One thing we promised ourselves before we had Lily, was that we wouldn’t give up doing the things we loved. What we’ve discovered since then is that we don’t have to.
We want her to love adventuring as much as we do and so we get ambitious, plan trips, and set out into the wilderness with baby in tow.
Well, either we were blessed to have an easy baby or our outlook has rubbed off on her. So far, she has loved our adventures and been amazing along the way.
Our latest road trip took us to Joe’s Valley, Utah, for Thanksgiving. Papa and Mama both climbed - Papa even sent his first outdoor V9! - Papa smoked a turkey and we had an amazing camp meal with friends, and Lily napped like a champ under the stars and the blue sky.
What made this work for us? Lily loves her carrier (for us that’s the MiaMily hipster plus @miamilybabycarriers) and one of us would usually be wearing her, especially for naps. Being willing to let go of a bit of structure- being okay with shorter naps or late bedtimes- we’ll get back into a good routine at home. Finally, it was nice to have the van where Lily and I could retreat to when it got chilly and where she could stretch out during days outside and practice her new rolling and scooting skills.
What did we learn? When staying in a house with friends it’s helpful to have a portable sound machine to help baby sleep through the hustle and bustle of close quarters (and it’s easier than asking your rowdy friends to keep it down!). Safety first! We were around a lot of other people in a bouldering area so being respectful of others and keeping her safe - away from climbers and potential rock fall - was foremost on our minds. Finally, we aren’t the only ones! It was great to see another couple out there with their baby and another climbing mama!
Here’s to another great adventure with our little one and many more to come!