gulf Air and stop over in Bahrain.

Any other airlines want to get on board with this service?  You’ll get my travel dollars!

(I read about this on lilSugar – a favorite website)

You mean someone else would drag her through the airport?

This museum changed how I look at picture books (which as the parent of a toddler, I do a lot.)  We all liked Eric Carle’s books, so thought it would be a nice stop on a rainy day.  What we found was a museum that engaged both adults and children of all ages in learning, playing, creating, reading and enjoying.

The mission of the museum “is to inspire, especially in children and their families, an appreciation for and an understanding of the art of the picture book.”  Wow, it succeeded! With galleries highlighting artists and books, an extensive library of picture books, a drop-in art studio, an auditorium, a shop, café, open spaces, and kid friendly options everywhere, we explored for three hours (until closing time.)

How many times have you read The Very Hungry Caterpillar?  Did you know the original title was A Week with Willi Worm?  In celebration of its 40th birthday, one exhibit showcased how Eric Carle put together the book and editions over the years.

Mirielle and her picture in front of the Very Hungry Caterpillar's birthday cake.

Not to knock Carle’s work, but it was Those Telling Lines: The Art of Virginia Lee Burton exhibit that changed how I look at picture book art.   I went backwards through the exhibit (hey, with a toddler you go where they let you) enjoying the art but also seeing how it enriched the story telling.  Then I started to recognize the characters.  It was the author/artist of Mike Milligan and his Steam Shovel.

The galleries are “look, don’t touch,” but curators keep it kid friendly with drawing supplies, interactive games for younger children, and copies of  books reflected in the art on display.  There is also lots to touch and do in both the drop in art studio and the library.  Both spaces include toys and play areas appropriate for younger children.  Adults will happily be sucked into art projects and rereading childhood favorites.

As a warning to parents who suspend the “don’t buy” rule when it comes to books, the shop is outstanding — possibly one of the best collections of children’s books and graphic novels in North America.  (If you know of others, please let me know.)   We bought the Virginia Lee Burton anthology, Animal Farm illustrated by Ralph Stedman, and a few art books and supplies. Everything Eric Carle is available as well.

A final note of thanks to the designers of the museum, a “best practice” to architects of public spaces, and one more sign of child friendliness is the preschooler sized bathroom facilities.  In the women’s rest room, there was a toddler/preschooler sized toilet and a sink at a child friendly height with a stepstool.  (It is amazing how many newer facilities geared to young children don’t even bother with a stepstool much less kid-sized facilities.)

The best bathroom for potty training (I want one.)

We bought a membership on the way out and can’t wait to come back for the Winnie the Pooh show in May.

The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art is located in Amherst, MA adjacent to Hampshire College.

Road warrior?

1.    Potty training goes nowhere at home, but on the road, she pees on every new potty she can find – without any aides.

2.    They cry as you deplane because they want to keep flying.  (Everyone around you breathes a sigh of relief that the crying waited until the end of the flight.)

3.    Finding the Playmobile figure’s medical case or seeing a picture of a suitcase in a Macy’s ad sends you child travel planning “Suitcase mommy! Take airplane to Hawaii?  Everyone take airplane?”

4.    Driving through certain shaped tunnels (just like the one as you drive under the international terminal to get to the domestic terminals at SFO) causes you toddler to start looking for “Airplanes, mommy?  Airplanes? Everyone go airplane to Vegas, Baby!?”

5.    She  calls the hotel “Home” even if it is the 5th one in a week (moving has its privileges).  She even prefers hotels to home, because hotels have elevators and swimming pools.

Not that I have not been doing anything.  In addition to my freelance work (making money), I have packed, moved and cleaned our house in CA, gone house hunting in CT, and traveled a lot.  Oh, and for a month I was doing most of this as a single mom.  My husband left to start his new job at the end of February.

This is a big change for me.  While I grew up moving every couple of years to places as diverse as St. Croix and Buffalo, my first, on my own adult move was to San Francisco which I fell in love with as a tourist. (Has anyone ever been a tourist in Hartford?  Seriously! And especially with kids? All recommendations welcome.) While I left for a few years, my most recent stint in the San Francisco Bay Area has been 12 years.  It is tough to leave.  I have gone through the five stages of grieving only to encounter setbacks which send me through them again.

Ironically, 13 years ago I lived in the same corporate housing complex we are in now.  I turned down a great job with a great company because my memories of Hartford were two meals at the Olive Garden and lots of great trips away from Hartford.

Mirielle testing out winter clothing on a house hunting trip.

I am trying to stay optimistic.  There are nice people everywhere and I have been fortunate to meet some of them already.  In every city there is a lot to discover and discovery is wonderful and one of the joys of travel.  (The internet resources are less developed here than in the Bay Area, so I am going to have to find gems the old fashioned ways).  I (intentionally) missed the bulk of winter and now see buds on the trees and I am looking forward to everything waking up/blooming/greening at once.  Oh, and I am beginning to think there are more children’s museums per capita in this state than anywhere in the country.  As I left my wonderful day care behind in California, I may visit all of them before long.

And the bottom line, our mortgage in a great neighborhood here will be less than our rent in the Bay Area (plus 1000 more square feet which I have mixed feelings about – but ask me again next February.)  That translates into a lot more room in the travel budget!  I have barely visited New England, airfares to Europe can run as low as $400 RT, and if all else fails I can take advantage of the real estate implosion in Florida and get a pied-a-terre in Miami.

Now off on my first adventure – finding great Souvlaki in the area.

Pineapple Princess: Mirielle on her first trip to Hawaii

While picking up basics at Costco – bread, bananas, blueberries and wine – I noticed the sign for Costco Travel and checked if they could save me money on a luxury hotel on the Big Island of Hawaii for our last minute vacation.

I checked their website and priced five nights at the Fairmont Orchid, our first choice, with car rental.  CostcoTravel’s package, including taxes, a second driver, an ocean view room with breakfast for two every day and $265 in resort credit was priced $600 less than I could find elsewhere.  Essentially, the second driver, breakfasts, resort credits and room upgrade were free.

I was looking to spend 10 nights on the Big Island – five at a great resort relaxing and five exploring the island and Kilaeua volcano, so I called CostcoTravel to see if they could book 10 days car with five days hotel.  The staff at the call center were wonderful – helpful, patient, and had contagiously good attitudes.   (I learned a lot talking to them while waiting for their booking system).  A+ for customer service!

Bottom line – I saved 20% booking with Costco Travel vs. booking the same itinerary myself or through other online packages.   Looking at it another way, I was able to travel on specific days, upgrade to non-stop flights (four hours less travel time with a toddler and skipping connections is worth a lot), add a second driver on the rental car, upgrade to an ocean view room, include the breakfast buffet (which means we can skip lunch), and have $265 to spend at the resort (mai tais and massages?) for no additional cost.

I plan to ask for upgrades all along the way, following Delicious Baby’s success, and hopefully will be able to get a room where we can listen to the waves crashing.
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If you are a Costco member, check out their website, or give them a call to see if you can save money.

(Note:  I am writing this review because I was really impressed.  No one has given me any special gifts, discounts, treatments, etc.)