Briley's Mountain Room!

My recent post about our camping trip reminded me of the fact that I've yet to share pictures of Briley's nursery!
Aside from the obvious tiny human to love and cuddle, one of my favourite things about welcoming a new baby into the world is being able to decorate a nursery.   Aaralee's nursery was my dream baby room come true, and I still love it to this day.  When we found out that we were expecting our second child, I was quick to evict Ryan from his office. He was forced to relocate to the basement so that we could begin creating another special room for our second baby.  

Aaralee's room was inspired by our love of travel.  Globes, airplanes, and a giant world map set the decor.  We love to explore the world, but we also love home... thus the inspiration for Briley's room.  When we aren't jetting across the world, we are driving to the mountains for camping, gorgeous scenery, and fresh air!  It was decided that the room would therefore become a mountain/woodland themed nursery. 

We waited until we found out that she was a girl before we got serious about decorating, and then the room came to life.  Everyone assumed that we were having a boy given the theme of the room, but I was sure to incorporate a good dose of pink and girly touches!  With a little bit of creativity, craftiness, patience, and Ryan's cooperation, we ended up with a perfect room for our newest family member! I hope that she inherits our love of the mountains and the great outdoors!  

I think it's safe to say that Briley likes her room... although she won't actually spend the night in it for a little while yet!

Crib Bedding/Pillowcase/Dreamcatcher/Felt Fire: Etsy

Bookshelves/Bench/Rocking Moose: Ikea 

Wooden "B"/Nightstand: Homesense

Fox Quilt:  Gifted from a lovely friend... go buy things from her Etsy shop! 

Wall Triangles: Urban Walls

Tree: Painted by Ryan

Name/String Art Moose/Mobile: DIY

Briley Goes Camping!

When Aaralee was just a few weeks old we packed up the car and headed out to the mountains for our very first weekend away.  We love the mountains and at the time I felt so adventurous and proud of myself for making such a journey with a tiny baby.  Now that we've readjusted to life at home with a newborn, I felt ready to take Briley on the same trip.

 I was so excited to get out and enjoy the fresh mountain air, until I began my search for a hotel room.  Maybe it was because of the Calgary Stampede, or the fact that it was just Canada Day, or maybe it's just because it's summer.... whatever the reason, the few hotels that had vacancy were ridiculously overpriced.  I accepted the fact that we'd probably spend the weekend at home.

My husband is always a problem solver, so his solution was simple. "We could just go camping!", he suggested, as if camping with a 2 1/2 week old baby is a totally normal thing that all parents do.  I may or may not have laughed out loud at his suggestion before realizing that he was actually serious.  Don't get me wrong, I love camping and I fully intended on going out later in the summer.  That said, staying in a tent with a toddler and a newborn while recovering from major surgery just didn't appeal to me.  Using his incredible powers of persuasion, my husband somehow managed to convince me that we could still have a fun weekend away.  Before I knew it, I was packing our bags.  

Packing for two kids under the age of two is no easy task.   Aaralee's obsession with dirt and messy food meant that she'd need several outfits and both would need approximately 73 layers to keep warm at night.  We'd need double the diapers, triple the wipes, and basically every item from Briley's limited newborn clothing selection.   Once I'd successfully packed for both girls, I faced the even bigger challenge of packing for myself and my postpartum body that is too small for maternity and too big for pre-pregnancy clothing.  I left Ryan in charge of packing the camping supplies, himself, and the dog.  Eventually we were ready to hit the road. 

Just as we approached the highway to leave the city, we were met with ridiculously slow moving traffic. We always, always check the traffic before we plan our route, but on the one occasion that we forgot to, we ended up stuck in construction.  Things were slow moving, much to Briley's dismay.  Our tiniest family member loves being in fast cars and tends to be very vocal about her feelings towards driving too slow... apparently it runs in the family.  We eventually made it past the construction, at which time our air conditioning chose to quit working.   It was 30 degrees Celsius and we had many hours of driving ahead of us.  We called the Subaru dealership in Red Deer and fortunately they were able to squeeze us in on our way through town.  We piled into the air conditioned building with our kids and dog for an hour while they tried to fix the problem.  As someone who was hesitant about this trip in the first place, this was not the reassurance that I'd hoped for.  

