Happy Halloween from my little island boy!!
Baby is sleeping so papa and I are putting the final touches on our costumes, the perfect husband and wife…just let your imagination run with that for a while and I’ll be back later in the week with lots of photos!
Happy Halloween!
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Remember these from the past few years?
If you have been following this blog for some time you already know that we are a family that likes to travel. We’ve flown half way around the world with a 5 month old, we’ve been on 12 different planes in the past 9 months, we’ve spent a week in the Caribbean sailing and living aboard a 54′ catamaran and now we can add a 800 mile road trip to the list of recent adventures!
Unlike most vacations where we travel to new locations seeking adventure and discovery, this trip was all about the familiar. Although the roads we traveled and the people we embraced were well known there was still that spark of excitement us wanderers live for. We dug our toes into the sand as we flew a kite along the shores in San Diego, we rolled up our pant legs as we dipped our feet into the icy waters of the Pacific and headed out for an afternoon of chilly sailing on Mission Bay, we relaxed under the California sunshine catching up with old friends talking about our new lives as parents and we cried, laughed and danced our pants off as we shared in the love of close friends on their wedding days.
And that’s just the beginning!
I’d love to share more with you but in true Harper fashion he is awake from his nap 15 minutes into it and duty calls…more when I get the chance!
After a little more than two weeks of surf, weddings, road tripping and vacation we are back and slowly rubbing the sandy sleep out of our eyes. California was good to us and we have lots of great stories, photos and highlights to share so stay tuned!
Harper says, “Aloha from California!”
Although this sunscreen is more expensive than other brands it is absolutely the best! I put sunscreen on Harper every single day, multiple times a day and so I’m willing to pay for a quality product that is free of harmful chemicals. The coverage of this sunscreen is great and I like that it has a white tint while applying so that I can see that I’ve covered all of the exposed skin. Bonus…this sunscreen works great for forming amazing baby mohawks!
The best sun hat HANDS DOWN! We own two of these we love it so much! The fit is great and for the smaller size 3-6 months there is an adjustable tie in the back. This hat offers full coverage with ear flaps, a neck cover and a wide brim to keep your little one safe from the sun. The fabric is lightweight and soft 
These glasses were given to us as a gift and we absolutely love them. Harper rocked these with mad style up until a few weeks ago when he decided that sunglasses are more for eating than wearing 
Boo Harper…you’re missing out on these awesome shades!
We LOVE this! We used this float while on our sailing vacation and almost daily down at the beach and at grandma’s pool. We love this SO much we actually own two (one for grandma’s house and one for our house and boat).
I love how supported Harper is in this float (even as a tiny guy at 5 months) and how as he is getting bigger and stronger he can kick around and actually move around the pool. I love being in the water with my monster but it’s also nice to have some hands free swim time.
Swimways is a great company that offers Swim Steps and products to safely and confidently support your little swimmer. We plan on sticking with this company for all our pool toys and accessories.
Harper wore his rash guard almost every single day as a little guy and the zipper front and crotch made it easy to get him dressed and undressed. Now that Harper is a little older and can wear sunscreen (6 months and up) he rocks a short sleeve rash guard and surf trunks.
We don’t personally own one of these yet but I have used a friends and see them at the beach on a regular basis. The set up looks ridiculously simple as the tent literally pops up, no assembly required. There is ample room inside for multiple people to sit, play, eat or rest. I also like how small the shade shack folds down since going to the beach with a baby already requires a whole suitcase full of stuff!
This Moment- A Friday ritual. A single photo- no words- capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor, and remember. If you’re inspired to do the same, leave a link to your ‘moment’ in the comments for all to find and see.
Think we are nuts after watching the Flipper Show? Here’s one more thing to add to the list: we are taking Harper on a 2 1/2 week road/surf trip throughout California!
Yup, it’s official, we have lost our minds.
Here’s the plan:
Starting in San Diego we have two weddings to attend and a whole lot of surfing, sailing, and catching up with friends we haven’t seen in a while. After a few days at a beach house in Mission Bay we are picking up one of these beauties from Escape Campervans and heading up the coast.
We’ll be stopping at all the major surf spots from San Diego to Santa Cruz and hitting up some of our favorite hiking trails, restaurants and old college hangouts along the way. We’ll be passing through Santa Barbara, stopping in San Luis Obispo to visit with more friends (Yay! I get to see my BFF) and attending a third wedding!
