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pnw mountain mommy

One mom's journey

How to Snowshoe with a Baby

March 13, 2017

Getting outside, as I’ve said before, can be difficult. Getting outside in the winter, comes with its own unique set of additional challenges, not the least of which involve clothes for you, clothes for your baby, a diaper bag with even more clothes for your baby, a 4-wheel drive, copious amounts of coffee, and a will to persevere, dammit.

As a family, we’re the snow-loving sort. I have a whole slew of things I envision doing with kiddo when he’s a bit older. I daydream about hot coco in the lodge after a long day of sledding, or the awesome runs we’ll ski. There will be mittens and forts and cross-country skiing and catching snowflakes on our tongues… Of course, our kid is only four months old. He has just mastered the art of rolling over, so the whole skiing and sledding thing is a ways down the road. There is a snow sport that does lend itself to babies, however. It’s decidedly slow-paced, but I find it very approachable with an infant.

You guessed it: Snowshoeing!

So how did my husband and I accomplish this feat? Well. Here’s the list of things we brought with us on our journey up the mountain:

  1. Warm clothing for us.
  2. Pack for water bottle, snacks, extra layers, and the contents of the diaper bag.
  3. Patagonia onesie (with built in mittens) to put over the onesie Little Bear was already wearing, plus a hat.
  4. Snow shoes.
  5. Leash and bags for our pup (because he loves a snow day as much as the rest of us).
  6. Full tank of gas, 4-wheel drive Subaru with tires in good condition.

It’s not as straight forward, of course. There’s always nuance when it comes to wrangling a baby outside the home. Namely, momma, be prepared to breastfeed in the car right before you go for a hike if your babe is still on the boob and you’re not toting around a bottle (formula or otherwise). If you are toting around a bottle, just remember you’re heading into the snowy expanse and things get cold. If you don’t have a fussy eater, you don’t have anything to worry about. If you do… well… perseverance, dammit! As far as myself, I simply fed him in the car before we headed out on our snowshoe.

Now, just so we’re clear, I am not being paid to advertise for Patagonia or Ergo, but, I want to be honest with all you outdoor enthusiast mommas, and tell you the real deal about what I use and why. The Patagonia onesie is awesome and fuzzy and not cheap. Luckily, we got ours as a gift, but I’ll tell you what, I would have bought it, regardless of the cost. It’s perfect for winter weather. Though not waterproof, this fuzzy little encapsulation keeps hands and feet covered as well as offering undeniable insulation. Alright, so, say it’s snowing, or, knowing where we live, say it’s drizzling over the beautiful white landscape. Well! The Ergo is everything. It comes with a little hood, it fully covers the back of the baby, and though tiny feet poke out (at least Little Bear’s tiny paws are always dangling down), it is still a top-notch protector. Plus, the Ergo is great for ease of transportation. Just throw the little one in there and the nice walking motion and warm belly means you’ve got a sleeping baby in next to no time*.

Things to keep in mind? There are elements. As in, you’re on a mountain, in the snow. This is not rocket science. Make sure you have provisions in case the weather turns horrible. Have water for yourself, follow the trail maps and don’t go wandering off the designated path unless you are extremely familiar with the area and brought your compass. I cannot stress this enough. When there’s snow, a lot of landmarks you may be used to in the summer WILL NOT BE VISIBLE. It is extremely easy to get lost in the winter if you head away from the main track. Everything begins to look the same in a snowy forest.

We brought a changing pad, because, my husband informed me that he would have no problem changing Little Bear on a snowy hill, which… you know… go for it; that being said, if you’re us, and you’ve got an infant, the chance of you being on a hike for longer than a couple hours is unlikely. In that time frame a diaper change won’t be necessary… one can hope. Especially, if, like us, you give him a quick change in the car before you begin.

That being said, we still brought the pad and the diapers and the whole new outfit because if there’s one thing you learn as new parents, it’s that you cannot be over prepared. Or, well, maybe you can… because that backpack definitely could have been lighter, but, I mentioned we’re new parents, right?

So, my advice to you? Keep it to two hours maximum, for the sake of your back (if you’re the one with the ergo), feed the kid and change him right before you hit the trail, follow the signs, bring extra layers, and have fun. Seriously, stop worrying about your (hopefully) sleeping infant and start looking around at the gorgeous landscape. And, if you’re us, wake up your sleeping infant so you can take an ungodly number of photos and feel smug when you share it on social media later.