After what felt like forever, we were back in the car and back on the highway... and guess what?! The rest of the drive was perfect.  Both kids slept the entire way to Banff as Ryan and I sat shivering in the front seat, vowing to appreciate our functioning air conditioning.  We arrived to the campsite where Ryan's parents had been since the night prior.  It was a beautiful evening spent eating campfire pizzas (my favourite!!) and watching Aaralee happily run around.  

Bedtime approached and I was nervous.  Would the kids be warm enough?! Would Briley's crying wake up other campers?  Would I get any sleep, at all? Low and behold, our newborn daughter slept BETTER in the tent than she had been sleeping at home.  Granted, we still woke up during the night, but that was to be expected. I was pleasantly surprised as I woke up feeling refreshed the next day.  

We spent our second day soaking up the sun and fresh air, eating more campfire cooked food, and wandering Banff.  

That evening, the clouds rolled in and it began to rain.  The temperature dropped and I bundled the kids in extra layers for the cool evening ahead. It was a brisk night in the tent, but everyone kept warm with the exception of me. It's not easy crawling out of a warm sleeping bag to feed a crying baby at 2 am.  We got through the night, and Briley slept well for the second night in a row.  I might have to spend more time outdoors at home, it appears to have magical sleepy baby powers.  The sun came out in the morning and it was a perfect send off as we packed the car for the journey home.  

Camping with a newborn isn't for everyone, but as it turns out, it's entirely possible.  Briley slept through the majority of her first trip, but I think in baby language that means that she thoroughly enjoyed it.  Now that we've crossed the scary first-trip milestone, we can look forward to the rest of the summer and hopefully many more trips with our mountain-loving little family!

Hello, 29.

Yesterday was my birthday! I've officially entered the very last year of my 20's! When did I get so old!?   In previous years, we've used my birthday as an excuse to vacation (we were in St. Lucia this time last year)  but between taking care of a 9 day old baby and recovering from surgery, staying home seemed more suitable this year.  Thanks to my sweet little family and some of my awesome friends, staying home didn't stop me from having a wonderful day!  

For starters, my tiny daughter gifted me with a little bit of extra sleep the night prior.  I was still up feeding her and changing diapers in the middle of the night, but she settled quickly and woke less frequently... I'll take what I can get these days.  Morning rolled around and Ryan took both kids downstairs and made breakfast while I lazed around in bed a little bit longer. 

I eventually forced myself to get up and get ready so that we could get out of the house at a decent time of day.  My birthday would revolve around food, as most occasions do in this household.  Still a bit full from breakfast, we decided that we'd have ice cream before lunch.  I love being a grown up and making such decisions.   I didn't get Aaralee her own cone, but she was happy to share with mommy and daddy. Thank goodness for baby wipes... toddlers aren't the cleanest of eaters.  It was a beautiful sunny day, perfect for ice cream, baby snuggles, and being outside. 

Next on my birthday wish-list was lunch.  I'd been longing for sushi since Briley's birth, despite the fact that I still ate it a bit while pregnant.  I wanted sashimi... real, delicious, raw fish. No guilt, no fear, because I'm finally no longer pregnant.  Ryan bought me a huge portion of it and we headed home to eat it while Aaralee napped.  

After lunch I cuddled my sleeping baby while Ryan went to Starbucks to get my free birthday drink.  Free obviously meant that it was necessary to get the biggest size possible, so I happily sipped my giant caramel macchiato and watched a movie.  A few friends came to visit and meet Briley, so we chatted for awhile before the left and it was time for dinner.  It was too hot to cook, so we ordered pizza.  I'm pretty sure that 2 weeks ago I vowed to eat healthier once my baby was born, but birthdays are an exemption. 

If you know me well, you are quite aware of the fact that I'm shamelessly addicted to the show Big Brother.  When I found out that the first episode of the new season premiered on my birthday, I knew exactly how our evening would be spent.  I invited over some of my best friends and fellow reality TV addicts and after Aaralee was tucked into bed we indulged in snacks, watched our show, and ate delicious chocolate cake!  It was a fairly low-key birthday, but it was absolutely perfect.  I have some of the best friends and family in the whole world and I couldn't have felt more loved.  Thank you to everyone for all of the birthday wishes! I can already tell that 29 is going to be a great year.    

Briley Amelia

On a sunny June evening after weeks of anticipation and 10 days past her due date, we finally welcomed our second daughter into the world. Meet Briley Amelia!  

