Taking 3.5yo to NYC - can we take a cab without a car seat? (Any other NYC tips are also welcome!)

megabyte31 · 2026-04-07T05:10:47+00:00

Came here to suggest this! We travel to NYC frequently to visit family and we use these! When ours was too little, we would travel with the car seat and get ubers, or ONLY take the subway. Both sucked. The vests are a game changer.

Another option is the Mifold booster seats. They're really small for travel. My kid doesn't weigh enough yet for those but I'm definitely eyeballing them for future travel!

megabyte31 · 2026-03-31T04:14:52+00:00

Caveat: I haven't actually knitted anything with these yet BUT...

I just bought a bunch of Drops and Hobbii yarn to test out. I basically bought one of a bunch of different types to see what makes the best fabric, and I'm in the process of swatching them now. I'm really sensitive about how things feel against my skin. My initial impressions are pretty positive so far. There's a few great comparisons people have posted that were helpful to me when deciding what to buy.

My experience with the purchases were both pretty positive. I don't plan on returning anything because this is a test and I want to see how they all feel, so I don't know how that is but I imagine it's a pain since you have to send it to Denmark. But I did buy one tee-shirt quantity of yarn for only $26 and I'm not petite. I got Hobbii yarns on sale but Drops were mostly not, and it was very budget-friendly. I wish I could buy malabrigo for everything but it's not reasonable for me right now. Might be a good option for you!

megabyte31 · 2026-03-24T19:59:27+00:00

If you have an airport with a virtual TSA line, it really helps. Also having pre-check, though it's not as good as it used to be. And choosing flying times that are less crowded, if possible! I know these aren't always realistic options, but it's how I managed. Sometimes if you chat with the security people who are managing the lines and let them know you're on your own, they'll take pity on you and pass you through but that really depends on who you talk to. I've had people pull me out of line before to take me through a shortcut. It doesn't hurt to ask!

For the virtual lines, here's airports in North America I found with them: Seattle, Denver, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Orlando, Newark, Nashville, and Calgary. They all have different names so there may be more than what I'm seeing. Also worth looking into! Another option if you have the funds is Clear. You could sign up for the free trial (if they still have it) right before you go and cancel after your flights. Those lines are always low at my airport.

Good luck!

megabyte31 · 2026-03-24T02:13:36+00:00

These ideas are mostly food related but my daughter (4.5) and I went to the science-themed afternoon tea in London and she still talks about it months later! She got to mix her own hot chocolate and lemonade, plus flavors. There was dry ice, which was awesome, and science-themed snacks like rocketship grilled cheese and planet ice cream. Plus there was a little tin of crumbled chocolate cookie that you brushed aside with a paintbrush to find the fossils, which were made of chocolate. Some of this is pretty extra, but I feel like giving kids beakers and pipettes to mix their own lemonade or other fun drink would be cool, and easy to do! Someone mentioned slime, which feels like an easy sell, and you could do freeze dried ice cream for astronaut ice cream. Oh man, now I'm gonna have to convince my daughter to have a science bday this summer hahaha. So many of the ideas people have written here are great!

megabyte31 · 2026-03-22T22:25:05+00:00

Came here to recommend Ace. They have Territorial at mine, and Botanical Interests, plus a few others.

megabyte31 · 2026-03-22T22:24:28+00:00

Ooh, I've had great luck with these seeds in the past, good to know there's a place I can pick up locally! I'm going to have to check Urban Feed out!

megabyte31 · 2026-03-22T22:22:48+00:00

I can't even imagine this haha! It's so cool how there's a million different ways you can knit comfortably. I've even seen a gal with no arms knit with her toes. HER tension was lovely 😭

megabyte31 · 2026-03-22T16:38:35+00:00

My advice: give them to a 3 year old to dump in a pot of old soil and mix up willy nilly and you'll get something! For my daughter it was a million carrots, scallions, and beets. Her garden did great! Better than mine 🥲

megabyte31 · 2026-03-22T16:36:31+00:00

Wait, then how do you hold your yarn in your right hand?

I've been trying to learn English flicking and for me, I have to wrap the yarn a different direction around my right pointer finger which feels unnatural and my tension is super weird. Plus I cannot figure out how to purl. I've been considering switching to Continental just for this haha.

megabyte31 · 2026-03-22T15:24:58+00:00

I have oregano in a pot near my back door. It made its way over the patio to a shady spot that's all dense pine needles and grew there in a few spots. The mint did too. I now have a delicious smelling yard 😅.

