baby's first camping trip!

Ryan and I love camping. The fresh air, beautiful mountain scenery, and vast array of foods cooked over a campfire used to have us pitching a tent nearly every weekend of the summer.  Somewhere between full time jobs, pregnancy, and a baby, life has gotten in the way over the last few years.

When we (finally) found ourselves with a free weekend in which Ryan was off of work and in the city, we loaded the car (no exaggeration... it was full!) and headed to Banff.

Camping with a baby sounds like a lot of work, but to be honest it's really not much different than being home. Babies are simple creatures. They eat, play, and sleep... regardless of their surroundings.  We are fortunate that Aaralee sleeps well away from home and can cope with being away from her crib.  I accepted the fact that she would inevitably get dirty and let her play outside to her heart's content.  Her personal favourite activities were climbing the dirty, dusty trailer tires and attempting to eat tiny rocks before I grabbed them from her. Kids are gross.

The first day of our trip was a long one as we made the drive from Edmonton.  We got a campsite and set up the tent while we waited for Ryan's parents to join us. They are expert campers and we usually go along with them as they are always up for a weekend in the mountains.  Having four extra legs to chase our busy baby was an added bonus. 

 Once they arrived we ate dinner and sat outside on a beautiful, warm summer evening.  I bundled Aaralee up for her first night sleeping in a tent.  It wasn't long after she was asleep that I retreated to the tent myself. It had been a long day and I was exhausted!  

A couple weeks back we'd visited the Glacier Skywalk with my family. After posting a photo and tagging it on Instagram, I'd won a photo contest thanks to Brewster Canada! As part of my prize, I had tickets to the Banff lake cruise, so on Saturday Ryan, Aaralee and myself drove to Lake Minnewanka and enjoyed the views from the boat. We've been to the lake many times, but it was my first time on the cruise.  It was a bit rainy, but we were fortunate that some of the smoke from the wildfires further north had cleared.  We spotted a bald eagle, played with Ryan's new tilt shift lens, and Aaralee even got to sit in the captain's seat and drive the boat!

It was a rainy afternoon, so once we returned to the campsite we piled into Ryan's dad's truck to go for a scenic drive.  Aaralee fell into a car ride induced nap while we took in the gorgeous views. I love the Rockies and the fact that we are fortunate enough to live so close by.  

The skies cleared as we returned towards the campground, stopping along the way for some ice cream in Banff! We cooked up some delicious food, ate supper, and had another quiet night.... until 2 am rolled around and we awoke to the sound of our rowdy campsite neighbours.  Nobody in our tent got much sleep, but that unfortunately didn't convince Aaralee that she should sleep in the next morning. 

Sunday had rolled around and it was time to pack up camp and make the journey home. Our first camping trip with a baby had been a success, and I'm pretty sure that Aaralee loved it as well! That's a good thing... she's got a lot more camping in her future! I can't wait for her to grow up spending her summers by the campfire. 

visiting with the ontario family!

To say that the past month has been busy would be putting it mildly. Non-stop, jam-packed, and a little bit exhausting would more accurately describe it.  After two weeks in Oklahoma and a week in St Lucia, I returned home and prepared for another week away.  This destination was slightly less exotic but exciting nonetheless.  I packed up the baby, the dog, and myself and we set off for my hometown of Red Deer for a week's stay at my mom's house.  My grandparents were in town from Ontario for the first time in a few years, so we decided to stay in Red Deer for the duration of their visit.

The last time that they'd seen Aaralee, she was just 2 months old and spent the majority of the day napping and nursing.  Nearly 8 months later, she is a crazy busy little girl who never sits still for longer than a few seconds.  They were reunited on bad timing, with a sleepy baby wanting cuddles from nobody other than her mommy. Fortunately, she warmed up to them as the week went on.  

It was a busy week jam packed with adventures. First things first, we wanted to take our guests to the best place that Alberta has to offer... the Rocky Mountains!  We left early in the morning bound for the Columbia Icefields. Ryan and I left early, stopping a few times to keep the baby fed, changed, and happy.  Our group was traveling in 3 separate vehicles and we were all fortunate enough to make it through just in time before the highway was closed due to a wildfire. Once we'd met up we headed for a bus to take us to the brand new Glacier Skywalk.  Stretching out above the valley sits a glass floored observation deck.

 When you look down, all that you can see beneath your toes is a 918 foot drop.  It was surprisingly less scary than I'd anticipated, but a cool experience nonetheless.  Once we'd finished with the Skywalk it was onward to Jasper where we arrived at our awesome chalet for the evening.  It was a cozy log cabin big enough for the whole family! 

We ventured into town for a bit of shopping and returned for dinner before calling it a night.  Ryan left at a ridiculously early hour in the morning, bound for the airport to depart on yet another trip down to Oklahoma. 