She was born at exactly 7:00 pm on June 15, weighing exactly 8 pounds and standing tall at 21 inches.  We are so, so in love with her! 

 I might be a tiny bit biased, but I think that Ryan and I make beautiful children.  I can't wait to watch them grow together, play together, and do all things that sisters do! 

We are home now and settling into our new normal. Thank you for all of the congratulations and well wishes! Briley can't wait to meet you all! 

And Now We Wait...

Another due date has come and gone, and surprise, surprise... I'm still pregnant.  Although I was occasionally hopeful that history would not repeat itself, I really didn't anticipate that this baby would arrive in a timely manner.  Aaralee came into this world nearly 2 weeks past her due date, and only because she was forcefully evicted. What can I say? My babies love my womb!  

If you've ever been in this situation, you can probably appreciate the emotional rollercoaster that it can be.  You wake up each morning wondering if today will be the day that you go into labour.  You can't make many plans because they could likely be interrupted.  You ignore phone calls and text messages from eager friends and family looking for updates because there is absolutely nothing to update.  Everyone has advice on how to induce labour, and you politely nod your head when they tell you to walk more. Little do they know, you've been walking at least 10 kilometres a day for the past month, you've gone through 4 boxes of raspberry leaf tea and you spend your days camped out on an exercise ball.   Ultimately, your baby (or doctor) will decide when he or she is ready to make his or her debut.  

So what do you do to pass the days when it feels like you just might be pregnant forever? Well, let's start with Friday. Friday, the elusive, long awaited "due date".  I woke up that morning knowing full well that this baby was going to be at least a little bit late, so I spoiled myself.  40 weeks of carrying a baby is something to be celebrated!  I packed up Aaralee and we drove to a delicious little cafe for lunch with a friend.  I had pizza, an affogato, and one of each macaron from the pastry display.  I went for a wonderful, sunny walk and then returned home to spend the afternoon watching TV while Aaralee napped. That evening we met up with Ryan's parents for a glorious Chinese food dinner. I figured that if I wasn't having a baby on my due date, I may as well be enjoying the day to the fullest!  

We woke up on Saturday morning, and guess what?!  You guessed it... still pregnant. So instead of driving to the hospital, we got all dressed up, Ryan's parents came over to babysit, and we headed to a beautiful wedding.  Ryan's coworker (the groom) wasn't initially impressed with our timing when we announced our pregnancy, but we made it after all.  Open bars aren't very exciting when you are pregnant, but buffets most certainly are.   Especially buffets with perogies.  A good time was had by all, and much to my relief, I did NOT give birth on the dance floor.  

Sunday rolled around.  No sign of baby being eager to come out, so we carried on with our normal life. I went for a long walk with Aaralee and Ryan's mom.  Oh, and we bought a new (to us) car.  After a couple months of searching, we finally found what we were looking for and I'm now the proud owner of a Subaru Outback.   Space was running low in my Impreza, so we brought home our new car just in time.  We can fit so many groceries in the back, even with a stroller! Who needs a minivan? Not us!  

We spent the rest of our Sunday feasting on dim sum and shopping, and by the end of the day I was sporting some attractive swollen feet.  I sent Ryan to the grocery store for fruit and he returned home with a chocolate cake, so life was pretty good. 

It's Monday now.  I'm still pregnant. I have to pee every 5 minutes and I'm trying to keep up with a rather high energy toddler.  I'm trying really hard to enjoy these moments, but the fact of the matter is that I'm only getting fatter and more uncomfortable, and my desire for a sip of sangria is only increasing with each passing day.  I'm also pretty eager to snuggle my new little person.  I'm hoping that this pregnancy is over soon, but I know that the wait will be more than worthwhile.  I've made it this far, what's another few days?  

My baby's not a library book, 

So he's not overdue. 

My baby won't take too long to cook 

'Cause he's not veggie stew.

My baby's not an elephant.

And I am not fit to burst.

The time and date aren't relevant - 

We're blessed with days, not cursed.

My baby can't read dates yet 

Because he's very new.

There's no cause to fuss and fret 

If he doesn't come on cue.

So stop your worry.

Stop your asking.

There's no hurry.

We're just relaxing

In this golden pregnant time, 

This pause... just his and mine.

Now, you leave us be...

We are just fine.

~Rachel Pritchard

I'm Still Here, and Still Pregnant!

