PSA! GET ABUJA RESTAURANT MENUS

If you've been following me for a bit, you'll know i love and enjoy food. I do reviews occassionally on TripAdvisor (as jemimahnaa) and on Foursquare/Swarm. I created this account to capture this love and share my bits from Abuja & the rest of the world with you all. 
This IG page is about me sharing Food, Menus, restaurants, hidden gems & more around the world.

I share Menus and other places in my Stories & Highlights.

I share only places i COMPLETELY enjoy in posts.

Follow @MimahtheFoodie on Instagram and enjoy having restaurant menus, pics and more at your fingertips! 

Toodles!XooX

Tips for Flying with a Toddler (12mos+)

I waited till my daughter turned 1 year old before we travelled by air. I just knew i'd feel more comfortable and confident managing her at that age. Our first trip was to Lagos in 2018 for the December holidays. It was pretty easy and straightforward as it was a 1 hour flight and i was still breastfeeding her at the time. She got to meet her great-grand-parents from my side of the family and extended family members of her father and myself that reside in Lagos. It was a lot of fun and we also got to celebrate our birthday together before returning back to Abuja.

Since that trip, we have flown to Lagos two more times (after i weaned her), i went to the London alone with her for my close friend's wedding and we also went to South Africa for a family vacation.

I have gotten some experience on how best to manage her effectively on flights and have a somewhat hassle-free (or minimised) trip. As always, its good to remember that all children are unique and you may have to customise some of the tips by figuring out what works best for your child.

Here are my tips:

1. Flight Regulations: Know your baggage weight limit and stick to it. Liquids and Creams you carry should be in the allowed size and put them in a clear Ziploc bag to avoid spilling and to avoid hassles at security checks. Know the contraband and avoid carrying them, check-in anything you are not sure about. You don't want to be re-arranging bags and boxes with a toddler in hand.
2. Be Time Conscious: Take note of your flight time, layover time, etc. Get to the airport, & checked-in in good time and sit by your boarding gate if published already, otherwise keep an eye on the board to see when its published and listen for announcements. If you are not sure of something regarding your flight, find an official and ask. If you have a connecting flight that is 1 or 2 hours, proceed directly to the boarding gate once you pass through security. You'll be surprised that the time is already up between when the plane taxied and you got through security. This was how i ended up missing my connecting flight from Frankfurt to London, the security check was intense and by the time i used the restroom and changed my toddler before heading to the boarding gate, i was told the flight had left. I had to pay a subsidised price to get on another flight. Luckily i did not have to wait for too long but it was still extremely upsetting.
3. Take Advantage: If you have a baby or toddler, you have PRIORITY. This means you get to skip the queues for check-in and boarding. Go right up to the front and ignore the stares. Don't stay on queues and get exhausted carrying your baby, you will end up tired and with a fussy baby. Allow the staff use their Lift access and help you with your stroller and any other perks offered.
4. Stock up on patience: Especially on your first flight ever, its your toddler's first time having this experience so they are bound to be excited and want to explore or they me be anxious and overwhelmed. Basically, things may not go as you plan and that's ok. Just go with the flow and try not to get stressed
5. Get a light-weight stroller (Depending on the country you are travelling, it may be best to have a stroller to move around with your toddler, it is wayyyy easier than carrying them and bags) It helped me a lot in London (There's a lot of  ramps, lifts, escalators, helpful people,etc.) and i moved around way quicker than expected and whenever she wanted to be out of it, i just put our shopping bags in it and allowed her walk around or i carried her briefly and it was also  an on-the-go seat, snack area or 'bed' instead of me carrying a cranky or sleepy baby.                                                            
6. Take a Sippy cup for water: Most airport security will not allow you pass with your plastic bottle of water). You can buy after passing through security, especially if you have a long layover. Some airports have water fountains or dispensers so look out for those as well.
7. Food, Fruits & Snacks: Depending on how long the flight duration & airport layover will be, you will have to decide on taking some food, fruit, snacks (preferably your child's faves-crisps, yogurt, cakes, biscuit, juice, etc.) and water. Try not to pack excess, you have a fair idea of how much your child eats in a certain amount of time so pack just enough till you land or get on your flight in case you are in a foreign country and there's no familiar food or they don't eat any of the food you buy them. You do not want to have a hungry toddler on your hands, trust me.                                                                                                                                                               
8. Diaper Bag: It doesn't have to be in the style of a typical diaper bag but it should contain all the essentials- Diapers, Wipes, Changing mat, Change of clothes for baby and you, Medication (especially pain relief), Blanket, Socks, Bibs, Washcloths, Body Cream, Hair brush, Toys, Disinfecting Wipes, Wetbag or Nylon for Soiled Diapers/clothes, etc.
9. Vomit bag: If the plane does not have a paper bag, its good to have one or a nylon bag on standby. There may be turbulence and your toddler cannot necessarily signal you that they feel queasy and i doubt they can hold back vomit as well. My daughter had a projectile vomit episode on our flight and i was quite flustered and took me some time to compose myself and figure out what to do. I had to clean her and myself up in the tiny airport bathroom with a washcloth, i changed her clothes n gave her a wipe down and put the soiled clothes and blanket in a nylon bag. Luckily the passenger beside us was asleep & most of the people on the flight were asleep at the time so i did not have to endure stares and all.  I cleaned up the parts of the seat n floor the vomit got on with wipes and tissue and put them all in a plastic bag. She had some water and slept not long after. I was alone with her for this flight and did not have a change of clothes (luckily i wore all black and was able to wipe myself clean with a washcloth) so it was almost overwhelming.
10. Travel Pillow:  I use this to cushion my back or my neck or my toddler's head when she's sleeping on me. I just strap it to my hand luggage or her diaper bag n i'm good.                                                                    
11. Weather-Appropriate Clothing n Shoes: Research on the weather of the place you will be flying to especially if its an international flight. you can dress your toddler according to the weather condition of where you are departing from but if you are going to a colder country, you may want to pack a Jacket, Boots, etc in the diaper bag so you can put them on your toddler once you land. I found it's best to layer their clothing so i can add-on or take off depending on weather changes.
12. Have Entertainment: It can be videos, games, toys, books, etc. Things you know engages your toddler and keeps them occupied. This will distract them from the change in environment and the wait time for the flight or flight duration. I usually download her favorite rhymes and shows on YouTube so i don't have to be connected for her to watch it and i can be on airplane mode. I also have a toy or 2 in her diaper bag and use them in rotation and a picture book. I use any of these to entertain her as needed. Sometimes she just plays with herself or a piece of plastic.lol. Some airports have a play area for kids so you can use that if its not too far from your boarding gate and if you have time. Some planes also have screens with games, cartoons or activities for kids so definitely take advantage of that. If all else fails you can make up games and play with them. Let your toddler play and runaround as much as possible before the fight so they will most likely sleep on the flight.                                                                                                          
13. Long Flight: If its a long flight, allow them walk down the aisles of the plane under your supervision and with the seat-belt sign off in order to promote blood circulation. It can be when most passengers are asleep and you can walk with them.                                                                                                    