Continuing up the coast we’ll pass Big Sur where we were engaged some 8 (is it 9? Gah!) years ago and make a stop off at hubby’s family beach house for a few days of relaxation and long boarding at Pleasure Point. We’re looking forward to hot chocolate, fireplaces, warm boots, scarves, fog and all the crispness that Fall brings to the Central Coast
After a day or two in San Francisco visiting with MORE friends (man you guys are all over the place) we will fly back to Hawaii and after this trip I swear NO MORE TRAVELING!!!
I’m hoping to keep you all updated with pictures and snippets of our vacation along the way so stay tuned.
Have any suggestions for camping spots or activities to do along the California coast? Leave me a comment!
A sliver of a moon sneaks its way into the farewell dance of a setting sun…goodnight Waikiki…goodnight…
Remember when I told you that Harper was a fish? Well he’s actually a dolphin and now I have proof:
Hubs and Harper have been working on their “dolphin dive.” Although it terrified me the first time I came outside and saw hubby dunking and tossing Harper, I’ve relaxed after watching his smile and hearing his giggles…you guys he actually likes this!
Most impressive (and also nerve racking) is how confidently Harper will simply toss his body into the pool. We thought it was a fluke the first time we sat Harper on the edge and said “jump, jump Harper” but he consistently wiggles himself right off the edge and into our arms.
Even more impressive?
It seems babies don’t have a fear of heights because he will jump from any ledge if we call out to him (including the side of our boat). Looks like we have some Infant Survival Swim classes in our future! While it is awesome that he is so comfortable in the water now that he can get himself in it terrifies me that he might decide to take a swim while God forbid we aren’t there to catch him.
Harper has logged some serious water time in the past few weeks as our “weekend” at grandma’s turned into 12 days of staycationing around the pool, taking afternoon trips on the kayak and even a bit of shore surfing (photos to come!) We had hoped that our little man would be a water baby and he is certainly proving himself to be one!
Curious what our favorite baby water essentials are? Watch out for a future post where I’ll cover our favorite sunscreens, toys, floats and safety gear!
October 3, 2011
My best friend (that’s a shout out to you, Ms. Jaime) always tells me that I’m the bravest person she knows. What she may not know is that I’m really just a huge chicken fueled by a combination of stupidity and competitiveness.
I grew up with an older brother who was anything but gentle. I was the only girl in my neighborhood leaving me to either play by myself or buck up and join the boys. Surrounded by a group of dare devils trying to one up one another I found myself in some pretty stupid situations.
Now that I’m a mama I find that I’m even less inclined to take risks. Not only does taking risk affect me but it could possibly impact Harper and our family. What happens if I don’t land that 30′ cliff jump? If I can’t out swim a ripping current?
Whereas before I might decide to put on a brave face and step outside of my comfort zone, now I find myself sitting back, shaking my head and thinking, “man these kids are nuts!” Ah…I feel like such an old, boring MOM! But seriously I can’t believe some of the stuff I was willing to do before this little guy rocked my world.
As my comfort zone has shifted from extreme adventuring young adult to a cautious, somewhat adventurous mama, I’ve been having to redefine what the word brave means.
Bravery is…
: Having or showing courage
: To endure or face (unpleasant conditions or behavior) without showing fear
Being brave now means stepping out of my shyness (shut up I actually get really nervous meeting new people) and showing up at a park all by myself for baby playgroup. Being brave means watching your baby get vaccinations and not running out of the room crying. Being brave means leaving your baby with grandma and grandpa for the afternoon and paddling out with friends for a surf even though your chest gets a little tighter knowing you’re not just a phone call away.
Despite the fact that I take a lot more caution and error on the side of safety these days I still believe it’s important to push yourself and step into that brave place every once in a while. It’s good to feel your heart race a little, to paddle down the face of a steep wave or peer over the side of a cliff feeling that rush of vertigo tingle throughout your limbs. Sometimes we have to muster up the courage, face our fears and dance a little on that line of stupidity.
This week I’m challenging myself to find that bravery deep down inside and push my limits a little. With a 4-6′ swell on the way I think I’ll get my chance!
Will you be joining me in this weeks challenge? What makes your heart beat a little faster?
I'm Heather Mohr, a mama to be and a chick who loves to surf. Here I jot down the adventures of an ocean loving, surf crazed, free spirit and the unfolding journey of mamahood... a collection of reflections on the life of diapers, messy spaghetti faces, finger paintings and a growing family by the sea.
Mama Surfs is all things beach, baby, surf, sun and sand. Come back often for entertainment, inspiration and your daily dose of life by the sea!
