Raising two kids: It gets easier

May 16, 2016May 25, 2016catherinemryan

Last weekend was full—in the best way.

On Friday night, a high schooler who lives across the street babysat the girls while Eric and I went to the opera. We dressed up, met up with friends, had a fancy schmancy drink and enjoyed the Portland Opera’s The Magic Flute. We hadn’t been to the opera—something I truly love—since last Valentine’s Day.

Portland Opera The Magic Flute - Ten Thousand Hour Mama On Saturday we met up with a friend and his kids for a round of disc golf and swimming in the river at Milo McIver Park. Then we went to my brother’s house, where we played corn hole and let Peeper plant cucumber and lettuce seedlings. To round out the day, friends and their baby came to our house for dinner.

Parenting gets easier river Finally, on Mother’s Day, we drove up Mt. Hood for a hike along the Salmon River.

Parenting gets easier family hike On the drive back home, I reflected on the packed and truly fulfilling weekend. It struck me that we never could have pulled off all those activities—some planned, some impromptu—just a few months ago. Read more →

#GetOutside Challenge

April 22, 2016April 29, 2016catherinemryan

A little while back, I took up PDX Parent‘s #GetOutside Challenge: to spend at least an hour outdoors with the kids, rain or shine. I wrote about the seven days of puddle-stomping, worm-examining, trampoline-jumping here.

#GetOutside Challenge rainy day #GetOutside Challenge puddle We’ve had a beautiful, warm, sunny week, but today the weather is back to Oregon’s usual rainy self. I learned on the #GetOutside Challenge that a little rain is no reason to stay indoors.

In fact, there are benefits to heading outside on a rainy day:

There’s no one else at the playground/park/hiking trail!
Kids love rain gear. Peeper gets so excited to wear her firefighter rain jacket!
It shows kids the importance of being active, even if it’s crummy outside.
It gets stir-crazy kids out of the house.
It gets stir-crazy parents out of the house.

So while I am missing the sun today, the rainy forecast won’t keep me from getting outside with the kids this weekend. We’ll just pack a dry set of clothes, pull on our boots and stomp every darn puddle we can!

Valentine’s Day: A walk in the park

February 15, 2016May 26, 2016catherinemryan

Valentine's Day balloons Cookie sprinkles, a rented movie and a rainy hike: this is what our Valentine’s Day dreams are made of.

We celebrated Valentine’s Day in a pretty low-key way over here. We baked cookies and brownies (because chocolate). Peeper helped make individual pizzas and even ate hers—bell peppers and all. (Thank you Daniel Tiger episode—”Try new foods ’cause they might taste good!”) Eric and I watched Silver Linings Playbook while snuggling and eating popcorn on the couch. (It was the first time we watched a movie together at home since Kiwi was born. It may have taken us two nights to finish, but we did it!)

We also ignored the forecast of 100% rain and headed to the woods.

Spending a holiday outside

We went to Wilderness Park, our go-to hiking spot. Peeper set off at a sprint, and one boot flew off as she zoomed down a hill. Kiwi kicked and babbled as we meandered through the deep greens of the forest. Raindrops pattered on our jackets, but the weather had scared off just about everyone else: We had the trail to ourselves.

Halfway through the hike, I realized this was exactly how we spent last Valentine’s Day. Only Kiwi is a gurgling, smiling, squirming munchkin on the outside, and Peeper has gotten huge: She no longer needs a hand when climbing over logs, and even Finn can barely keep up with her.

Walking under the Douglas firs, I reflected on how much has changed in a year. We have survived our share of rough transitions—from one to two kids, from the rock n play to the cosleeper, from not sleeping to sleeping sometimes.

We have grown into our family of four. And this Valentine’s Day, we had even more love to go around.

Happy campers: Camping with kids

May 21, 2015February 28, 2018catherinemryan

S’mores, winding down around the camp fire and more stars in the sky I’d ever seen: Camping while I was a kid became one of my favorite family activities. We were (nudge, nudge) happy campers!

With the Memorial Day weekend just hours away, I’ve been thinking about those experiences in the great outdoors and planning a few for our family this summer. With Kiwi due in July, we’ll likely be keeping our ambitions modest, but still—our tent and hobo pie makers are calling me.

I wrote a guide to family camping in this month’s Metro Parent (see it here in a link or PDF!) with suggestions of the Northwest’s best yurts, car camping sites and backpacking trips. I also gathered great advice from family camping experts on how to make outdoorsy trips fun for the whole crew.

My favorite tip, from Bonnie Henderson, author of Best Hikes with Kids: Oregon:

“Hiking with kids is all about having them have an experience outside, so it’s not about how far you go or the destination. When you go with the kid agenda, it’s about just being outside and having fun.”

I wanted to soak up all the advice, considering our own first family camping trip had its share of ups and downs.

In preparation for this year’s camping season, do you have any tips for family camping? Please share!

10 Ways I’m an Awesome Mom

May 8, 2015February 28, 2018catherinemryan

Take a sample of parenting blogs out there and you’ll read a lot of bloopers. But I’m going to own it: I’m an awesome mom.

