baby travelling essentials

I am so freaking nervous for this plane ride with Avairy in just a couple of days. It's her first time on a plane so I have no clue how she'll handle it. She may sleep the entire time or be a complete nut because everything is so new and exciting.

We have a couple of hours on two separate flights so it may not be that bad, but we have a 4 hour layover that I'm dreading. Who knows though, the weather may be nice and we can do a little bit of exploring!

In the meantime, I want to be ready for anything that may happen while we're travelling. So, here's an idea of what I plan to bring with us.

{check list}

formula 

stroller (sturdy with a lot of extra storage room)

change of clothes 

travel meals 

disposable diaper bags (for soiled clothing)  

toys 

lots of diapers

wipes 

soother 

blankie

How adorable are those Honest diapers?? They're all natural and free of chemicals that give a lot of babies diaper rash and they are so fricken cute! They don't ship to Canada yet, but I would love to get some!

I figure I have to look at diapers every single day so why not add a little sunshine where the sun don't shine? ha. Plus, it would make it a lot more welcoming when changing poopy diapers.

I'm also loving the idea of these Organic Ella's Kitchen pouches. They're great for traveling, even on planes and come in a ton of different flavours. I'll definitely be picking up a bunch for the trip!

By the way, we had day 2 of playing in the grass and it went a whole lot better this time! She was crawling around in the grass a lot, but not after she seriously thought it over.

And I couldn't resist sharing this picture of Avairy during breakfast! A happy tummy makes a happy baby (especially if it's full of blueberries). 

The faces she's starting to make crack me up so much. She's definitely a sassy, little drama queen!

my little itty bitty sunshine

Today was the first time in Avairy's existence, that her tiny toes and fingers got to play in grass! Can you believe that?? For 7 months she never knew what grass felt like!

I think the whole experience was a little shocking for her. She was probably wondering why 1. this carpet is green and 2. why it was so picky haha

She cried for a bit at first when I plopped her down. But then I showed her how to pull the grass out. This opened up a whole new world of destruction for her because after that she kept grabbing chunks and ripping it out of the ground! haha.

I also just booked me & Avairy's plane tickets, while Jordan and his dad will be driving the long 25 hours there (yikes).

I'm extremely nervous to be stuck in a plane/airport with this crazy child. Especially since she's at the age where she always needs to be entertained and on the move. Wish me luck!

Hope everyone is having a good start to their week!

7 months old & on the move!

Every time Jordan and I are out with Avairy, we run into a lot of people who stop us and say, "Enjoy them while they're young because it goes by fast." I use to think it wasn't such a bad thing because I was so eager to show her the world and teach her everything I could. But now I've truly realized what they mean.

Avairy is getting older and smarter everyday and this past month has really shown me this. I cannot believe how much she's learned and how much determination she has in everything she does!


As soon as turned 6 months she learned to crawl and was getting into everything! Jordan decided to nickname her Danger because she was obsessed with cords, outlets and anything metal. I can see a ton of bubble wrap in the future...

On top of all that, the next day that she learned how to crawl, this baby was trying to stand on her own! Let's just relax a little bit with the growing and the mini independence.

I am so in love with this picture! 

She reminds me of King Kong on the Empire State building with her short stubby legs. haha

Speaking of independence, she also decided that she's a big girl and doesn't want mom to feed her anymore. She would eat a couple of spoonfuls of food and refuse the rest (which is very unlike her). Then one day she kept trying to grab the spoon from me so I decided to let her have a go at it. Turned out that's why she wouldn't eat it. All she wanted was to feed herself!

That was also the exact moment when I realized she's growing up too fast. I'll admit that I teared up a bit when she wanted to feed herself. And I saw a flash into the future of me being that mom that pushes her kid back down when they're making their first steps. Just so they could stay a baby a little bit longer. Haha

I love her to death and she is the best thing that has happened to Jordan and I. One day when she's old enough to understand, I'll have to thank her for coming into my life and giving it so much more meaning. I love my little Danger baby.

Pinterest Wednesday: Spring Cocktails

It's been so crazy here that I completely spaced out on this week's Pinterest Tuesday! So I guess this week it's going to be Pinterest Wednesday!

With all the stress and preparation we've been doing lately it's got me craving a good ol' draaank.
Not to mention, the warm weather has got me thinking about the days of shorts, patios and beers. I'm not a huge drinker anymore, but I'm loving all these delicious looking cocktails!

Check out my list for 6 cocktail recipes you can't resist!

Funky Monkey | Raspberry Buck | Lavender Lemonade | Rosemary Berries | Passion Fruit Mojito | Pink Tequila

My favourite drink has to be the yummy and classic, Caesar! Spicy, savoury, sour (because of the pickle) and with all the garnishes it's like a snack. haha. So, what's your go to drink?

homemade & organic baby food {recipe}

In previous posts I've just quickly mentioned some of the foods Avairy has been eating and I also talked about some of the best ways to help get the most out of your feeding experience (here). I never thought I would be this passionate and excited about baby food before! (You can probably tell with how often I talk about it in my blog)

In the short time I've been a mother I've realized how much it means to me to feed my daughter the best possible foods and I want to inspire this same feeling in all of you!