The next day brought us back to Jasper and Athabasca Falls before the long, long journey home. Because the highway was still closed due to the fire we were forced to take the slightly longer and far less scenic route back. It was a long day but we eventually made it back to Red Deer to rest up for another long day to follow. 

Once again we hit the road, this time bound for Calgary. It just so happened that the Stampede was on and I could not wait to indulge in all things deep fried.  It was a hot summer day filled with overeating and money wasted on games that nobody ever actually wins.  I tried my best to win a teddy bear for my baby, but I lost as per usual.  Among this year's snacks were deep fried pickles, Dippin' Dots ice cream, pulled chicken, deep fried oreos... and of course, a corn dog. It was so much easier last year, as I was pregnant and felt more entitled to indulge. Everyone had a great day taking in all of the fun that the grounds had to offer.  Another year, another successful Stampede! 

The next day was Wednesday and somehow an entire week had gone by and it was time to say goodbye to our Ontario visitors as they returned home.  It had been a great week and it was wonderful to be on maternity leave and have so much time to spend with them and the rest of the family... rather than being stuck at work or living abroad as I'd been on previous visits. It's hard to believe that the next time that we see them Aaralee will be a walking, talking, adorable little monster! 

spontaneous getaways!

It was Ryan's first day back to the office after weeks of working out of town.  Aaralee and I were back home and settling into our daily routine, happy to have all of the amenities of our own house. Two weeks of trying to entertain her in a hotel room was exhausting, and I was content to stay home for awhile after the chaos of travel.  I changed my mind within 5 minutes of my husband's return from work that evening.  He'd found himself with some rare downtime between the normal never-ending tasks at work.  He could spend it trying to keep busy in the office, or we could go somewhere on vacation.  As happy as I was to be back home, there is never a time in which I'll turn down the opportunity to go somewhere.  Travel is a part of me, an addiction for which there is no cure.  To justify the trip even more, we'd be gone for my birthday.  

We discussed our options and tried to decide where to go. A road trip? An all inclusive vacation? Camping?  After much contemplation we settled on a trip to beautiful St. Lucia.  Normally out of the realms of our budget, it was the low season and thus way more affordable.  Booking a trip four days before departure also helps when it comes to price reductions.  We splurged on the all inclusive package and prepared for a week of binge eating... my favourite! 

I took our clothes from the Oklahoma trip out of the suitcase just to wash them before packing them all over again.  We flew out on the red eye for a tiring start to our vacation, but the bonus to night flights is that my baby and husband actually sleep on planes. Myself, not so much.  After a connection in Toronto and a long day of travel we arrived... we were in St Lucia! This new destination brought Ryan and I to a grand total of 37 countries visited each, and it was number 4 for our miniature jet setter.  We rode the windy steep hills to our resort across the island and checked into our own little slice of paradise.  We had a one bedroom suite on the side of a mountain complete with a gorgeous ocean view.  I was giddy with excitement and eager to start vacationing!

The next week consisted of delicious meals (filet mignon being my personal favourite), playing in the pool, lazing on the beach, and of course fruity, yummy cocktails.  Although it had only been 2 months since our last beach vacation, the experience with a 9 month old baby was completely different than it had been with a 7 month old. On our last trip Aaralee couldn't crawl or stand. This time around, she was cruising down the beach and climbing everything in reach.  She loved splashing in the water and eating tropical fruit... and sand.  

I spent my 28th birthday cruising along the shores of St Lucia on a catamaran island tour. We took in the beauty of the majestic Piton mountains, walked in the crater of a volcano, and ate lunch at a cocoa plantation.  Ryan went snorkelling as I enjoyed snuggles with a sleeping baby.

  Upon returning to our resort we headed for dinner. Aaralee didn't grant me my wish of a peaceful meal, but the cake at the end made up for juggling a fussy baby. 

Later on in the week it dawned on me that we could enjoy every dinner with our baby if only she'd sleep through them.  I put her in her wrap, where she'd promptly fall asleep and Ryan and I would enjoy a peaceful meal... albeit a bit sweaty with a sleeping baby tied to me.  

The week came to an end far too soon, as it always does. We'd had a wonderful time in St Lucia and I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to take a trip with my little family before Ryan's job picks up and takes him out of town yet again!  

ryan's very first father's day!

When choosing the man to spend the rest of my life with, it was necessary that he fit certain criteria. I'm a picky person and refused to settle for anything less than exactly what I wanted... which is really how everyone should be when contemplating something as important as marriage. Ryan ticked all of the boxes, and I'm so fortunate to have found him. One of the specific items on my list was that he would have to want to have children one day, and I needed to know that he'd be a good father.  There wasn't a question of doubt in my mind that he'd be a great dad.... after all, he is a kid at heart.

When Aaralee joined the world last year, he exceeded my expectations and made her the luckiest little girl in the world.  From the beginning he took on the role like a pro.