Extra Tips  

• If you can, pay for extra leg room
• Try to get a place that can provide a toddler bed or pack n play if your child sleeps in one. 
• Try to get a place with a fridge and microwave for emergency food for the lil one.
• If you can get a place with a Washing machine/Dryer, do so, its easier than piling up laundry or hand washing.
• Try to stick to their regular bedtime
• Try to pick up cues on when they are sleepy or getting overwhelmed, hungry, need a diaper change, etc. This will help avoid meltdowns and tantrums. While on vacation we tend to get carried away and its too late before we realise they are exhausted and they end up overtired and crying inconsolably. This happened to me on a City Sightseeing bus tour and as you can imagine, i could not get up to rock her and we could not change location. She cry-yelled the whole way back to our stop until she dozed off.
• Plan well and don't lose your cool when things go crazy-breathe and talk calmly. You can vent when they are out of sight or asleep.

Note: Depending on the change in temperature between the places you are travelling from and to, your toddler may have sun spots, mouth blisters n dry patches on their skin. Be sure to watch out for that and keep their adequately protected.

I have barely used other means of transportation for travel with her as a toddler so i can't advice on that, although some of these tips may be applicable. I hope you find this post useful if you are planning to travel with your toddler and if you have more tips on travelling with toddlers, feel free to share them in the comment section.  

Toodles!XooX

How to plan a Naming Ceremony

We had our baby's Naming Ceremony in our parlour/living room, hubby & i handled the planning. I knew i wanted us to do something small because i wasn't up for the stress of throwing a big party (it's also not my style). The Naming Ceremony is typically done Seven (7) days after delivery but this can vary depending on your culture and church denomination. You may want to discuss with your spouse and parents while pregnant to know what applies in order for you to make the necessary preparations.

We had only 5 days to put things together for ours due to the time baby spent in the NICU (read my TMI Labor & Delivery Story) before we were discharged. My advice is to plan the basics ahead and decide on any vendors then finalize all arrangements after baby is delivered.

We planned for 30 guests (including friends) and used this number to make all our prep. We spoke with our pastor and agreed on having the ceremony by 10:00am. We informed her grandparents, aunties and uncles that were in town and a few friends (we told our friends to come in the evening though).

Things to do:

• Inform your pastor and agree on a time for the naming ceremony
• Invite guests
• Make arrangement for Refreshments (Small chops, food, water and drinks) based on your estimated no. of guests (have extras for people that bring +1s) 
• Get an outfit for baby (i had gotten a white gown and white shawl before having baby)
• Get an outfit for yourself (the parents)- i had my tailor make me an outfit when i got back from the hospital and hubby wore a white traditional attire he had. I did my makeup myself.
• Type out Baby's names and cut out several strips of the names (this will be distributed to guests). You can have someone design and print this for you, i did this myself and i printed it at home.
• Type Baby's names and the meaning for the pastor to use during the naming of the baby.
• If you having the ceremony in your Parlour/Living room like we did, it's good to have supplementary power supply (Generator, Inverter, etc.). You can have someone design and print this for you, i did this myself and i printed it at home.
• Get a photographer or designate someone to take pictures and make videos during the event. 
• Have your Parlour/Living room cleaned and dusted and you may want to rearrange your furniture to have more space or get extra chairs depending on your no. of guests.

