Keep it real this holiday season

Don't take this the wrong way ... I'm not an anti-Christmas scrooge.  My family celebrates the holidays, we even exchange gifts.  We put a lot of thought into the gifts we exchange, so rather than giving for the sake of giving a physical item, we give to show appreciation to the other party.  I believe that unnecessary consumption around the holidays is out of control.  I recently saw this picture and it really hit home...

I challenge people this holiday season to take toll of what the holidays really mean to you.  Perhaps ponder a charitable gift in that sea of giving.  I want to raise my children to appreciate the luxuries we have here in Canada, while staying in tune with the reality of poverty and illness that many face on a daily basis around the globe.  I want them to give thanks at the holidays for the people in their lives, for our beautiful planet, and for our ability to help those in need.

2 worlds, 1 trip ...

August found us jetting westward to celebrate a friend's nuptials in beautiful British Columbia.  Due to a convoluted series of events, what was originally going to be a 2-week camping adventure around Vancouver Island turned into a 4-day tour of Galiano Island followed by a week in Maui.  Random, I know.  This trip was crazy.  I don't know where to begin.  Perhaps by warning any women in their first trimester of pregnancy that an epic journey is not the greatest of ideas.  In retrospect, we should have stuck with our original itinerary and skipped out on the "B only flies free till January so we have to go to Hawaii while we can" adventure.

BC was amazing.  The wedding was on Galiano Island, the ceremony was beautiful, oceanfront, and 'real'.  It was sooo great to catch up with friends at the wedding as well as in transit through Vancouver.  We camped at Montague Harbour Marine Park on Galiano, definitely recommend this!  A note about BC parks for those interested:  many don't have showers, so be prepared to do a bird bath, especially if you're easily lured into the salty waters of the Pacific like us!

We started each day with a stroll along "Shell Beach" at low tide.  The sand on the beach is actually all crushed shells, and B was fascinated (ok, me too) with the abundant life left exposed on the shore.  Purple sea stars, sea urchins, jelly fish, clams, empty shells, herons munching on tasty finds, otters swimming about, etc.  We found a gem of a bakery (the only bakery on the island?) that served up amazing cinnamon buns every morning, pair that with a chai and that wonderful hungover feeling associated with 1st trimester blahs was kept at bay!  We spent an entire day driving to and fro on Galiano, taking in the beautiful scenery and laid back vibe of the island.  So much to see and do on Vancouver Island & surrounding area, definitely planning a return trip sometime when the monkeys are bigger (i.e. can kayak!).

low tide fun!

The day after the wedding we packed up our already tired selves (from 3 nights of camping and 3 hour time change) and made the long trek to Hawaii.  Car, ferry, , plane, car.  By the time we actually landed in Maui, picked up the rental car & made the hour long drive to the condo we rented, we were zapped. Add to that an additional 3 hour time change, and we had one messed up B (and me)!  It took a couple days for us to get our heads straightened out.

This was mine & B's 1st time to Maui, and hubby's 5th or some such thing, mind you he hadn't been there since he was a child.  So we were all pretty excited to explore the island and see all it has to offer ... although not at the quick pace we used to travel at pre-B!  After B tossed her cookies 3/4 of the way up Haleakala we decided long twisty drives are not part of the package.  Thus activities like driving up the volcano and following the road to Hana were completed in part, enough to give us the general idea, but we learned our lesson the 1st time and didn't push B's limits!

hippy culture still alive and well in northern Maui

Travelling at a toddler's pace is becoming second nature to us now, so we really enjoyed our time playing at the beach, running around banyon trees, examining koi ponds, snails and stray cats around the condo, and other toddleresque activities :)  It's important to have down days; for us every other day was unplanned.  No long drives, no epic adventures.  Those were the laze around on the beach & take turns snorkelling while one of us plays with B days.  Afternoon naps were had by all, not a difficult thing when the sun is super hot mid-day and you naturally seek out shade anyways!  The days when we did drive, we tried to coordinate nap time with drive time.

Ooooh, a huge snail!  Let's poke it.  Repeatedly.

Having a condo was key.  Kitchen, check.  Washing machine, check (so thankful for that after the volcano incident ... nasty car seat carnage from that one).  Room for B to wiggle, check.  Cheaper than a hotel, check!  We did end up eating out a fair bit, but attempted to do our dinners at home and lunches out (much cheaper that way).

