Travel & Explore With The Matthews

Sharing our extensive travels in bite-sized format. We are a parent of a toddler, our little warrior girl, Alessandra. We've been traveling with her since she was a wee 6 weeks old and we hope to inspire you to do the same. Traveling with kid(s) is extremely fun (and exhausting!)

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Letting clothes be for every boy and girl, dropping the gender segregation.

I scooped this up at the “boys” section. My little girl can be anyone and anything she wants to be. I am always trying to break the gender segregation when it comes to clothes. It infuriates me. When we start to box them from young, what exactly are we doing? We are doing a massive disservice to girls, who otherwise have aspiration to be an astronaut or space engineer. Let them explore, let them be, let the child be whatever they want to be.

Countdown to a few days to flying off to Europe.

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On 1st July, Alessandra and I went to Hong Lim Park to support the freedom to love -- Pink Dot. It was an honor to be amongst lovely and kind souls. You can only feel so much love in the air. Thank you, for allowing us to be part of you, LGBTQ community. We will continue to be there for you, I know Alessandra and I will. (Photo taken by me with that next filter on IG - above Katong Swimming complex on 2nd July)

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<p>Tell your daughters nothing is impossible if they set their hearts to it. Set their hearts on fire. Let them break all the ceilings.</p>

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Play is the highest form of research - Albert Einstein

I love working together with my toddler. She’s an amazing and curious child and teaches me to question things rather than accept things the way they are. I learn so much from her and her curiosity teaches me to always AND ALWAYS be curious.

(when and why did we stop being curious?)

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Invest in a good & ergonomic baby carrier

I think one of the reasons why we are forever on the go and easily so, is because of the baby carrier. We only bought a stroller when Alessandra was much older but from birth, she was in the JPMBB ring sling, then moved on to the Kokadi Woven soft structured carrier and then the Tula canvas carrier. They served my husband and I very well and we were very happy to have carried her from young. It’s the closeness that we really loved.

Here are some photos of the carriers:

So the ‘M’ shape is good but here, I should have hoisted her higher. To read about the ‘M’ shape and why its important to achieve that: http://www.babywearingadvice.co.uk/anatomy.htm

We are not bothered about the color hence why I selected the magenta and bright yellow sling. My husband carried her too:

I moved on to the Kokadi SSC when I had to travel with her when she was 6 weeks old:

Again, with a good and safe carrier, you can achieve the ‘M’ shape.

It was so easy to carry Alessandra in the Kokadi carrier. Sure, I was confident with the ring sling with the help of friends, but the carrier was much easier as I was breastfeeding and it was quick and discreet to feed her.

Subsequently, I invested in a Tula (oh they are so beautiful) as she got taller and heavier. The shoulder pads are amazing so the Tula was my go-to while I stash away the ring sling and kokadi.

As she began to sit on her own, I could easily change her position from front carry to back carry. It’s a different experience for them! I don’t encourage parents to do front-facing carry as it’s harsh on your body and your child can get easily stimulated. However, if this is your decision, then, *shrugs* - your child, your way. I am just sharing how it’s not advisable.

For a charity event we volunteered for, Alessandra was in the back carry.

Unfortunate photo as I was wearing the jersey dress I love most twice here.

When I took a solo trip with Alessandra to Bangkok for a week, I had the Tula with me, despite her being able to walk and run on her own. It was so easy and comfortable to walk around with her.

We’ve never brought a stroller overseas with us - I don’t see the point. I’m all about being quick and easy so a stroller will impede my movement.

I bought my ring sling from: http://www.babyslingsandcarriers.com

I bought my Kokadi from: https://www.fluffmail.com.sg/

I bought my Tula from: http://www.pupsikstudio.com/shop-by-brands/tula-baby-carrier/

Have fun!

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“Teach your daughters to worry less about fitting into glass slippers and more about shattering glass ceilings.” —Melissa Marchonna, Digital Marketer for the New York Jets

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Pregnant and snowboarding

"You did WHAT?”

Yes I did! I snowboarded in Niseko, Japan when I was 13-15 weeks pregnant with Alessandra in me (see that photo of me - we were in Uniqlo in Ginza). It was one heck of a fun time and I believe that’s why Alessandra is an adventurous warrior; she got it from her mama!

Cautionary word: Now, I won’t recommend you doing that unless you have snowboarded or skiied before. It’s risky unless you know what you’re doing and the consequences should something not-so-nice happened.

I also found out her gender of the baby when we were in Japan! I didn’t want to know at that time but Mr Matthews revealed it to me at Birdland

Hmmmmm, so delicious.

After a little bit of a happiness cry, here’s a photo of us, pre-baby! We do look a little bit younger here, hahaha!

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So, when I was 13/14-15 weeks pregnant, we spent two weeks in Japan, 1 in Tokyo and 1 in Niseko, Hokkaido. Like I said above, do everything with caution. I have been snowboarding, have done lessons so I was quite ready for it.

While you MAY BE READY, bear in mind when you’re pregnant, your limbs, muscles starts to loosen up in preparation of birth. That’s why expectant mothers can get easily injured.

So, when we were packing and planning to snowboard, I took along my cycling pants. Now cycling pants are amazing in that they have a cushy and padded bum area. I don’t know how it is with skiiers, but with snowboarding, you try to fall on your bum than on your front (obvs!). Bearing in mind all the risks, I decided to bring along all of my cycling pants.

So underneath my snowboarding pants, I had my thermal sets, and my cycling pants. I love that it gave me extra protection and especially on my bum. If I do fall, I intend to fall on my bum instead of my front.

Here are some photos from the snowboarding trip. I must have been 15 weeks pregnant here. Niseko is so beautiful, I hope to return soon, this time with my little Alessandra!

Now, out of the 1 week we were in Niseko, I only boarded for 4 days. I didn’t get to do night snowboarding too, as I felt tired quite quickly. After all, I was sharing this body with a little passenger who was feeding off and with me! I am also thankful there was a lovely physio store - Niseko Physio where I could go in and get a lovely prenatal massage. I was shared how there was a lady in her 30+ weeks pregnant, and she was happily skiing and after that, hop in for a great and deep prenatal massage - OOH THE LIFE!

Just checking out the terrain

I was careful and on some of the slopes, I had Mr Matthews with me, or recceing it first.

It was so harsh on my skin, I had to get a protector. I was still snowboarding with my little passenger though. So much good fun.

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Welcoming Alessandra Z. Matthews

“Does she have a full set of toes and fingers, doc?”

“She has plenty of hair, haha, like a little monkey!”

- the delirious me post emergency c-section still on the operating theater.

Here’s Alessandra and I meeting for the first time, 8 hours after she’s removed from my womb :) A very tired me.

Our lives changed forever and it’s been amazing. She’s such a darling and have captured our hearts in ways I cannot even explain in words.

One of the reasons why I started travelwiththematthews.com is to share with everyone our travels with Alessandra. I call it - The Alessandra Chronicles. Traveling with her is amazing, easy and I just love it to pieces.

Though she is little, she’s been to plenty of countries and cities far and near. Stay tuned for more on ‘The Alessandra Chronicles’.

xoxo,

Lisa