We made our annual Long Beach trip this year in June, which was the greatest idea we've had in a long time! It was not crowded at all, there were no crazy kids around, and the general feel of the place was not in the pumped-up summer mode yet. We might have to do that again.
It certainly helped that we had great weather, which is kinda a crap-shoot with our west coast, but we did ok!
We found with a baby/toddler (left with a baby, came back with a toddler), we certainly were a little more run ragged and we experienced our favourite place in a new way. We found the same thing last year, but Piper was only a few months old, so this year, we could go a little faster and longer at things.
We found with a baby/toddler (left with a baby, came back with a toddler), we certainly were a little more run ragged and we experienced our favourite place in a new way. We found the same thing last year, but Piper was only a few months old, so this year, we could go a little faster and longer at things.I am always amazed that we can make this trip (at least) once and year and everytime it is different. Like:
1. We got a beach front campsite (unheard of in the summer)
2. We almost lost our campsite (arrived late, forgot to check in the morning after)
3. Went to the "blowhole" (kinda dangerous, but came back alive!)
4. Had our first real "budget trip": spent under $350!!!
5. I finally got to use a wet suit in the water! (Thanks Harry/Dad)
6. Tried surfing with the two of us on a board
7. Went to church on the Sunday we were there (cute Anglican church, with about 8 people)
That is all I can think for now, but it was great, and new and fresh:) We spent most of our time cruising the beach, putting Piper in her rain suit and boots so she could scoot around and get really dirty, and eating. It was awesome.
Piper was a pretty good camper, though I can't express enough (that will be punny in one second!) how glad I was that Piper is still breastfeeding. I actually can't imagine doing that trip with a baby who needs a bottle. This way, Piper just slept between Matt and I when she needed me, I was right there. Sleeping in a tent was a little different for her, so some nights she needed to nurse more than others, but she was quickly getting the hang of living in a tent. Funny story: for her naps, she would fall asleep somehow (either played out, or just cranky) and we could lay her down in her stroller and she could sleep for almost 2 hours. So the second day, we got her to sleep and then we quickly both jumped into our wetsuits (anyone who has put on a wetsuit knows that term is not quite appropriate) and headed down to the water with the stroller with sleeping babe.
We could skim board for a while, nice and close, check in on her now and then. She has always been a big fan of white noise, so the constant whoosh, whoosh of the waves was awesome!
Then we ventured out into the waves ourselves. Yes, we did leave our sleeping baby in the surf. The beach was so unpopulated, and we could see her the whole time. I am sure it is not he epitome of good parenting, but we tried it out, had our fun and came back to rescue our baby once the crows thought her little boots looked tasty.
Holidays will never quite be the same. But we still loved it. We got a little more tired, and technically we left a day early, but it was worth it. We had our fun, ate all our food and saw and did most things we wanted to.I asked Matt at some point during the visit if he ever imagined that he would be taking his baby to Long Beach, after all the years he had been there as a child. He said he had never even fathomed it. And really, none of this journey we could have ever thought up in our wildest dreams. But wild it is, no?
Alas, we are glad to be home, and unpacked though still sorta recovering from the mess... And now we are officially a camping family! We most certainly need a bigger tent (as romantic as it is sleeping with your toddler in bed, she really does wiggle around and might have done much better in her playpen), but not a bigger car yet. Who knows what our next Long Beach trip will look like! I don't even both guessing because I know whatever happens, I will be blown away.
Alas, we are glad to be home, and unpacked though still sorta recovering from the mess... And now we are officially a camping family! We most certainly need a bigger tent (as romantic as it is sleeping with your toddler in bed, she really does wiggle around and might have done much better in her playpen), but not a bigger car yet. Who knows what our next Long Beach trip will look like! I don't even both guessing because I know whatever happens, I will be blown away.
ps. On a side note, Hematology called and asked us to get some blood work done on Piper, just to keep checking her levels, and they came back as her neutrophils being lower than 0.1. Not all that strange to us, but we had the cardiologist-on-call and remind us specifically that if Piper shows any sign of infection, to bring her in right away. (Another reason to keep breastfeeding this baby! Breast milk provides antibodies that she can't get anywhere else, and since she has no bacteria fighters, I will keep providing those for her, as long as she'll take it)
The hematology nurse called a little later to remind us to not use Tylenol if we can help it, as it could mask a possible fever that Piper might have, and thus let any infection get further than it should. Bummer. I can see Piper's 13th tooth coming in. One of them nasty K9 teeth... not looking forward to it.
But so far, Piper seems more than ok, it is just the same constant monitoring we've always been doing, since day 1. She is eating well, drinking well and in a general normal mood.
I think Heme will call us to book a check-up appointment soon, maybe for next week. I'll let you know if there is anything new or interesting :) Have a great weekend!