Baby Beach, Lahaina, Maui

A note on flying with a toddler:  while they may still be considered a "lap held infant" and fly for free, they don't necessarily want to sit on your lap for takeoff, landing and turbulence (surprised?  didn't think so).  We lucked out with an empty seat between hubby & I on all flights, this was key.  We buckled B into the seat when flying was smooth (but adhered to the rule of her on our lap for the rest of the time), thankfully there was a t.v. in the seatback for her to watch kids shows (a novelty as she doesn't watch much at home), and a few small toys from home made the journey enjoyable.  Sleeping on the plane was uncomfortable, but do you honestly ever expect a comfy sleep on a metal tube rocketing through the sky with a toddler beside/on you?

All in all it was definitely a memorable journey!  Glad we did it.  Wouldn't repeat it.  Would do each trip separately, most definitely!  Looking forward to exploring closer to home next summer when our 2nd wee one is here ... perhaps a road trip to the east coast?! ...

Northern serenity

Wow!  It's half way through fall & I haven't posted since June ... oops!  Guess I'll use the excuse "we were busy enjoying life".

We just returned from the Komune (seems like last post was upon our spring return from Komuneland).  We missed the entire summer season up there, but managed to enjoy some serenity, fresh fall air, canoeing, saunaing, hiking, morning frost and the general "ahhhhhh" of being up north.

sunset paddle

B was soooo excited to be there.  She greeted everything, "hi lake!", "hi home!", "hi hot!", "hi wind!"  (hot = sauna, home = cabin ... but you get the idea).  Also was pretty pumped about canoeing.   While we had her out canoeing about a year ago (our trip into Algonquin), this was her first memorable canoe adventure.  It was rather amusing, there'd be much chatter about the canoe ("new! new! new!"), followed by a surprisingly short paddle around the lake.  One minute into the paddle she'd either be attempting to get out of the canoe in search of fish, or be saying "done, canoe!  bye bye canoe".

Return of the rainsuit!

B was also very concerned about some candles we lit to illuminate our evenings in the cabin.  She wouldn't go to sleep if they were burning, and kept saying "cake?!".  Poor child thinks all candles belong on birthday cakes and must therefore be blown out.

All in all a fantastic weekend!  We always leave the north asking ourselves "why don't we do this more often?"!

calmness of morning

Black flies and babies

May 2-4 is summer season's kick-off weekend in Canada.  Celebrating Queen Victoria's birthday (any excuse for a long weekend!), many folks pack up and head out for adventure with fireworks, outdoorsy pursuits and, hopefully, good (but usually not) weather in tow.
What many Canadians, in particular, Ontarians, seem to forget over the winter is that May 2-4 coincides with the emergence of biting flies.  Those pesky dipterans burst forth from their watery worlds to pester creatures big and small.  Black flies and mosquitoes abound in the north woods this time of year.  I have to admit I have a soft spot for black flies as I studied them for 3+ years as a Master's student.  B, however, not so much a fan...
This particular May 2-4, B & I headed north for "lady's weekend" at a friends cabin.  Immediately after I stopped the vehicle I noticed them, swarms of mosquitoes and black flies vying for position at the windows of the jeep, eyeing up two juicy bloodmeals.  The 2km hike from jeep to cabin was, for lack of a better word, dreadful.  Thankfully the cabin is perched alongside a lake which provides a light breeze that keeps the voracious two-winged bitters at bay.  I refused to apply insect repellant to her or any of her clothes.  I made sure to spray my hat with repellant (followed by a thorough hand washing), and since she was always close at hand I was her fly deflector.  She did succumb to a few bites, but seems to be handling them like a champ.
Insects aside, we had a blast.  B loved it and seemed to recall having been there just a couple weeks ago with us.  She had a couple good dips in the lake, playing in the small beach and refusing to emerge from the lake when I deemed necessary (i.e. lurking snapping turtle).
One handy device I remembered to bring was an infant harness.  Baby leash.  Whatever you choose to call it.  Some people have mixed emotions on these, but honestly, when hiking along uneven trails with roots and rocks and water, the harness was great.  One little trip is all it takes to have an eye poked out, and this harness was a great way to catch her before eye meets branch.
They may not be epic adventures in our eyes, but I'm hoping that these short trips northward will stick with her as she grows into an Earth-loving person.