Oh hi there, Blog! You might think that I've abandoned you, but truth be told I've just been too lazy to  dedicate my time to rambling on about my current life.  That, and there really has not been a whole lot to ramble on about lately.  I'm just kicking back, being really darn pregnant and waiting for the impending arrival of our second baby.  Like... really pregnant.  I'll be 38 weeks on Friday so this baby could realistically show up any day now, but given my luck I've probably got about 4 more weeks of waiting.  These days going out in public inspires enlightening comments such as "You are sure going to be busy!" and "Wow, you must be ready to have that baby any day now."  Tell me something that I don't know, random strangers.   

People also like to ask if we are "ready" for the baby to come.  Is that a thing? Does anyone actually ever feel fully prepared and ready for the arrival of a brand new human being that will be their full responsibility?!  Aaralee was born nearly 2 weeks past her due date and despite my eagerness to no longer be pregnant, nothing could have completely prepared me for her arrival.  I feel the same this time around.  Sure, we've got the essentials and our bags are packed, but to sit back and say that I'm totally ready for a major life change would be delusional.  I'll never be ready, but I'll embrace the change and learn as I go. One thing that I know for certain is that I'm ready to shower this little person with more love than he/she will ever be able to comprehend... big sister has given me plenty of practice in that department.  

Speaking of Aaralee... she's somehow morphed overnight from being my little baby to a walking, talking, big girl.  She is already 20 months old!   Two is looming on our horizon, and she's got the attitude and tantrums to prove it.  Fortunately, she makes up for her monster moments with sweet hugs and kisses and a level of adorable that shouldn't even be legal.  Her current favourite things in life are food (as always), trees, toy cars, walks ("gok"), Niko, and playing at the park.  Whenever I'm certain that she can't possibly get any cuter, she proves me wrong.  I'm pretty lucky to be her mommy.   

Between Mother's Day and May Long weekend, we've had a busy couple of weeks jam packed with family and friends. It's been fun, but from here on out I'm going to exercise my right to be lazy, anti-social, and to stay home eating cookies and watching movies with my little family.  I'm excited to become a family of 4, but I want to enjoy every final moment of Aaralee being our one and only. I bid you all farewell for now, and we'll meet again when I have a new little person to introduce you to!  

spring happenings

It's Spring time!!  I've traded my boots for flip flops and Aaralee has been very appreciative of the extra time spent playing outside.  Just ignore the fact that we woke up to a rather large dumping of snow yesterday. This is Alberta and it's to be expected.  

Life lately has been pretty uneventful, and in all honesty that is all that I could hope for right now.  I'm (very) pregnant and my energy levels are depleting more and more with each passing day. It's not easy hauling around a giant ball of a belly all day long!  It's hard to imagine that if this baby is born even 6 days ahead of schedule, we'll have a newborn THIS month.  Aaralee was born 2 weeks past her due date so I'm not anticipating an early arrival, but in the back of my mind I know that it's a very real possibility.  I suppose that I should probably clean my house or pre-make meals or maybe pack a hospital bag or something.  Maybe tomorrow.  

I've been trying to take advantage of these final weeks by spending as much time with my little girl as possible while she still has her only child status. We've been spending our days outside, playing at the  park and in our backyard.  Every day is a new adventure when you are a toddler! 

This age is so much fun. She learns something new every day and makes us laugh on a near-constant basis.  She's a little chatterbox, but whether any of it is comprehendible depends on the day.   She loves to run, jump, and first and foremost... she loves to eat. Anything, everything.  Every waking hour, this girl wants food.  While other toddler parents are struggling to get their kids to eat meals, we are trying to manage tantrums when food isn't ready fast enough.  There is no doubt about it, she takes after her Mommy and Daddy.   

Because she will soon be a big sister, we took her for her very first haircut today.  What a brave, brave girl... myself, that is.  I know that it's only hair, but this milestone was an emotional one for me.       She has a big girl haircut and with each passing day her babyhood is fading into a memory.  Aaralee had mixed feelings about the haircut.  There was the initial excitement to sit in the "car" chair, followed by panic as a stranger draped a cape over her, and then a slow return to calm as she watched TV and had a snack.  In the end, she got to play in a ball pit and life was good. 

Niko also got a long overdue haircut, and now both of my babies are fresh, clean, and ready to welcome the newest family member.  

It's hard to believe that there are only 4 (or maybe 6) weeks until we meet this new little human!  Our crazy little home is about to get even busier, and we can't wait!