So when Father's Day loomed on the horizon I knew that we'd have to do something special... especially after my first wonderful Mother's Day.

When I heard about the "Roam the Runway" event at the Calgary airport, I knew that we'd have to go. Even if it didn't fall on Father's Day, the aviation geeks in us could not and would not miss such an event.  At 14,000 feet, the new runway will be the longest in Canada and capable of landing jumbo jets such as my beloved A380. The runway event was open to the public, full of food trucks, airplanes, and entertainment.  When else would we have the opportunity to step foot on the runway of an international airport?!

We woke up bright and Sunday morning. We were a bit tired, having attended a wedding the day prior, but thankfully that meant that we were already in Red Deer which was half of the drive.  We had a Father's Day breakfast with Ryan's family, and Aaralee delivered a few treats to her Grandpa Bruce.  Ryan had already opened his card that she had lovingly signed (scribbled on).

After getting our fill of waffles and coffee we set off for Calgary! We arrived and loaded onto a bus just in time for the rain to start. Luckily for us, we arrived and were given big red rain ponchos. Aaralee was cozy and warm in her stroller, and we were off to roam the runway!

The biggest thrill of the day was the fact that Air Canada had flown in their 787 Dreamliner for the occasion. It was parked for all to see and we happily walked underneath it and touched it for the very first time. We are still a bit upset about the fact that we were supposed to have flown on it to Japan, but we'll get over that one day... maybe.

We continued walking way down to the end, writing our names on the lines and happily wandering past aircraft.

 After taking photos of our baby posing by the runway lights, we headed to the food trucks for lunch.  Father's Day meant Ryan's choice of food, and thus we indulged in a fried chicken poutine. It was delicious, as poutine typically is.

The rain had stopped but the wind made for a chilly afternoon. Our baby was getting cold due to her insistence of being carried as opposed to sheltered from the wind in her stroller.

 We decided to make our way back to the car, stopping for a couple more photos of the Dreamliner... including one of Aaralee sitting in the big, beautiful engine. I can't wait for the day that we have the opportunity to fly in one!

We headed back to Red Deer after a short stop at Tim Horton's for iced caps... did you know that they now make birthday cake flavoured donuts? They do, and they are delicious. It's as though they know that I was born this month.

Back in Red Deer we had dinner with Ryan's parents and visited for awhile before making the drive back to Edmonton. We'd only been home from Oklahoma for one day before heading to Red Deer, so it was nice to relax and crawl into our very own bed. I may have enjoyed the day just as much as Ryan, but it was fun to celebrate him and the great daddy that he is to our daughter.  She sure loves him... as do I!   

hanging out in oklahoma.

After 10 days away in Oklahoma, we are back on Canadian soil! We even brought Ryan home with us after more than 3 weeks of working away.  I have to say that while I'll miss the shopping and plethora of junk food not available here, it's good to be home.  It sounds rather relaxing to spend your days in a nice hotel with little to do besides watch TV, wander Walmart, go for sunny walks or hang out in the swimming pool. It probably would be, until I remember the fact that I have a tiny little 9 month old monster who never sits still, ever. She climbed the furniture, falling several times per day and accumulating new bruises and goose eggs along the way.  

She tried to eat absolutely everything that she stumbled upon, be it dead grasshoppers or bobby pins.  Take it from me, what is truly relaxing is a gated off living room in the comfort of my own home.  

Nevertheless, we enjoyed our time in Oklahoma as it meant that we were with Ryan every evening.  After long days of trying to entertain both myself and a baby, it was a relief when he would finally return at the end of the day. There was little in walking distance of our hotel aside from Walmart and Sonic Drive In. We spent our evenings eating delicious greasy dinners consisting primarily of fried items. It just seems necessary when you are in the most obese country in the world.  

Ryan was only fortunate enough to have one and a half days off of work during our entire stay. We made the most of these days by shopping like maniacs, exploring the touristy spots in Oklahoma City, and driving through a couple of communities that were devastated by EF5 tornadoes a year prior.  As someone who is very afraid of severe storms, I spent each morning tuned into the weather channel. We saw a few thunderstorms, but nothing more. 

 It was sad to see the destruction that can occur, particularly in the city of Moore. Massive trees were uprooted, a school was being rebuilt, and spots where homes once stood were now nothing more than concrete foundations. 

We also visited the Oklahoma City bombing memorial, which was a beautiful tribute to another tragic event. 

To lighten the mood after the somber sights, we headed for dinner at Toby Keith's "I Love This Bar and Grill".   We ordered far too much food, once again failing to remember that we were in America where portions are generally gigantic.  There is nothing wrong with leftover buffalo wings and chilli for breakfast, right? 

