October!? Really?

puddle stomping.

galoshes on- check! lion- check! 35 week henry in utero- check!

Oh boy... I think I'm ready to be done with pregnancy. I love being pregnant, but this one has physically worn me out. Thank goodness we have jumped straight into fall, perhaps even winter. Maybe having two kids so close together is taking its toll? I don't know. But I have had the October tater tot arrival in my mind for 10 months, and it's here. Amazing.

Our little sweetie has been keeping us busy. She talks ducks, fishes, balls, "moooore" food, bananas. It's wonderful. She smiles and points and hugs and kisses (even with the kissing noise). She chases us around the house and loves being spooked around the corners. She laughs hysterically when she starts to get delirious/ tired at the end of the night. It's too cute. It makes us realize that all of this hard work is worth it, that the world is wonderful and just as it should be, that nothing else matters.... like the dishes piling up, the crusty fruit droppings under the high chair, piles of laundry, an aching pelvis, the husband that I haven't spent quality time in days with, and mail in the mailbox for who knows how many days. This little person is perfect. Life is pretty darn good ...and it's October!!! We almost get to have another tiny person.

camping with a toddler.

 

This was our first time camping with a child, specifically our child. This was back in May/June, but I realized I didn't post it. So, Matt and I love camping. We usually do camping the "right way".... lots of tasty food, alcohol, cozy air mattress in our tent, ragging campfire, along some body of water... glorified car camping. It's our favorite. We would always bring our 3 big dogs too, didn't matter the weather- pouring rain in coastal Oregon to snow camping in Colorado to warm summer days on a river in Idaho. However, this time was a little different.

 

We had recently bought a bigger truck- we sold Matt's Tacoma and upgraded to a Tundra. We love it for many reasons. But the plan was to build a camping platform in the bed of the truck so that our little family could sleep back there. Super cozy and safe. We researched for months how to build this platform. We came up with a plan and matt executed it (beautifully I might add). This platform is super functional and pretty. It makes it so we have a carpeted area to sleep on that clears the wheel wells and turns out to be a sleeping area a little bigger than a queen size bed, with a high density/memory foam pad on top. Then under the platform is storage. These compartments hold our camp chairs, firewood, stove, bedding, cookware...and oh just about everything.

So now we were ready to go "tramping" as my sister and her boyfriend call it. I think it sounds dirty. But it's truck-camping. And its actually rather clean. No tent to set up, or air mattress to blow up, Its so simple.

leaving our house, ready for the adventure!

We started on our trek with Cora up the Boise river. It's one of our favorites- it's close to town but far enough away in the mountains to be alone. We just chose a little spot we liked along the river....usually these spots are just national forest land that have river rock fire rings, a nice beach along the river to play/fish/ throw discs in our disc basket. It's beautiful.

cheers!!!

So we pulled up to our spot. And done. Matt pulled out some beer.... and we went off exploring with cora. It was a blast. Nothing really to do but have fun. Cora loved playing the rocks, getting in the freezing cold river water.... just exploring, getting dirty. Then matt started the fire, warmed up our food, and I set up our sleeping bags in the back of the truck. It was peaceful, well until it was bedtime.

smores!

 

Oh boy. Bedtime. Ha. This is where our lack of co-sleeping bit us in the ass. Cora has never spent a night in bed with us. She loves her crib, her routines, she sleeps flawlessly...at home. Her bedtime is usually around 6:30, with a bath right before it. Well, obviously no bath to be had. So cora and matt and I tried and tried.

in the boba carrier, wrapped in a quilt walking the river banks.... thinking sleepy thoughts.