The essential wipe

I never used to be overly concerned about the hygiene of public places until our we became three.  Wee B now has me seeing MRSA, hanta, avian flu & other unwanted immune invaders everywhere.  Restaurant tables & highchairs, shopping carts, airport seats, door knobs, toys that were ejected onto the floor in public places, you name it.  Everything within touching (or licking) distance of B now goes through a TSA-esque screening process prior to contact with the munchkin.

I don't want to sound neurotic (trust me, I'm not ... my kid eats dirt, after all).  I'm just a concerned mum trying to minimize B's risk of contracting "the junk".

Wipes are a staple in my travelling arsenal.  I use antibacterial ones as well as more earth- & baby-friendly LOC wipes.  I always have a pack in my purse, one in the diaper bag, one in the car, and another easily accessible in a carry-on or daypack.  I usually follow-up the cleansing with a good rinse of water from our drinking bottles so no chemicals are ingested.

Trust me, while travelling through Ecuador with a 5-month old munchkin in her "oral" phase and no running water nearby, they're irreplaceable.

Pooptastrophy!

"riiippp" goes the velcro on her cloth diapers from the other room, followed by "uh oh, uh oh!".

I didn't think much about it till she came trotting to me holding her diaper in one hand, dropping "mementoes" from it as she walked, leaving wee brown footprints on my beige carpet.  Uh oh indeed.  Funny thing is she had just been sitting on the potty prior to this pooptastrophy (note: no mementoes left in toilet).  After a quasi panicked phone call to my mother followed by a thorough cleaning with my favourite all-fabric bleach & a good steaming, all was well in carpet land again.

Fast forward 24 hours.  30 minutes of potty time followed by "riiippp" "uh oh, uh oh!"; this time she decided to pop a squat in the middle of her bedroom floor and open the flood gates.  Another all-fabric bleaching plus steaming and all was well in carpet land again.

The trick seems to be getting a onesie onto wee B post-haste following diaper changes, as baby diaper ninja has figured out how velcro works and is not scared to use it.

I've been half-heartedly trying to potty train, and I'm sure many moms are rolling their eyes right now saying it's an all-or-nothing thing.  I'm beginning to agree!  Wish me luck as I continue adventures in diaper land...

my kid eats dirt

B loooves to eat dirt.  She has some sort of magnetic attraction to our garden and feels, in all of her 15-months of worldly wisdom, that all matter is edible.  I have to admit, neither myself or my hubby are panic-stricken about this new habit.  Actually, over the past few weeks, I'd say she's started to get bored of it already.  Much less dirt entering mouth.  She does tend to favour consumption of nutrient-rich garden soil over sandbox sand.  Thus, plans are in the works to construct a sandbox in our yard ... shhh, don't tell B it's just a sandbox, it's her 'garden'!

She also loves to roll around in the garden.  I'm talking full on spread eagle in the dirt rolling front to back.  Hilarious?  Yes.  Messy?  Yes.  Thankful for B's mud suits?  Yes.  MEC's "Newt suit" is awesome.  It's works great and is great quality.  Check out my Gear page for more info!

Now I just need to figure out a way to save my plants from Godzilla Baby...

B demonstrating how to roll about in muck in her Newt suit

Baby carriers

I'm a big fan of baby carriers.  Not so much a fan or wrestling with a stroller while travelling, or tripping my way through strollers clogging up public spaces.  I also enjoy having my hands free to point out all the cool things we're experiencing, whether it be a dog on our street or a monkey in the Amazon.

Soft-structured carriers (Mei Tais, Ergos, Becos, etc.) are fantastic for travelling.  They keep your child close, give them a sense of security, pack down small enough that you can bring multiple styles of carrier (guilty!), and usually offer multiple carrying positions.