On the last day of our trip, Ryan caught a ride to work and left the keys to the rental car for me.  After days of being cooped up in a hotel, I was excited to get out into the exciting tiny town of Stillwater.  I buckled Aaralee in and we set off. Our first stop was Starbucks, because I'd survived solely on hotel coffee for days and needed a dose of espresso.  It was a gorgeous sunny day, perfect for walks and naps in the stroller.  We wandered through the crafty megastore Hobby Lobby, which was basically paradise. We went for lunch at Panera and continued shopping the nearby stores.  With hours to spare before Ryan finished work, I decided to take Aaralee to the children's museum. She was far too young to get much out of it, but there was a room just for kids under the age of 2 full of all sorts of fun things that were actually suitable for a baby to play with.  Rather than constantly saying "Aaralee, no!" as I'd been doing in the hotel room, I was able to sit back and watch her go wild. She climbed everything and turned the room into a mess of balls and toys.  Her favourite part was diving down sloped foam mats and laughing crazy baby belly laughs. My kid has no fear. 

Far too early on Friday morning we checked out of the hotel and drove to the Tulsa airport.  Though travelling with an infant is always a lot of work, I was happy to have Ryan with me to help out this time... unlike the trip down. Aaralee is a great traveler for the most part, and I couldn't be more thankful for that.  It was a long day, but we finally made it home where we were happy to reunite with our furbaby after his very own vacation just down the street at our neighbour's house!   Until we meet again, Oklahoma! Thank you for your southern hospitality.  

a little luau!

It's 10:00 pm. My house is in disarray and I need to pack for our trip seeing as how we leave the day after tomorrow. So naturally, here I sit eating a cupcake and updating my blog.  

Today I hosted (with my co-host Michaelle) a baby shower for my friend Jackie. We've been friends for a long time... since before she decided to spell her name "Jacque" despite arguments that that would be pronounced "Jack". I decided to forever spell it however I pleased, and Jackie it was.  Anyways... I'm rambling.

If I take Aaralee's age in weeks and subtract 2, that's how pregnant Jackie is. Apparently I made having a newborn look like so much fun that she had to go out and get one as well.  Copy cat.  

The baby shower was a luau theme, and those of you who know me well are probably aware of the fact that I really enjoy planning theme parties.  There were leis and mai tais and grass skirts galore... Maui basically exploded on the main floor of my house.  A lot of hard work went into this day, but the end result was worth it! Who knew that we could cram so many people into my house?  

I hope that the mama to be enjoyed herself! Aaralee and I certainly can't wait to meet little baby H in the next few weeks!  

busy, busy, there's so much to do!

(The title of this blog post is from a song on Aaralee's Fisher Price toy.  It's constantly in my head. You know that you are a mom when.... )

Spring is in the air! The grass is finally green, the days are getting longer, the trees are full of leaves, and on a few occasions the weather has been warm and sunny.  I've waited so long for this. I feel as though last summer was a bit of a write-off what with being heavily pregnant the entire time.  

This year, I'm back to my normal self with a new little person to spend the days with. We are eagerly awaiting swimming pools, evening walks, and virgin pina coladas. 

It's been a busy week at home.  Ryan is away working in Oklahoma again, so it's just the baby, the dog, and myself.  I never realize just how much help my husband is until he's gone away.  I don't have the usual sense of relief that I get at the end of the day. 5 pm rolls around and nobody comes home. I don't have a second parent to help with dinner while I get the baby ready for bed, or to bring me a towel when I forget to grab one before plopping her into the tub, or worst of all, to come for emergency backup when dealing with a diaper disaster and a baby that just wants to crawl away.  

I've upped my caffeine intake.  I know that there are single parents that do this all day, every day, and I give them props. 

Lately Aaralee has been making strange around men.  If they so much as look in her direction she'll lose her mind.  It doesn't matter if it's her uncle or a friendly old man... she wants nothing to do with them. Here's hoping that it stays that way until she's at least 30.  Because Ryan is gone away so long, he's a bit worried that she'll react the same way around him when he returns.  On previous shorter trips, she's taken a bit of time to warm up to him when he came home. Due to this and the fact that he loves and misses us oh so much, he went ahead and booked us flights to Tulsa. He bribed me with the fact that Walmart is walking distance from the hotel, although I would have came regardless. I am pretty excited about Walmart though... it's amazing in the States and I'll have endless hours of free time.

The thought of travelling alone with my baby and connections in unfamiliar airports is a bit (a lot) daunting, but if anyone can do it, it should be me. 

I don't know what we'll do in Oklahoma while Ryan works, but our hotel is nice and so is the southern weather.  I'm looking forward to seeing Ryan, wearing shorts, and persuading him to take me to Miranda Lambert's store.  

Until then, we'll be busy at home trying to pack and plan for a baby shower that we are hosting this weekend!  Fingers crossed for sunny weather, because it's going to get a bit squishy in this house! 

Rain, rain, go away... come back when we're away in Oklahoma.