We bought water and drinks and refrigerated them, i got a caterer to make Jollof rice and peppered chicken, she put them into 30 packs with spoons and serviettes and gave us the rest in a big cooler. We also ordered small chops which we served to friends who came in the evening with drinks.

The naming ceremony started around 10:00am and we were done by 12:00pm. 

The programme went as follows:

• Opening Prayer
• Praise and Worship
• Sermon
• Naming of the Baby
• Praying for the Baby
• Praise & Collection of Offering (the money was given to us to keep for baby)
• Closing Prayer

We took pictures afterwards, food and drinks were distributed to guests and we exchanged pleasantries before guests took their leave. Only the grandparents and family stayed till evening before leaving.

Baby slept throughout the naming ceremony, i got some sleep afterwards as well. We tidied the house and took out the trash before our friends arrived in the evening. Some of them got packs of rice while others had small chops and drinks for refreshment.
The house was rearranged and tidied when everyone had left in the evening, we refrigerated leftover refreshments, took out the trash and went back to our regular routine.

Some cultures and churches do baby's naming & dedication and baptism after 3 months so find out what applies to you so you are not caught unawares. You can always tweak my recommendations in this post to plan your specific 'baby event' regardless of the date it will be held.

I'll do a post on how we collated all baby's names, if you are yoruba you know the deal, everyone wants to give baby a name. lol

Toodles!XooX

How to get a Nigerian Birth Certificate for your Baby

Congratulations!! I'm guessing you probably just had your bundle of joy.
The Nigerian Birth Certificate is issued by the National Population Commission.
You will be given a Birth Certificate at the hospital you give birth once you have completed all the necessary documentation.
You the proceed to the National Population Commission and it's pretty straightforward if you are Nigerian and gave birth in Nigeria. I cannot speak for other scenarios.
Birth Certificate Process (For Abuja)

• Go to National Population Commission (NPC), Masaka close, Zone 7
• The Birth Certificate is Free for the first 60 days after the baby is born
• You pay a #4000 if your baby is older than 60 days
• Documents Required: Birth Certificate/Notification from hospital & Valid ID
• You will be given a form to fill and submit
• It takes 2-3 days for the certificate to be ready and you'll get a call or an sms to come for collection
• Go for Collection of the Birth Certificate

It's best to process and collect your baby's birth certificate as soon as you can. It is the accepted proof that you are the parents of your baby and you will need it for any visa processing for international travel. You can scan it so you have a soft copy, laminate the hard copy and keep it in a safe place as your child will need it in the future.

Toodles!XooX

Happy New Year 2019!!

Happy New Year!! 

I know the 1st week of March 2019 is practically done and this is my 1st post of the year. I'm appalled at myself!!! lol. On a serious note though you guys already know the drill, Toddler mom life/work/business owner/event planner/living in Nigeria (NEPA,Internet, etc.) amongst other things,

time is like gold. Kindly bear with me, I have sooo much to share to new moms and moms-to-be but if i don't get this new year post out of the way, there will be no posts! I like things to be in order so much it gets in my way. 

This post is to get this post outta the way! and reflect a bit on 2018.

2018! What a year, it just might be my best year so far. It has been quite an experience being a mom throughout the year, working my job and business (@mimahcrafts on Instagram) and trying to master the lifestyle of a young new parent. There were also quite a number of birthdays, bridal showers, baby showers, weddings and other events/milestones where i got to celebrate with friends and family. It definitely had its downs but lets focus on the positives.

The highlight for me was our trip to Lagos for the Christmas holidays, i had not been on a plane since i had Kiara and i missed my Lagos people. We had sooo much fun and Kiki got to meet the Lagos friends, family and her Great grandparents. I got to visit some of the fun and food spots i had been eyeing as well as some events. We celebrated our birthdays (Hubby, Kiki & I-Birthday Post loading...) and chilled (which was exactly what i needed after such an active and busy year). 

2018 was a pretty dope year, i got some much needed rest at the very end of the year (I did not cook for 2weeks!!) and i'm thankful.

More posts are coming i assure you, i have sooo many notes i've made in the 1 year of me being a mom. I'm sure you guys will find very useful. Can you believe i'm a mom to a 1year old (actually 14 month old but who's counting right?!)! It seems like yesterday i was blogging about my Introduction Ceremony and now i'm a mom & we are approaching our 5year Anniversary. God is good and i count my blessings daily. 

How many times have i said mom in this post abeg. lol.

2019 did not start on the best note, we came back from holiday fun  in Lagos to my lil sister being very ill and hospitalised. Thank God for his mercies, she responded to treatment and is back on her feet. The year has been going really well otherwise and i'm grateful. May the odds continue to be in our favor. Amen.

Motto for the year- Do it Afraid (a.k.a Take Risks)

Toodles!XooX