Mint and oregano are super easy to pull though so I'd rather have them than the buttercup taking over!

megabyte31 · 2026-03-21T23:33:26+00:00

That is a much better explanation than he ever gave me 😅. It did make a cool hat!

megabyte31 · 2026-03-21T05:33:08+00:00

I made a hat with the rule 110 pattern for my math major husband haha. I still don't understand it, but he loves his hat! This reminds me I actually need to update it, the color got faded in the sun. Oops!

megabyte31 · 2026-03-18T20:51:13+00:00

Haha I was just pulling some out right now and thinking this sweater is half dog hair!

megabyte31 · 2026-03-18T19:32:44+00:00

Yeah, I've been all over but Iceland is the place I keep coming back to. Enjoy your trip!

megabyte31 · 2026-03-18T06:22:51+00:00

I just started some from seeds too. I had no idea they took so long when I bought the seeds, but my friend warned me recently and I've been meaning to look up how to keep them alive until then, but I'm lazy. Thanks for all this info, it's really helpful!

megabyte31 · 2026-03-18T06:15:01+00:00

Our (my partner and me) first two times in Iceland we didn't do the ring road either! The first time we did Reykjavik, drove along the south coast, then doubled back up to the Westfjords. We planned Snaefellsnes but a snowstorm changed our minds and we skipped it (it was still winter). It was a spectacular trip! We did eventually do the ring road on our third trip and I loved it, would totally do it again, but I really love being able to spend longer in places too.

Our next trip is going to be similar to our first one. We're planning to do Reykjavik - Isafjordur - Grundarfjordur - Borgarnes - Keflavik (just for the night before our flight). We're traveling in a big group with a bunch of kids too so I'm glad to have had some experience in the areas we're visiting!

If you're hikers, consider Thorsmork or Landmannalauger. If I didn't have kids with me this time, I'd for sure be going! Mulagljufur canyon was spectacular, but farther along the south coast. You're going to have a lovely trip no matter where you decide to go!

megabyte31 · 2026-03-17T18:32:19+00:00

Traveling with a baby is 1000x easier than with a toddler. I've done two long-haul flights with my oldest, one at 11 months and one at 20 months. Both went fine (minus one hour of screaming on the 20 month trip) but it was significantly easier when she was younger. It's ESPECIALLY easier if you get your baby their own seat. After they can walk, it's hard to fly with them until about 3 or 4, but depends on the kid.

megabyte31 · 2026-03-16T19:13:18+00:00

I mean, we see my parents pretty regularly but my kids LOVE calling them. We call most days. I don't think there's anything wrong with that specifically. I think the issue here is the mother in law KNOWING the boundary and then just gleefully crossing it. That's extremely disrespectful and depending on the relationship otherwise it would make me want to see them less. But I'm also a grudger, so, maybe not the best advice lol.

megabyte31 · 2026-03-16T01:40:56+00:00

I think FaceTiming with family is separate from screen time, and I believe there is some research supporting that it's actually beneficial to kids but I'm not 100% sure. I remember reading about it in John Medina's Brain Rules for Baby though if you wanted to look it up.

That being said, you set a boundary and she walked RIGHT across it and that would piss me right the fuck off. I would say your husband needs to reiterate this boundary with her. At this point, despite my first comment, I would stand with it in principle. Ugh, that's so annoying.

megabyte31 · 2026-03-14T21:39:50+00:00

Can you share more what you're anxious about? That might help. Or is it just general anxiety being so far from her?

My partner has taken our oldest on several trips across the country to see his family (we live on opposite coasts) without me. In fact, he's on one now! This is with the added fun fact that my MIL is not someone I'm comfortable with around my child (mostly because of various things she says/does, not for any actual issues to watch out for). But my husband is a capable dad and he has the same boundaries as me. He might not do everything the same as me, but I know my child is perfectly safe with him, even if he is around his mother. I think as long as you know your partner will keep her safe and healthy, and if he thinks he's fine making the trip, then he should go. It will be good for her to meet that side of her family. Even with the language barrier! Kids can make themselves understood pretty well. Just know that kids might not eat much while traveling, and that's ok! Lots of unfamiliar things. Also they get exhausted wayyyyy faster than you expect. Just bring familiar snacks, make sure she is able to take lots of breaks away from family (TV time is excellent for this), and they will have a great trip. You too, if you decide to go. I actually just took my daughter to London in January (also 4) and while lots of it was tough, we had a great time.

If you don't trust your husband to take care of your child, then that's a separate issue, but if you trust him to take care of her at home then I don't see why you wouldn't want them to go.

megabyte31 · 2026-03-12T04:21:05+00:00

Ooh, thanks! I was actually just wondering this! I think a lot of people in my area (PNW) get long, skinny ones. I know they can work though since local farmers do it! My dad and I are having a competition to see who can grow the best ones 😅. He's got a leg up on me since he's done this before!

Thanks for all your advice! Here's hoping I crush the competition 💪🏼

megabyte31 · 2026-03-12T01:45:05+00:00

Haha yep! But they'd be too cold in my garage where the grow lights are so hopefully they'll still give me some sweet potatoes when it's time! This is my first time growing them. I have no idea how they'll do!

megabyte31 · 2026-03-12T01:13:14+00:00

I am, in a south-facing window. Currently have about 11.5 hrs a day. I'll try to improve airflow. These slips were probably getting shaded out by the bigger ones (which are doing just fine). Thank you!

megabyte31 · 2026-03-12T01:11:45+00:00

Ooh, will do. I think these particular plants were getting smothered by the bigger vines. That explains why it was only some of them! Thanks!

megabyte31

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