 

her boy-pajamas we bought before she was born, dreaming of this exact situation

(they have bears and foxes on them, adorable... even if she does look like a sweet little boy)

 

7:30- all of us in bed. No go. just play time
8:30- cora in my boba carrier, walking with her, listening to the river, watching the fire... calming, however didn't fall asleep.
9:30- matt stays by the campfire, I get into bed with cora. Ha. Cora is just being her cute self, waving vigorously at matt by the campfire trying to get his attention. no go.
10:30 I ask matt to put the fire out and come into bed with us.... its now actually dark out. We all get into bed...and we try to pretend to be asleep. Cora is now freakin adorable and sweet...going between matt and I and trying to get us to play with her- she tickles noses with me (my favorite), and kisses us (a new skill she learned, its precious) and flops her body on matt (his favorite)... back and forth. We bust up laughing, tackle her. So fun, but seriously. She needs sleep. We ask each other at what time to we just drive home? Just then cora goes to climb over the bedding once again, but collapses mid-climb. Its hilarious. Not a movement. Sound asleep. So the rest of the night was comfy but restless. We both loved her little body tossing between us throughout the night- but it was new to us, no solid sleep to be had probably for any of us. She slept until 830am however, so that was nice. She woke up just like us... bed head, groggy, but wide eyed and with a smile on her face to see the river upon waking and smelling the fresh air. Just heavenly, this camping thing.

"rock hounder"

We did some more river exploring, breakfast, and playing in the reservoir for lunch on the way back. It was a wonderful first camping experience. We both didn't expect it to be so much fun, but cora was easy to entertain herself in the wilderness. She loves being outside, so this trip was perfect. We all had a blast...and we have since gone camping again.

Our tips for camping with a child:

• we had a full first aid kit, just in case, full of Neosporin spray to bug spray. Our pediatrician told us to just spray bug spray on our kid's clothes not on her actual skin. So smart! No bugs this trip, but there will be soon.
• cora sleeps with white noise- so parking next to the river was helpful. I also had a portable speaker with white noise "song" on the ipod just in case.
• lots of changes of clothes and shoes for cora. its still chilly here in the mountains, and she was in and out of the river splashing.
• pre-made foods. usually we cook a full tasty meal by stove or campfire. That takes time and hands that we don't have with a 1 year old. So we pre-made fajitas, and just warmed up the meat and tortillas on the stove....and assembled. Tasty and easy.
• multiple clean sippy cups to use for milk/juice so we don't have to rely on washing them well.
• I brought my nice DSLR camera. I never bring it on our outdoor excursions, then I am bummed when I see our photos. I loved having it to capture our family moments this trip.
• we left our dogs at home. kind of sad, they are getting old... but I also know that I don't have the ability to keep them safe and cora too. maybe once our kids are older it would be doable.
• the boba carrier- or any sling thing.... awesome. I was able to walk around (faster) being able to have her on me and safe. I also could carry her for longer periods of time without getting tired, which was awesome at night.

Next camping trip we will try:

• fishing, that may or may not work out. (it did work out, it was fantastic. we either held cora while we fished, she held onto our short's leg while standing in the river, or the other person played with cora on the river-beach. awesome. and she loved looking at/trying to touch the caught fish)
• waiting for the sun to go down to start bedtime (this worked better, still a struggle for our little routine-lover)
• parking away from the line-of-sight of the campfire
• camp-shower, a bag of water that heats up in the sun with a shower nozzle to simulate nightly bath time

 

fishing with dad on another camping excursion.

life is good.

 

I think I've used this post heading before... but it is! It's so good, that I have been procrastinating about organizing Cora's First Birthday Party photos and post.... because gosh, she keeps me busy!And life is good, we are just living and enjoying it.

 

 

I made a lasagna for the first time ever. It was in the crock pot... super easy, really good. Especially if I remembered to put the top cheesy layer on. Oh well. [Here] is the recipe I used. Cora liked it too.

 

 

I made fresh bread, for the first time. Yup. In the dutch oven, amazing...and fresh. And the smells in our house? Heavenly. The recipe was from [here], via pinterest. Aren't you proud of me? I usually don't cook, matt is the cook in our house. So to pull off both lasagna and bread that were tasty in the same day- incredible feats.

 

 

Multitasking... talking on the phone, while holding baby...walking into the laundry room. I have no idea where she saw this.

 

 

All of these pictures were taken within about... oh...15 minutes. Busy. Well, you know this... if you have a one year old. BUSY, extremely busy. And I have a feeling it won't get any slower.

 

 

Yea, so...just being a pregnant mom, with my little lemon drop. Life is good. And it's starting to get warm outside. Oh my favorite time of year... summer. And Cora is growing so fast in front of our eyes, we are cherishing it.

wallowa lake...a cabin adventure.

