Two awesome essentials that make traveling with kids so much easier

As every mom learns pretty early on, ease of travel with kids can come down to having the right gear. Whether we're flying across the country or just taking the kiddos out to eat in our 'hood, if we don't have the proper seat, stroller or sippy cup, we're in for a wholly unpleasant time. Enter Brica, a newish company that's out to simplify the whole parenthood thing with awesome products that make getting out of the house a lot less of a hassle. (Edited to add: Brica products are now at Munchkin.) Brica relaunched their company last year (they were formerly Blue Ridge International) and have come out with a whole bunch of smart new products for the stroller, car and airplane that are worth a look.  First, there's the Fold 'N Go Travel Booster. Since I live in NYC, walking is my main mode of transportation. Rather than being able to toss everything in the backseat of a car, we are always schlepping things around. With my first child that meant lugging a big booster seat with us to restaurants that didn't have highchairs or to friends' apartments. Brica's travel booster neatly folds up into a super-compact size that even fit into my diaper bag.

I like that this one attaches to a chair, whereas a lot of other travel booster seats dangle from the table, which always feels a little precarious to me. I'm also a fan of their Infant Comfort Canopy which attaches over the car seat and protects my little one not only from sun, wind and rain, but from those pesky strangers that think touching someone else's baby is okay. For those times we do use the car and are stuck using the car seat as my baby's stroller, it's a lifesaver. Brica products can be found at Amazon.