* I only have the one baby and know nothing about other babies so what works for Little Bear may not work for other babies. Sorry if it doesn’t, because you deserve something that works. You’re doing a great job, though! Go get yourself a glass of wine and a piece of chocolate.

/ Filed In: Getting Outside
Tagged: ergo, fatherhood, motherhood, outside, snow, snowshoe, winter

Love Letter to a Radish

February 14, 2017

husband

As you may or may not know, for the purposes of this blog I have given both my son and husband a nickname in an effort to keep their lives semi private. I did this not because they asked, but because this is a blog from my point-of-view, and it seems respectful to allow them a little distance. But, let’s be real, I also did it because how cute are pet names? My husband, Big Radish, got his nickname due to his profession (chef) and the beautiful radish tattoo on his forearm (he has a lot of very nice tattoos, btw).

As I see the impending pinks and reds of Valentine’s Day approaching, I feel the need to say a little something about the fella I have chosen to spend my life with. Big Radish and I have been together for five years, and will have been married for two, come August. He is the epitome of what I need in a partner. The man is patient, has a sense of humor, knows how to calm me down with a rational mind which helps reel back my anxious-hypochondriac-worst-case-scenario mentality. He is a perfect counterpoint to my neurosis. He is also the kind of father who looks forward to coming home so much he can barely contain his excitement when he calls me from work to say he’s on his way. He lives for Little Bear and I, and if he could, he would get up every hour to feed our son if it meant he would be helping me out. Of course, as the one with the boobs, I save the interrupted sleep for myself.

I don’t mean for this to sound like bragging, except, it’s totally bragging. I find myself extra mushy because Big Radish is out of town for the next few days, effectively missing that oh-so-cheesy holiday. To be fair, we really don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day, as the whole thing seems a bit prepackaged and sappy (no offence, holiday-heeding lovebirds). However, it is not unheard of that we throw an extra ‘I love you’ or maybe an off-the-cuff nice dinner at home in observance. So, with him gone, I feel it a little more than perhaps I would have previously. Typically, both he and I would be working on Valentines anyhow, as for service industry folks the whole holiday is a bit of a cash cow. Though, let me tell you, it’s no walk in the park. I could go into a whoooooole thing about how trying to get the attention of people making googly eyes at one another is nearly impossible or How. Many. Fights. go down in public on this most gushy of days, but, I digress…

reading

Big Radish is away on a boy’s trip with his best friend. They do this trip every year. The two of them meet in Denver and they spend a few days skiing and catching up. When I was still pregnant, Big Radish had inquired if it would be alright if he still went, and if I had any issue with the idea that he would skip the whole shebang. I told him of course he should go. We both agreed that one boys trip and one girls trip a year is completely reasonable. It is a way for us to reconnect to those people we love while simultaneously trusting our partner to take care of the baby. That sort of trust may not seem like a big deal, but it is.

This is the first time I’ve had to solo parent for an entire day and night. My mother-in-law has been kind enough to come down and keep me company for a couple days so it’s not terribly impressive on my end, BUT, last night was my first night that I was all by myself with Little Bear. It took a long time for me to finally get him down, and he was up every two hours, but you know what? I did it. I feel like a total bad ass wonder momma. When I told Big Radish about it I could tell he was proud but he also never had a doubt in his mind that I could handle it.

I had enough doubts for both of us.

But, I handled it. I didn’t just handle it, I really knocked it out of the park. I am capable of doing this. I am capable of doing this because I’m a good mom, even if I don’t know what I’m doing half the time. I’m a good mom because I have a partner who believes in me, supports me, and gives me the confidence to tackle these things without feeling like I’m flailing.

So, Dear Big Radish,

I love you. I miss you. I hope you’re tearing up those slopes and I hope you and your boy are having one too many beers and giggling (in a very manly way). I know you miss me, and you miss Little Bear, but we’re doing fine. We’re doing better than fine. I mean, he’s only peed on me twice and spit up down my shirt once, so…

Happy Valentine’s Day, you sexy piece of produce.

sleeping

/ Filed In: Home Life, Personal Beliefs
Tagged: baby, fatherhood, husband, love, marriage, parenting, valentine's day

I’m a first time mom and lifetime nature lover. With a new son of my own, I have the opportunity to introduce him to the beautiful natural spaces so close to where we live. It is my hope to inspire not only him, but other mothers out there, that nature is certainly nurture.

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