 

We took a mini- vacation...and it was wonderful. Have you guys ever heard of wallowa lake? Its beautiful. All you have to do is do one google image search, and you're sold. Its only about a 4 hours drive from Boise...its in Joseph, Oregon. Just a lake with a tiny town. We rented a cabin with a lake view... just gorgeous. It was matt's spring break...and I work weekends so we ran away for a few days during this past week. No dogs... just the three of us. No internet, no TV, no cell phone service. Totally peaceful. We were able to re-group, do some thinking, some talking, some walking, have some downtime away from daily routines.

 

We rented a two bedroom cabin, so that cora could have her own room with a pack and play. This was off-season for the cabin rentals, which was nice for us. We will go back again over the summer some time, maybe camp. One of the mountains has a gondola that opens up in the summer- how cool would that be?

 

oh man, I love how tiny she looks roaming this cabin.

her first fire....she's hooked. our little pyro.

 

Anyways, Cora was all over the place. Walking back and forth in and out of rooms, carrying boots from room to room, helping dad make the fire, looking out the window for any kind of wildlife with me. And of course being tackled by her dad- he yells out "football tackle!!" and Cora starts smiling/laughing, trying to run away and he scoops her up, and plops her down on something soft. Its hilarious. They both love it.

 adorable galoshes preferred for snow-tromping.

Cora had her first sledding experience. Well, it was an inner tube without a hole that we pushed her down some snowy hills on. She thought it was pretty fun, until we did a hill a little outside her comfort zone. whoops.

there's no wrong time to hamm-can it.

 

This is just kick-starting our summer full of camping and exploring in Idaho. Of course in March it is too cold to go camping with an almost one year old (ahhh.... one!?!).  So this cabin adventure was perfect and decadent....and awesome.

my favorite picture of the vacation. my two loves, loving nature.

5 years!

our wednesday morning.

nothing flashy. the house is a mess. cora is all over the place. we are working on projects.

absolutely perfect.

But, oh... it's 5 years today. Matt and I are reminiscing on 5 years of being together.
Oh, how life does change.

 

Every year we go out to sushi- because that was our first date where we fell for each other. Back in Colorado...we hadn't a clue that all of this would happen- here in idaho with a kid and a blissful life in five lightning fast years. Last year I was pregnant and had cooked rolls... this year we will order sushi in, because of tiny babe's early sleep schedule. But who are we kidding, we couldn't take her out to a restaurant anyways right now...craaazy.

So, happy 5 years matt...the best 5 years I could have ever dreamed of.

traveling with a baby

"winter" california style.

So we took our 8 month old to California in January... that's about a 12 hour drive from Boise, Idaho to the Bay Area in California. (Winter driving with a baby... not ideal.)

I was nervous to say the least. How was this going to work?! I scoured the internet trying to find blog posts about driving advice- do we stay half way? do we drive through the night? how do we feed her? what if she cries for 12 straight hours? should we just fly? is this even worth it?

Well, we made it. And it was wonderful. Or rather... much more wonderful than I anticipated. So, I thought I should answer a few of those questions right here, based on our trip in case it helps anyone out there...

1. Should we stop half way?
Well, we did both. The drive out we drove straight through... making only enough stops to get gas and stretch tiny legs in the gas station while changing diapers. The drive back we stopped 1/2ish way in Reno, NV for the night. The drive straight through was perfect. Cora did amazing, it was relatively short and sweet and we were at the grandparents house in no time at all. No lingering on the road.

For next time: I would stay 1/2 way but not stay in a casino. Those places are smokey, and I felt like an awful parent just walking through the casino lobby to get to our 5th floor smoke-free cheap hotel room. Sure it was nice, but seriously. Smoking in a hotel?! Bad idea. So next time we will really splurge and stay at a holiday inn express. But I also would do the straight through thing again too.

2. How do you feed the babe?
We chose to sit in the back seat...alternate who drove. Then we would feed her little pouches of food, snacks, and bottles. She fed really well in her infant seat, it was easy- no choking like I had read about. I told matt that if she choked I would yell at him to pull over fast, and I would be prepared with baby-Heimlich with the fastest un-buckling you've ever seen. It never came to that. CPR certification not utilized this road trip. We also had a sweet Aladdin 1970's thermos with a push spout thing. Anyways, we put warm water in it when we left Idaho... and pre-made about 6 bottles with 3 scoops of formula, with nipples... ready to just add water. So we squirted the warm water in the bottles in the back seat- warm bottles. DONE. easy peasy.

