Monday, May 24, 2010

Have sling, will travel!

As we head into summer, I know many families, including our own, are planning vacations. We'll be heading down to NYC in August with the kids, I'm so (so!) very excited about this trip, I've never been before! I want to go for a picnic to Central Park, I want to take the subway, I want to go up to the top of the Empire State building... there's a lot I want to do! Obviously, I haven't started packing yet, but there's one thing I know I'll be packing, my Manduca (currently, my favourite carrier for Grace). One of the many (many!) benefits of babywearing is the portability it affords parents, and the inclusion it offers babies. As handy as these benefits are in day-to-day life, they are even more appreciated when families are on vacation.


Despite having four children, we have still managed to travel here and there over the past few years, relying on an assortment of carriers to tote our little ones around with us. From the cobblestone streets of old Quebec City, to the escalators of Las Vegas, to the steep walk down to Hanauma Bay in Hawaii (free travel advice: pay the $2.00 to take the bus back up, it will be the best $2.00 you ever spend!), our baby carriers have proven invaluable, ensuring our kids enjoyed the sights as much as we did.





At the start of our vacations, we have appreciated the hands-free aspect of babywearing, sporting a little one on my back ensured my hands were free to hold our other childrens' hands, or to give my husband a helping hand with our luggage (OK, so maybe I mostly just held the other kids' hands, but still, that's equally as important!). We also avoided the hassle of packing an oversized piece of equipment that's proves cumbersome when using public tranpsortation.


Once we were actually on vacation, our little ones were guaranteed a great view, their perch in a baby carrier offering them a bird's eye view of what's going on. Because of the portability of babywearing, we were able to do a lot more with our babies in carriers than if they had been in strollers -from the top of Mont Tremblant to the belly of a Tall Ship in Halifax Harbour, our kids have been a part of everything we do on vacation (except bike-riding, that goes without saying!).


Over the years, I have amassed many pictures of the kids in various carriers, the pictures taken on our vacations are especially dear because of the memories they evoke. Even though the kids likely won't remember their time in a carrier, babywearing will be something I look back on with fondness.


In the course of chatting with our customers, I know many of you have worn your babies all over the world -- in recent months, I've heard about your trips to France, New Zealand, Hawaii, and more. E-mail me a 'babywearing on vacation' picture, let me know where you went, and what you did with your baby in a carrier, it will be posted to our Facebook group for everyone to enjoy. The picture that gets the most 'likes' (comments don't count, but they're always welcome!) will win a gift certificate for the retail value of the pictured carrier, and one lucky 'liker' of the winning picture will win the same carrier. As a result, only pictures showing carriers currently sold (but not necessarily purchased) at The Extraordinary Baby Shoppe (that's me!) can be posted, we can't give away what we don't sell! So if the winning picture features someone wearing a Sleepy Wrap, that person will receive a $50.00 gift certificate, and one of the 'likers' (chosen randomly) of the winning picture will win an actual Sleepy Wrap. Get it? Got it? Good!


Pictures can be submitted until June 26th, 2010, winners will be posted to this blog on July 3rd at 9pm sharp!


ETA: Okay, since you're all sending me such lovely pics that show carriers I can't give away, I'm going to add a twist to the giveaway -- I will gladly post pics that feature carriers that can't be purchased (or given away) at The Extraordinary Baby Shoppe (that's me!). These pics will be clearly labelled, the pic in this category with the most 'likes' gets a $25.00 gift certificate. Get it? Got it? Good!

15 comments:

  1. That's a great contest, too bad I haven't gone on vacation yet, although I did some trips in this area. Are those allowed, to a zoo fo instance?
    I will be wearing my baby when I go to Holland in october, and I'll make sure to take some pics and send them to you.

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  2. We carried our 7 month old daughter all around the North Island in New Zealand for 2 weeks last summer! It was definitely a life saver in the air port!! :)
    Lisa, Kitchener

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  3. Great idea! I love my Manduca when we're on vacation, particularly for navigating airports. It's so nice to have my hands free. I'm going to email you a picture from our Mommy-and-baby trip to the Vancouver Olympics.

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  4. I recently went to New Orleans with both a carrier and a stroller...might as well have left the stroller at home, because every time he went in it he fussed so much I ended up carrying him on my hip and wishing I had thought to bring along the carrier on our walk.

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  5. I know you're anti-Beco, ;) but it saved my butt in the airport. So much easier than lugging around a stroller!

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  6. i love the Beco too!! We used it on our trip to Niagra Falls :)

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  7. I love the Beco too! We've used it everywhere~Europe, airports, honduras, hawaii, canada and usa trips. It rocks. Sorry Sus, I know you don't like it. I love your shop though :)

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  8. My computer isn't set up to automatically connect to your email link - can you post an email address that I can copy into my address bar? I LOVE all the photos! I have Baby Trekker, and find the straps a little too big & block my view/mobility, so I'm looking for something as comfortable but less cumbersome...
    Thanks!

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  9. So, we went to Guatemala in February and did not take a stroller - only an Ergo. But there are no photos with Mika actually in the Ergo (where he spent most afternoons napping, as he is almost 2 and settling down in a strange place is not his style! as well as lots of time trying to get to the next airport gate). There are tons of photos, however, with one of us with the Ergo on our back and Mika running around! lol.

    Jill Swedersky

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  10. UPDATE:

    Winners picked!

    Due to a photo-finish, we've picked two winners!

    Noelle I (pic #32) receives a $99 gift certificate for showing us all how it can be done with twins on vacation -- one on the front one on the back, hands still free for the 3-year old! Liker #86 (from my view, at least), Nicole LeDrew, wins a reversible Babyhawk.

    Hilary B (pic #19) receives a $99 gift certificate for showing us what you can do with your hands when they're not holding a little one! Liker #71, Jen Leis (from my view, at least), wins a reversible Babyhawk.

    Tiffany C wins the $25 gift certificate, which she wants to pass along to someone else, I'll let her choose her favourie non-EBS carrier pic, winner's choice!

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  11. That was a fun contest, thanks! And congratulations to all of the winners!

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  12. what a wonderful contest! You sure have an amazing shop!!

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  13. Since I too did the portaging in Algonquin with a toddler, I vote to pass on the GC to Heidi V (pic #4). You go girl!

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  14. YaYY! I just noticed this! (just started following the Blog)

    How do I get in touch with you to get the Babyhawk? I live in Toronto - will you ship it? Thanks for the awesome contest! Such amazing photos!!

    Jen jenleis@bell.net

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