We mothers, especially, are quick to point out our failings and our foibles. Perhaps it’s easier (or more cathartic) to confess the time you melted a Tupperware lid in the dishwasher, causing poisonous fumes to fill the apartment, than it is to reflect on the millions of other times you scrubbed plates clean without incident. After all, washing the dishes without a hitch—or, for that matter, the millions of unremarkable moments of motherhood—aren’t particularly newsy.

But in anticipation of Mother’s Day (coming up this Sunday for anyone who’s forgotten!), I’m stepping out of the self-deprecating, self-questioning rut I sometimes fall into.

I’m celebrating what a wonderful mother I am. Read more →

22 months

May 7, 2015catherinemryan

Throughout the month, I’ve collected little vignettes of Peeper being Peeper. I wrote them down as they happened, not wanting to forget the ordinary yet remarkable moments that make up our days.

I just read over them, and it struck me that most of them revolve around Peeper talking.

As she turns 22 months, she continues to bowl me over with her gift of gab. Whether she’s telling us what she remembers the zoo animals doing at our last visit, repeating nonsense words to herself or telling me she loves me, her mouth is motoring nearly all day.

She wakes up talking. “Change your diaper. Lots of pees in there!” she’ll say as I pull open the blinds.

And after I put her in the crib at night, we hear snippets of toddler monologue through the monitor.

I’m glad I wrote down these interactions—they’re the silly little things I’ll want to tell her about when she’s older. I thought I’d share them on the blog, too. Here, then, is a ~~glimpse~~ listen into Peeper’s world. Read more →

Goose eggs and gratitude

April 22, 2015catherinemryan

It’s been a hard week ’round these parts.

It started one day with Peeper throwing up at breakfast. She must have caught the GI bug that’s going around lately. I didn’t feel great, either, but powered through and managed to get some work done.

The next day, while she and Nana were at the grocery store, she bumped into a wire rack at the end of one of the aisles. The whole thing crashed down on her, and she ended up with two big goose eggs—and a trip to the doctor.

She’s fine, thank goodness, despite the bruises and bumps.

We then had a few nice days where we both felt fine, so we spent the weekend hiking, throwing sand in the Willamette River and enjoying the sun.

Then a few nights ago I became violently ill. I was sick all night and still can’t eat or hardly drink anything—a condition that’s especially rough when you’re pregnant.

Throughout it all, though, I can focus on what I’m grateful for. Read more →

How to take your toddler for a hike

January 21, 2015April 18, 2017catherinemryan

As all parents know, doing anything with a child automatically bumps it up into a new category of difficulty.

Ran out of milk and bread? Good luck buying groceries when all your toddler wants to do is push your cart into other shoppers.

Packing for a trip? Oh, how nice, but your little one is tossing every item of clothing out of the suitcase. You didn’t really need to bring underwear, anyway.

Taking the dog out for a walk? Luckily, I just wrote a column for Metro Parent, Portland’s parenting magazine, with explicit instructions on just how to take your toddler and pooch on a hike. Zip over here to read the step-by-step instructions or pick up a free copy around town. I’ve even included my top tactical flashlight list if you’re planning a long hike with overnight camping. Be sure to comment with your own suggestions on how to take a munchkin out for a walk. I could use the advice!

Peeper refusing to move an inch on the trail.

Searching for yetis

December 8, 2014catherinemryan

“Ye-ti! Ye-ti! Ye-ti! Ye-ti!” Peeper called. She let out a squeal-shriek that was nothing if not abominable. She peeked around trees.

She was searching for a yeti.

From near and far: Summer family visitors

August 21, 2014catherinemryan

Summer in Oregon is pretty much the best time/place combo I can think of. With the state’s beautiful weather, easy access to swimming holes and unbeatable hot-weather harvests, it’s no wonder we get a ton of visitors this time of year.

It’s just mid-August and a slew of family members from afar have made the summer even more wonderfully full.

Eric’s parents drove their mini-RV out from Michigan. They hadn’t seen Peeper since January, so she was quite a bit different! They witnessed her first solid food then; this go around, they joined us for her first camping trip. We also visited the zoo, though Peeper was more interested in playing with leaves and bark chips than watching the animals. And we captured a rare moment: Peeper with all four of her grandparents.

My brother, aka Uncle Fuzzy, jetted out to surprise a friend for a camping bachelor party. Thankfully he had a few days to hang with Peeper, too. We went berry picking and played at the park, but the highlights were tickle fights and roughhousing at home. Even better: Uncle Fuzzy will be out later this summer, too!

My sister from another mister Monica and her son T joined us for Peeper’s birthday celebration in Welches. We discovered an island along the Old Salmon River Trail and plotted a camping trip at the secret spot. T pretended to fish in the creek, and Peeper pointed at the water a whole lot.

My younger sister and her husband moved from Berkeley to Seattle this summer. Now that they live much closer, that means more games of chase and high fives lessons for Peeper.

We also visited Mr. T for his big 4th birthday party. He loved his superhero costume (which I ordered from the Etsy shop Fun Kidz Stuff) and his alien-themed party in the park. I enjoy eating blue-frosted cupcakes and wearing bobble alien headbands as much as the next guy. But most of all I loved being with those I care about.

Have you had family visitors this summer? What parts of your town or state do you show off?