Misc Ramblings – Page 25 – a hippie with a minivan

Week one…

Well, here I am! I left my house last Monday just around noon and headed out to Costco to pick up a few treats before I headed to Gen’s house so that she could then bring me to the Airport. I am really happy with the system that I had set up. Wilhelmina on me in the wrap, one of my backpacks in the stroller and the other on my back and then pulling my two suitcases…

Going through Security was interesting, the plane ride was way better than I hoped for it to be with Wilhelmina sleeping most of the way. We got to Vancouver and my mom was waiting for me at the airport with a rented car and we headed to a friend’s apartment to spend the night. I was absolutely amazed by the view from the apartment. We had an unobstructed downtown Vancouver and three of the surrounding mountains.

A good night’s sleep and the next day we were off for some Dim Sum in New Westminster and then a birthday supper back at the apartment for the friend that we were staying with. On Wednesday we headed out to Grandville Island for lunch and then went out for Sushi and then headed to bed to be ready to leave in the morning for Prince-Rupert. Going through Security in Vancouver was a lot easier, and my mom and I headed for the planes, hers leaving for Castlegar at the next gate 10 min later. Wilhelmina slept the whole way and we arrived in Prince-Rupert at about 10am and met Annie’s mom as we were getting off the plane. The whole procedure to get to the Prince Rupert from the island that the plane lands on was quite interesting, but it went smoothly and Annie was waiting for us when we got into town.

So, now I am at Annie’s. It is so beautiful here and the weather is ever changing. On the day we arrived there was snow, and we stayed around the house (except for a quick run to the grocery store) which felt great. Though Wilhelmina has been doing so well, the lack of routine and always being on the go was taking its toll and it felt good to just hang out around the home for a day or two. On Saturday there was a mix of rain and snow but we headed out downtown for a walk, some shopping and some Sushi. I found some amazing earrings which was one of the things that I wanted to do while I was here and the sushi was equally amazing.

On Sunday the weather turned around completely and we headed out on the boat belonging to some friends. We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day. The sun was shining, the ocean was calm and it was just so perfect. The scenery, the fresh air, the wildlife…

I never thought that I would come out here to Prince-Rupert, especially so soon and without my family. It has been weird to be away thought I have to admit that it has been much calmer here. I miss my family though, my Simon and my boys, especially my little Khéna. I talk to them every day on the phone but it is of course not the same. During the day, I keep busy and it isn’t that bad, but at night I miss them all more and have small tinges of regret that I am not with them.

However, I think that this break will be good. It is not an opportunity that will come up again soon. I was in a rut cooking wise and I know that this will help with that and will hopefully help me get som better habits established again. Winter, the end of pregnancy and then a newborn really made things go downhill in our diet; too much meat, too little veggies and too many easy meals without enough nutrition. We were still eating well but we were falling far from our ideals.

The time away from home will hopefully help a bit with my patience levels also. I can see that it can get hard when you are in the moment everyday without respite, and though I love being with the family, I can see how this little time away from home will give me a breather so that I will come back and be able to deal with situations that arise in a better headspace.

As for Wilhelmina, she is doing good. She is either happy or not. She is crying a bit more than usual, often because I miss a pee or poop or something similar but she seems to be getting a bit better every day. She is growing and changing on a daily basis…

So, one week down, two m ore to go. I am looking forward to the next adventures…

(to see more pics click here to see the whole set)

New stroller…

Last week I bought a new (well, new to me) stroller.

We do already have a stroller but because we don’t really use strollers, especially in the first year, it is not a stroller that fits younger babies… but with the upcoming trip I thought that it might come in useful, if not to carry her, to carry my bag and other stuff that I will have… It will also provide a place for me to put her down for whatever reason.

I was about to buy a new stroller, but then decided that a used better quality stroller would be better and I am so happy with my decision.

I decided on a Bebecar. A stroller that bought new runs around 650$… I got it used, in great condition for 200$. For small babies, it can be made into a bassinet rear facing and when they get older the are forward facing and can go from laying down to upright completely. The wheels are big and air filled so it can go everywhere and it also has great suspension…

The day after I bought it I took her for a walk, I put the sheep skin that she sleeps on in it and just a blanket on top of her and she loved it and slept most of the way… it is also been great in the sewing room while I sew.