So today I want to share with you an Avairy-approved recipe & what she's been eating for the past month.

With everything we introduced into her diet, we did the three day waiting rule and had absolutely no problem with any of the foods...until she had cauliflower. She broke out in a rash around her mouth and I think it may have made her itchy because she kept waking up with new scratches on her face. :(

Luckily that's all that happen and it wasn't anything more serious, but cauliflower is definitely out of the question for a while!

However, apricots is something she could eat all day, everyday! She use to eat just an apricot puree, but one day I wanted to give her a little more variety. So I whipped up what I like to call:

For a more information on how to cook this check out the recipe card down below!

Tip: use a teaspoon to scoop out the apple core. Super easy!

voila!

This is so amazingly good! I ended up eating it after I shot the pictures and I regret nothing! YUM! I would honestly even recommend it as an adult snack. Just eat the dried apricots and apple as is, it's crunchy, chewy, tart and sweet...can't go wrong with that! 

Let me know if you try this recipe out for your little one and if they enjoyed it as much as mine did! 

I say 'did' because she's on finger foods now and won't eat purees unless she can feed herself. More on that later though!

a quote to live by

We finally smashed open our Terramundi money pot and it was sad to see it scattered everywhere, but I quickly got over it once I saw how much money we had inside! haha

It took a lot of hard work in saving and planning to make moving out West a possibility. We were just sick and tired of being sick and tired! We wanted to secure a better future for our new, little family and so that's why we made the decision to pick up and move to where we had better work opportunities.

A quote I heard that I like to always keep in mind when you're feeling bogged down with life's worries is:

The pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change.

I absolutely love this quote! It's simple and sounds like it's more deeper than it actually is. haha You can apply it to anything in life from getting fit, being broke, sticky relationships or crappy jobs. I find that when you're being pushed to the walls, you always push back harder.

Anyways, the baby is off to see her grandparents which means it's a free for all DIY day! So much I have planned for you guys! I hope I can get to all of it before we leave. I feel like it's been go-go-go all the time, but I guess that it's only natural when you're moving.

so much to do, so little time!

If you guys remember back to my first post, I mentioned something about a journey involving moving to Saskatchewan. Well that journey is taking a fast track and we're gonna be on our way in just two and a half weeks!

Jordan and I have been busy bees trying to knock down our to-do list everyday this month. Major headache marathon going on at the moment.. We also have been drinking a ton of espresso shots from Tim Hortons to keep us going and they are SO disgusting! I have to chase it with an Ice Capp haha. I'm weak.

Since we're moving a gazillion miles away we had to pick and choose what we could bring. Which means selling and leaving a lot behind. But I'm glad to leave this enormous-nothing-but-trouble couch in the hands of someone who wants it! It's nice, but could you imagine getting this thing in and out of a one bedroom apartment with steep, narrow hallways...what in the hell were we thinking!

I'm also trying to get a lot of good content up for you guys while I can during the next few weeks. So stay tuned!
And just to warn you for next month, I'll only have my handy dandy iPad with me instead of a real computer. Which means there'll be less posts like our monthly favourites and Pinterest Tuesdays, but more posts with pictures of our day to day! But don't worry it'll only be temporary. This wild swinging baby hopes you don't mind!

I also wanted to formally say thank to all the people who take the time to read my blog! If it wasn't for my Blogger stats, I would honestly think the only people who enjoy reading this were Jordan's mom and his Nana (hello!). But you cannot believe how thankful and inspired I am to see daily views from places like Germany, UK and all over the United States. Even if you were just passing through, I'm still so glad to have reached someone so far across the world. And although we haven't officially said hi to each other, I know you are here and you keep me inspired! So thank you!

I can't wait to share this exciting & amazing upcoming adventure with you guys!

Ps. Look what I got had the pleasure of indulging in after Easter!! Unfortunately, it only lasted a day and a half...we have no shame...

4 important feeding tips for your baby

I'm please to announce that Avairy is now an expert eater! These days you cannot get the food in her mouth fast enough. Not to mention how much she's starting to eat in one sitting!

It's so exciting giving those first spoonfuls of food to your little one, but it's also important to be aware what you're giving them as well. Thankfully, Jordan and I have the same views on this and are so strict when it comes to what we feed Avairy.

The way I look at it, babies are as pure as they come. They aren't tainted with cravings for sugary or salty foods. Let alone have any desire for them. Remember, you aren't hurting baby's feeling by not giving them those cute snack puffs because they wouldn't know they exist in the first place if you don't introduce them to it. Which brings me to tip #1.

Tip #1

By starting your baby off on healthy eating habits and continuing for the years to come, you can help encourage a proper diet. If there's anything I would highly stress on any mother, it's that no matter how much work it may seem or how small of an idea it may be, just do it. You'll help your children live longer and healthier in the long run.