B & me sporting our Freehand Mei Tai

Slings are also fantastic, although I personally find that I can't wear B in a sling as long as in our Mei Tai or Ergo.  We started off with a pocket sling, but after attempting to use it in South America I came to the conclusion that it was just the wrong size for me.  Rather than selling it, it's now living in my cupboard waiting to be converted into a cushion or some such thing.  We then bought a ring sling, nice & quick to pop B in & out of for quick trips into the grocery store, etc.  And soooo adjustable!  She can sit super high up on my hip if I so desire :)

B & me modelling our ring sling

B & me in Quito sporting the pouch sling

Our structured backpack carrier proved fantastic this past winter.  B fit in it fabulously with her bulky snowsuit, and was finally big enough to see up over the edge of it (she was ~10 months when she hit this point)!  We lugged this same carrier to Ecuador when she was just 5 months old, and, aside from a brief 10 minute stint in it at the bottom of a lush jungle canyon, she really didn't want anything to do with it.  It would have been so nice if she decided to ride in it as it kept her hot body off of our hot bodies, gave our arms a rest and offered some sun protection.  After that trip we were so tempted to sell it.  Glad we didn't.  Once the cold weather rolled in, she was quite content to ride in it.  Able to stuff B and snowsuit into it; we were so thankful for to have it in our arsenal!  We could go places where no baby had gone before!  Here's hoping she likes it more this summer!

B briefly enjoying her time in the backpack carrier in Ecuador.    

A few notes on baby carriers:
- If you use a good one that holds the child close to your body & evenly distributes their body weight onto yours, you should be able to carry them for years in it.
- There are many different styles of carriers out there ... your (and baby's) dimensions and personal preference will determine which carrier is best for you
- When picking out a carrier keep in mind what you will be using it for.  Is weather protection important? Pockets for storage?  Forward facing?  Multiple carrying positions?  Fabric?

Algonquin in Winter

This past February we introduced our wee B to Algonquin in winter.  We generally try to get up to the park once every winter, whether it be yurting or 'luxury' accoms at the Wildlife Research Station.  The pure silence and harsh beauty of this place in winter is remarkable.

The WRS was an ideal location as we were a) very familiar with it, and b) no hot wood stoves to risk baby burnage on.

We went up for 2 nights / 3 days.  We just chilled the 1st evening/night we were there.  The next day we set out on an epic 8km (8 hour) snowshoe over hill, dale, frozen (?) rivers and lakes to visit a remote cabin.  Memorable adventure, indeed.  We took turns carrying B in our backpack carrier while the other carried a supply pack (supplies = sandwiches, water, headlamps, diapers).  A quaint lunch in an old ranger's cabin was a welcome rest.  I'd have to say we were a bit over-ambitious on this trek.  Sooo exhausted afterwards, with 'just' enough daylight to get back!  Never mind the condition of our muscles the next day!  But it was so worth it.  The long snowshoe across the frozen Sas as the sun was dipping low in the sky was an experience we'll never forget (in part due to the awesomeness of the moment, and also in part due to our questionable judgement on the stability of the late February ice ... not the brightest idea, in retrospect, to take ones entire family on dodgy ice).

The finale to a rather ambitious trek!

Nostalgia mixed with new memories as we poked into old cabins, labs and cookhouse.  Bombarded with the smells, sights and sounds of a bygone era in our lives.  So glad we made the trip and hope to make a tradition out of it!  This place holds a special place in our hearts, and it's a priority for us to bestow the awesomeness of it to our children.

Winter bliss

Essentials for winter baby travel...

Outdoor stuff:

SNOWSUIT - we prefer a quality 1-piece, one size too big to keep those hands & feet tucked inside

SNOWBOOTS - unstructured are best at this age, super light and not tripping over clunky soles!

MITTENS - the warmer the better!  nb:  put on prior to snowsuit to ensure optimal retention.

TOQUE - multi-layered, preferably one that covers ear

SCARF - we use a home-made flannel one

SUNGLASSES - snow blindness is no fun.
SNOWSHOES!

Indoor stuff:

SLIPPERS - warm (nice sheep fleece lined ones are super duper)

DUVET - if you have vehicle access, go for it.  Cuddling under a warm duvet while the snow is piled 3/4 of the way up the window beside you is amazing.

SLEEPING BAG - if duvet is infeasible, bag it up.  A good warm one.

LONG JOHNS - :)

LAYERS - lots of them

SOCKS - warm (merino wool is best!)

Next year B will have her own snowshoes!

Sugar Bush time

Spring has sprung and the sap's a flowin'.