Vanilla bean buttercream frosting…

I love Vanilla but I always seem to make chocolate icing to go with our favourite Black Magic cake… Two nights ago though I got a craving and I needed to make Chocolate cake with vanilla icing…

I looked for a recipe and found one that had great comments, followed the directions and it didn’t turn out well at all.. the butter separated and the texture was grainy and oily and unappetizing… so I went back to my tried and true chocolate buttercream icing but to omit the cocoa and make Vanilla the star… OMG… it was perfect!!

1/2 cup butter
about 3 cups icing sugar, (sifted)
1/3 – 1/2 cup cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
seeds of one vanilla bean

cream the butter until fluffy and then add the sifted icing sugar, cream and vanilla… start with 1/3 cup of cream but you might need more for a thinner frosting… beat with mixer for at least 2 min until light a fluffy…

This makes enough for the inside and out of a two layer cake…

This brought the black Magic cake to another dimension… I think I am going to call this combination “Oreo cake”

You know you want a bite… right?

Week two…

Last week was busy… friends over to visit, visit from the midwife and papers being signed to register Wilhelmina’s birth, shopping trips, bags of clothes given and sorted and put away and the more boyish clothes/extra clothes or unpractical baby clothes all sorted out and ready to be given away. It is crazy how much clothes we had accumulated and though I had sorted through it many, many times, there was still always too much.

But now… It is amazing how having a little girl now has changed my emotional attachment to the clothes that the boys wore. Though I did end up keeping two small outfits that have special memories, the rest was easily put into the bag. I am also being very careful to keep only what I like, need and is practical for EC and for everyday use. (No diaper shirts, or PJ’s with tons of snaps etc) and I am also making sure that we don’t have too much of certain clothes in the same size so that we are actually using the clothes that we have and like the most.

Decluttering is something that feels so liberating.

Thursday was the biggest day for Wilhelmina and I… she had her first Chiro appointment which went very well and then we got on the road and headed to Costco which is about a 45 min drive away. While I was on the road I decided to see if my friend Martine was home so I could go visit while I was in the area… not only was she there, but another friend was there, so I headed over and got to spend a few hours talking and having tea and cookies with two of my dearest friends. After that I headed to Costco and then a few other places I needed to got to. Wilhelmina doesn’t like the car very much but once we are moving she falls asleep so the car trip was actually quite pleasant. It was also the first time we had been gone from the house for so long and I was ECing out of the house. During the car ride she stayed dry and I was able to pee her at the Chiro and then once we got to Martine’s house. During the visit she went through one of her periods of peeing often and we went through a few diapers and a few trips on the potty and over the sink and then while we were out and she was in the wrap she didn’t pee at all and instead waited until we got into the car and then I put her over the potty. Since she was so warm in the wrap she didn’t mind at all being put over the potty in below freezing temps. I just had a blanket around her, pulled her pants down and took the diaper off half way, she went quickly and then I just pulled her pants back up, nursed a bit and then she went into the car seat.

Though I spend a lot of my time sitting and nursing and holding her, I have been able to do some more cooking done and doing things around the house. Meal plans have been easy things that don’t take up too much time or are easy, so that if I need to be with Willa, I can finish quickly, nurse her while doing it or Simon can finish up.

Having Simon around is so great. There is always another set of hands, someone to make breakfast for the boys and even for me… I am able to run out to the store quickly with just Wilhelmina or go out with everyone and have a bit of help. Though I could of course manage if we didn’t have the choice it makes things so much easier and it also is fun for the kids to have daddy around… I can’t wait for spring so that we can get out more and go places, go for walks and hang out together as a family on weekdays…

So that has been our week, just living life with a new member of the family and getting to know her. She just fits so perfectly.

Yay!

My oven has been repaired 🙂

After a month of not having a reliably working oven it finally has a new computer and sensor.

The guy that came was really nice and surprised by the delay but said that with the computer it sometimes happens because they often don’t have the piece ready. It is over with, that is all that matters for me.

He was also really interested in why the kids were not at school and then had quite a few questions about homeschooling, but thought that it was cool that the boys were able to play outside whenever they wanted.

I am glad that it is finally over though and to celebrate, I am making a batch bread and a Roast Beef tonight.