3. What was the drive like?
We kind of cycled just like at home... we would feed her...then play a little...read books. Then when it was nap time we would just both sit up front in the car and let her doze off. If she was asleep we did not stop. Running on fumes- who cares. Need to go to the bathroom? Nope. No waking baby. It worked well, we played a little gregory alan isakov or andrew bird...on repeat like 20 times. It worked. We also stopped at starbucks more often than not... I'd rather run around a starbucks, get a caffeine fix...than mcdonalds.
Side note: changing your baby in a bathroom without a changing table is HELL. I felt like verbally assaulting the managers at multiple pit stops for not having one. I also felt it was only fair to hand over our diarrhea-ridden child to them...and say...good luck. Tell me how it goes in there. I got skills though... changing a tiny wiggly bottom mid-air... with wipes, desitin, and a clean diaper. I felt accomplished after leaving those restrooms. I really am a mom, hell yeah.

4. Should we just drive through the night?
This was an option in our minds. She sleeps through the night, why not let her whole drive just be asleep? How sweet is that. Well, it's not. Winter driving... 2 lane roads... black ice...SCARY. We opted for safety for this trip and wanted to do all driving on rural roads during the daytime. It was great- because we actually had fog and minimal visibility for a few hours in south eastern oregon...so much less stressful with daylight.

5. Should we just fly?
1.5 hours vs 12 hours. hmmm... tempting. We wanted a car to carry our christmas presents, so we drove. It was also nice to have our car while we visited friends/family in california. But we definitely threw around some fun ideas- cora and I fly out, matt drives... picks us up... Yeah. No.  It was worth it.

6. Did she cry for 12 straight hours?
No. Not possible. She would surely have tired her little self out. See, we have a baby who hates the car seat, so we thought this would be quite possible. She did cry a little... like in traffic. And of course it was more stressful than a drive pre-cora. But it was great. She was consolable... and it wasn't because she was uncomfortable for sitting so long. She was awesome. Chicco carseat worked great. We also had a huge bag full of her most favorite toys, along with some brand new ones, books, gadgets to mess with, and lots of snacks. She was a happy road trip baby. There was no need to stress so much.

So... we will surely do this again, probably this summer with more excitement than worry. We are even looking forward to camping in the back of the truck...one big bed... 3 humans, a few dogs....open wilderness. There will be more posts about this too, I am sure.

Good luck family travelers... let me know if you have any advice about camping with a baby!

a christmas tree and hot springs.

 

Yup, you read it right... our uber fun winter combo, perhaps a new tradition... cutting down a christmas tree in the idaho wilderness.... then taking a swim in the silver creek plunge hot springs. 

Oh my gosh....INCREDIBLE.

Cora couldn't stop laughing and smiling in the hot springs. So much fun.

 

...here cora, hold the axe sheath for dad.

 

Matt would like you to see this crazy picture... him scaling the side of a mountain for our christmas tree...when we found "the one"...
 

 

But he wanted me to crop out the road. Less impressive right?! Sorry matt, Cora and I still think you're amazing.
 

 

Anyways, we wanted a tree to put in our out-cropped window seat, so we were looking for a half-a-tree.  One with branches only on one side. This way it is out of reach of sweet, grabby-crawling babe. Well, we found it!

 

It was raining, foggy, cold... so dreamy. Cora loved all of it, what a trooper.

 

Then we drove a bit further to a pool-type hot springs that was just fresh mountain water, maybe 102 degrees, and no sulfur smells! We were the only ones swimming around. Usually the road is closed to get up there in the winter with all of the snow, but thanks to global warming...we had open roads for our hot spring fun!

 

We did the blow-in-the-face and dunk baby thing, super fun. She didn't even take on any water! Then just swam around for about a 1/2 hour. We didn't want to leave that's for sure.

 

So we  got home, decorated our charlie-brown-esq tree, and now we are a little closer to the holiday spirit.  I just need to stop dreaming about the hot springs, wishing they were in our backyard.