For some unknown reason my dad was eager to get to a sugar bush.  I say this since I cannot even remember when I was last at a sugar bush, perhaps when I was 9?  Maybe?  He felt the need to have a child with him for this trip, so we packed into the car and he, Nana, B and me headed to a lovely bush in Effingham.  What a fun day!  B had her 1st dose of pancakes with real Canadian maple syrup, we toured a sugar bush and adjoining sugar shack, stocked up on our fair share of maple syrup & even got a wagon ride out of the deal!  B, of course, decided she did not want to be carried but rather run amok throughout the muddy bush.  Of course.

All in all a terrific morning spent with Nana & Papa.  Might have to do this every year!

B running under the sugar bush lines

Snooowwwww!

Yes, I'm one of 'those' people that absolutely LOVES snow.  The thought of a snowstorm gets me excited! We had, as forecasters called it, 'snowmageddon' this past week.  Really, it was just a snowstorm.  Southern Ontario really can't cope well with snow.  Regardless, it did provide us an amazing opportunity to head out on relatively untouched trails to get in some snowshoeing with the babe!  She had the queen bee seat up in the backpack carrier, and was so excited by her first* snowshoeing adventure that she fell asleep into an amazing two hour nap.  It was GORGEOUS outside!  Fluffy snowflakes coming down, crisp February air, and just us on the trail :)
*note, technically Kai experienced her 'first' snowshoeing adventure in December 2009 while she was hanging out in utero as Fetus.

Plastic-free living

I've never been a huge fan of plastic.  That nasty taste it imparts on contents stored within it, the absolute 'fakeness' of it, the stickiness of it as it ages.  I was, in a twisted way, glad to hear the news stories break about BPA and all it's nasty effects on humans.  Humans.  Hmph.  What about all the other critters in this world?!  I'm sure ecosystems suffer from plastics, and not just on the non-biodegradable, filling our landfills level.


I've been on a mission over the past couple of years to de-plasticize our home.  Not as easy as one may think, this task has proven to be quite the challenge.  It's simple to eliminate all of the unnecessary plastics around the house.  Terra cotta pots for the plants, wooden cooking utensils, bamboo cutlery tray, bamboo cutting board, real wood furniture, etc. 


The real challenge is when you stop and assess everything that is made of plastic.  Toothbrushes.  Breast milk storage bags.  Breast pumps.  Coffee makers.  Electric teapots.  Baggies.  Plastic wrap.  The microwave?!  Food packaging.  Children's toys (#$^&*!).  Children's furniture.  Baby bottles, pacifiers, etc.  Exercise equipment.  Yoga mats.  Toiletries containers. Spectacles.  Window treatments.  Zippers.  Storage bins.  ...... You get the drift.


Some of these products can be replaced with stainless steel (kettles,etc.).  Some with wood (hair & tooth brushes).  Others with glass (food storage).  You really have to let your imagination do the work solving some issues.  I refused to store breast milk in those pre-fab storage bags.  Warm milk + soft plastic = nasties in the milk.  Instead I opted for small mason / canning jars, perfect for the freezer & reheating.  I even use these jars in place of baggies in the fridge (cut fruit, leftover soup, etc.)!


As for children's toys.  Yikes.  We're fans of wooden, natural rubber & silicone toys. It's tricky to get friends & family (the gift-givers) to opt for non-plastic things, though.  We try to promote books, gift cards (plastic, argh) or wooden toys to them, although having come out of our 1st Christmas-with-baby I cringe every day at the mountain of plastic toys that have invaded our house.  And then there's the issue of lead paint.  


While I am an avid supported of recycling, I do find myself questioning the recycling of plastics into items such as clothing, bedding, etc.  We recently purchased a duvet.  I had narrowed it down to 2 choices:  the expensive down duvet or the less-expensive 'eco friendly' duvet stuffed with recycled plastic bottles.  I opted for the later, I now somewhat regret that choice (even though it is warm & cozy).


Obsession?  mildly.  Neurotic?  maybe a bit.  OC?  mayhaps.  Crazy and totally off-base?  not in the least bit.
  
... Side rant about rubber:  I once passed a rubber tree plantation in Malaysia and was sickened by the large-scale deforestation of the jungle / orangutang habitat in order to plant the rubber tree plantations :S 


Some interesting blogs & websites promoting plastic-free living:
http://lifewithoutplastic.com/

http://www.lifewithoutplasticblog.com/

http://myplasticfreelife.com/