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Ever since my husband and I started talking about having kids, we decided we would not let this new phase change our adventurous spirits and our urge to travel and see the world.  At 8 months, Clara has already been to South America twice (once in my tummy at 2 months pregnant, and once after 5 months of being born), roadtripped along the California, Oregon and Washington coast (babymoon at 5 months pregnant), visited Saskatchewan in the winter at 4 and a half months of age (visiting family at Christmas) and ventured West again to Vancouver this past Easter long weekend.

I have to admit, up to now I haven’t shaken my head and wondered if what I was doing was smart until this last trip to Vancouver.  Clara is a baby that is full of energy and life and all day long she wants to be exploring new things and moving, jumping if possible.  Her excitement is contagious and makes me very happy, except for when it translates into her jumping on my lap for five hours on the plane from Toronto to Vancouver!  I was lucky to be sitting next to a very patient man who I am sure by now has vowed never to have kids or at least never to travel with them!  This may have something to do with Clara accidentally spilling all her food on top of his laptop and shoes (which, shockingly, none of the flight attendants at Air Canada had any inclination to help me clean), or with the fact that Clara just wanted to babble while he was trying to sleep, or with Clara’s insistence on playing on his keyboard while the man decided to try to get some work done.  Thank goodness this man was so patient he didn’t even give me a bad look the whole time.

We had already prepared ourselves for early mornings but adults’ circadian rhythms surely adjust a lot quicker than those of babies because Clara’s wake up calls at 2am and 3am felt like it was the middle of the night (which it was!) instead of it feeling like we were waking up at the usual time at home.  Todd and I both groaned and moaned and looked at each other to see which one of us would jump out of bed when Clara announced it was time to get up while it was still pitch dark outside.  It did feel a little insance to be playing and singing songs in the middle of the night.  By 6am when we would leave the hotel Clara had already had her first nap of the day and only two hours later it was time for lunch!  We would walk for hours waiting for the first Starbucks to open (Vancouverites are not early risers, we found out!).  Then we would try to jam in as much site seeing as we could get done by 3pm when it was bedtime for the baby.

In spite of the travails with the time difference and flying with an active baby, we did enjoy having a weekend in true Spring weather, seeing the cherry blossoms in bloom and visiting and tasting some of what Vancouver has to offer.  I came home after our short West Coast stint feeling more relaxed and like we’d had a little adventure.  Alas, the flight back is one hour shorter and I learned my lesson and only fed Clara while on firm land on the return.  I would suggest if you go somewhere that is a few time-zones behind your home town with a baby to get to bed early, as baby’s schedules are unforgiving!  But, certainly, keep on exploring your favourite places with your new bundle of joy.

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