Sasha proved herself a very adaptable gypsy on our 2 week journey around ontario...rounding out the end of her first year of life with great adventures in Mississauga, Brampton, Burlington, Hamilton, Toronto and Bomanville! Whew...a whirlwind!
Every trip back to ontario reminds me of how much I miss the family and friends I left behind, and therefore is usually a bit of an emotional roller coaster.
This trip was even more so than usual as there are now sooo many children - the sons and daughters of my long-time friends - who I would love for Sasha to grow up with. I'm so very happy with the life we have here in Vancouver - but I still wrestle with the emotional consequence of my choice to leave years ago when there were no babies to think about!! And the biggest downside was that my uncle has been in the hospital for a while from pneumonia (and potentially legionnaires disease?) so he only saw Sasha from a doorway :(
Good news is he was on the road to recovery, with hopefully only a couple of more weeks before he can go home by the time we left! And he is most fortunate to have Donna in his life...she has been a huge blessing to our family and been a rock by his side during this emotional time...it is very comforting to have her with him...she's a keeper Unc :)
Set aside the emotion of gathering with loved ones and meeting loads of people and Sasha still has many tales to tell: her days of the walking wounded where she fell down stairs (now a permanent slow motion memory in my mind of her 'rag doll' tumble before she stopped herself 1/2 way down...which as always had me a flutter for a much longer period of time than her!!), she joined me in a fall on a lovely neighbourhood walk (yes...seems I still have trouble walkin some days - lol) where my quick reflexes prevented her head from hittin concrete beneath me (another slow motion rerun in my mind...full of nasty 'what ifs?'), and to top it off she suffered a major bum rash...I know you love these gory parenting details ;)
and that is just 3 days worth of drama: she also ate dirt (I know this is a big gasp for some of you...but better it be dirt I know isn't full of chemicals and such right? they're gonna eat dirt at some point...might as well be where you can see it and know it's "safe"), swung on swings and went down a great variety of slides (assisted with glee by me) while playing in backyards and parks, hung out with kids of all ages (3 months to 8 years...and many big kids...sorry 'adults'...teehee) visited a hospital, seniors home, apartments and houses, played at a couple of ontario's early years learning centres, met many animals, continued to master her stair climbing skills, learned all kinds of new tricks and skills from everyone around her, stood on her own two feet a couple of times, spent lots of time in that wonderful traffic perpetually fustrating drivers around toronto (or is it just me that loses my mind in bumper to bumper good times? honestly...one day it took 1 1/2 hours to get from yonge & bloor to keele & bloor 'cuz the gardiner was closed...hindsight being 20/20 I have vowed to remember my brain next time and take the subway when visiting T.O.), ate at many great restaurants and experienced life in suburbs and city alike...and she boogied everywhere she went...she really really loves to boogy boogy boogy - LOL
yes...I gave up my favored mode of transport - my feet and transit - for the ability to actually see as many folks as possible in such a short time. I could never have managed my usual nomad existence when visiting on my own with Sasha...and all the extra gear traveling with a baby entails. Though the effort is always made so much easier because of the wonderful care and hospitality we receive from everyone we visit...Southern Ontario is just far too difficult to get around expediently by transit and Go train alone (and often pick-up/drop-offs by friends) when you are fortunate to have as many loved ones as we have to find quality time with.
I love a good challenge and all...but this time I figured just creating a balance of some kind for Sasha was more important...so we rented a car...
(I'm buying carbon offsets for the flight and the rental car...details on that soon to be found on my other blog...y'know...for the other side of my life as an evolving agent for positive change...that's more appropriate space for commentary on our efforts to continue to reduce our footprint on mama earth...)
There are many pictures I don't have yet to post - like her 1st bday celebration at Aunty Tania's! - but below is a series to highlight the fabu network of loved ones who I'm privileged to have enrich my life and the life of our beautiful girl...
Sasha's family here is her Oma, Great Uncle Rollie and Nany (her Great Grandma) and Great Grandpa. Above is me and Oma enjoying a 'high 5' moment and here we are with her Great Grandpa (he loved introducing his "daughter, granddaughter and great granddaughter" to everyone at Peel Manor)
And folks who are family to our heart include the Holland Clan (pictured are Niney & Pumpa, Aunty Manda & Uncle Fraser, Great Grandma & Grandpa, Great Uncles & Aunt - Randy, and Mark & Julie - and mia are Aunty Tricia & Uncle Marko, cousin Rachel and Barry & Denise)
the Boomlights - bestest friend Tania and her partner in crime Jeff (Aunty and Uncle) and funny guy Zac attack; the Light ladies Ivory and Sue. here's Sasha and Aunty Tania, mastering one of Zac's toys and with Hunter dog sniffin for food
the Roberts clan - my life long BSBOABSB Angelalalala and her hubby Ian (Aunty and Uncle) and their 3 lovely girls Annalise, Abby and Lila...and Aunty Allison and Nana Roberts (and here's a pic of her 'riding' Abby's trike too)
the Kowalskis - my soul-sista Sue-b-doo and her hubby Mike (Aunty & Uncle) and their 3 adorable kids Mason, Gabriella and Sofia. Here's the kids...and Sasha eating dirt in their yard ;)
here's me and Sasha with another of my fabu friends Sivvy and her new baby Jade (sorry we missed you Jed!)
We were happy to see Aunty Rosanna and Uncle Simon though I have no pictures to prove it...so far ;)
And 3 other friends I missed out on the chance to see were Catherine and Brad (sorry I couldn't make it to London too!) and Camille - boohoo...she was in Jamaica! (be sure to call when you visit vancouver this summer hon!)
That's a lot of aunties, uncles, great grandparents, grandparents, and cousins for a little girl...and I know Sasha will benefit greatly from my luck to have them all in my life...even over 4ooo km away :)
so many thanks to all of you! hugs hugs hugs
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