Tip #2

Skip the juices and baby snacks. Most of these are filled with sugar, dyes and preservative chemicals. I almost got excited when I saw this box of organic baby crackers and thought it couldn't be that bad. Until I saw it had sugar in it. Maybe I'm too strict on this, but I think of it as this: there's only so much a baby can eat in one day so why waste it on things that don't benefit them in any way? You could give them a handful of rice cookies with no real benefits or give them a bowl of banana with plenty of nutrients.

Tip #3

Use organic or natural foods (if you can). Some people don't see the point and others may not want to spend more on what they can buy cheaper, either way it's up to you. But if you're interested in buying organic, but don't want to spend the dough, then check out this link to the Dirty Dozen and The Clean Fifteen. It shows you the fruits/vegetables with the most and least pesticides. So, save a few dollars by buying regular sweet potatoes since they're low in pesticides, but shuck a few bucks on things like strawberries that have a high pesticide content. The website also tells you how much chemicals are in a single fruit. For example, peaches were found to have more than 60 different pesticides! Yuck, not in ma baby! haha

Tip #4

Make your own baby food. Sound daunting? Not at all. One morning I made mashed cauliflower for Avairy and it took less than 30 minutes (including prep work!). You get the satisfaction of seeing them eat what you've made for them and knowing that some company didn't add a little of this and a little of that in there. Look out for a post on how to make your own organic baby food soon!

Lastly, have fun and get messy! This is all an exciting learning experience for both of you so if things get a little crazy, it's alright. Bibs and sponges were invented because babies exist. haha

Happy eatings!

The Big Soother Debate

For a while now I've been attempting to wean Avairy off her soother with no success. The first time went really well during naptime, but when bedtime came around it felt like a lost cause. I gave in after about 30 mins of her crying.

I tried again and no word but hell could better describe the experience! It took almost an hour for her to finally fall asleep with out the soother, but it wasn't easy. She cried the entire time and looked at me with eyes that were confused and begging me to make her feel better.

After I had to ask myself if I was doing the right thing. It's the worst feeling wanting whats best for your child and not knowing what best actually is. Gah.

Now the main reason I wanted her to give up the soother was because she started to wake up multiple times during the night to have it put back in her mouth. She's a breeze to put down to sleep (including when she wakes in the middle of the night) but getting up just for a soother was tiring.

So, for new mothers out there wondering whether they should or shouldn't start with a soother, here is my opinion.

• DON'T START. However, there are a few exceptions to where it would be ok. First off, babies are born with natural instincts to suck. The reason I got Avairy a soother was because she was starting to suck on her hands a lot and I didn't want her getting use to it. Ultimately, it's easier to take away a soother than a thumb. Looking back I probably would've waited a bit longer to see how it progressed though. Also, babies that are premature or suffer from acid reflux will benefit from using a soother. It's up to you what you decide, but I would suggest not doing it if you don't need to.

• If you do decide to use one, LIMIT THEIR SOOTHER USAGE. This is because it's not recommended for children over the age of 1 years old to use a soother because of their growing teeth. It can also cause ear infections from prolonged use. Keep it strictly for sleeping. Luckily, I already vowed to do this the minute I bought her one.

• NEVER ALTER A SOOTHER or try to use any of those "tricks" to wean a child off of it. I've seen some people suggest putting hot sauce on it or cutting the tip off in hopes they become uninterested. You don't want to risk pieces breaking off and the baby choking on it. If you want it gone that bad just take it away cold turkey and tough it out.

In the end, I've realized that it's not so bad for her to use it or maybe the look on her precious face when she was crying convinced me. haha. I figured since she only uses it at night so it won't ruin her teeth and she won't become overly attached to it. And as she gets older maybe (hopefully) she'll know enough to put it in her mouth herself. I can deal with waking up at night for a little bit longer. Afterall, I've already gone 6 months without sleep so what's a little more gonna do?

If you have any tips you want to share about soother weaning I would love to hear it. I'll keep it in my back pocket in case I dare to try again!

Pinterest Tuesday: mini green thumbs (gardening)

I think gardening can be such a peaceful way for someone to relieve stress. Not to mention how beautiful the end results can be. Now that Spring has arrived, it's a great time to start working on the garden!

Jordan and I both knew from the start that we wanted to teach Avairy about where foods came from and what's it like to grow it yourself. I literally get so giddy thinking about her getting muddy in her sun hat and gardening gloves! I couldn't resist myself from looking up tiny gardening equipment for her.

Gardening Bag | Pink Slip-ons | Paper Bag Shorts | Yellow Polka Dot Shirt | Pink Water Can | Polka Dot Gloves | Pink Trowel | Red Wheelbarrow

If that doesn't make you turn your children into green thumbs then hopefully today's Pinterest Tuesday will. Not only is this great way to bond, but it's also something they can be proud of. Especially when they see you making dinner with their vegetables.

Rainbow Garden | Stone Labels | Starter Pots | Growing Scraps | Garden Tic-Tac-Toe | Indoor Garden

Definitely check out the link for gardening with scraps. It'll change your life! You'll save a ton of money by growing these yourself and most of them can be done indoors. Imagine never having to buy garlic or lettuce again!  

Feel free to leave me some suggestions for next weeks Pinterest Tuesday!

Until then happy gardening!