What's Good This Week

This is Niko's 4th trip to Canada, but the first time I've really taken him on any adventures into the city, since our parents now live on the coast and it's a bit of trek into the city with a ferry and a couple of busses to get where you're going. But since we're here for such long time this time, I wanted to show him the city I grew up in.

We have this book Goodnight Vancouver that I read to the boys all the time. It's a super cute read that always makes me all misty-eyed and homesick by the end when they say, "Glitter brightly West End lights, sleep tight Vancouverites."

Since we've been here we've been trying to tick off some of the landmarks that he knows from the book. Last week we did a day trip to Science World, which was a total whirlwind but made me completely confident that we could handle more.

This week I packed the boys onto an early morning ferry and crammed ourselves onto the express bus into downtown Vancouver, then hopped over to Granville Island where we were able to tick off two pages in the book.

We met my cousin and his two sons and had a fun day together exploring playgrounds, hitting up Kids Only Market, and having lunch at the Granville Island Public Market, which as always was a total gong show. After lunch we picked up doughnuts from Lee's Donuts, which, if you're ever in Vancouver, you really must try, and ate them by the water looking at the big boats come in and out.

Niko really wanted to take an Aqua Bus, which is also in the book, so after we said goodbye to our cousins we hopped onto a boat that took us across the water to Yaletown, and then wove our way through downtown and back to our bus stop.

I must say, Vancouver transit is very un stroller friendly compared to Stockholm. It's not such a surprise really since Vancouver is still such a car-centric city and in Stockholm you'd be insane if you owned a car. Since most people in Stockholm have big strollers because the stroller is your car, the transit mostly works around them.

You get on the back doors of the bus and roll directly into designated stroller spaces, whereas special seating for those who need it is located directly at the front of the bus.

Vancouver busses have stroller / wheelchair / senior seating all mixed up together, and people seem to be cut throat about getting their spaces. I had minor altercations with people in both directions over the use of the stroller spaces, and on the way back when there was plenty of seating at the back of the bus and I pointed out another stroller about to get on a (super able-bodied and youthful looking) man got all up in my business about the area being for seniors too.

Dude! There's tons of other seats and only one other spot for a stroller. Step to the rear!

I do know that not everyone who needs a seat looks like they need a seat, but I also know that this guy was fully capable of taking a few more steps and not being a jerk.

Anyways, I'm thankful that I had my compact travel stroller with me (we have this one, and absolutely love it) and also that I had the foresight to also bring my Ergo Baby so I could wear Odin at times when the bus was too crowded for both kids to be in the stroller.

I have this extension / standing board for the stroller which is great for Niko to hop on and off of. I guess those aren't super common here because I got a lot of comments about it from random people. It's a bit tricky to push the stroller with that extra length on it, but it's working well enough.

So all in all on that big adventure day, my Apple Watch informed me that I took 14,862 steps. HOWEVER, it also claims I only did 26 minutes of exercise that day. What the hell! I took many of those steps while wearing a 20+lb baby, how does that not qualify as exercise?!.

Then, the next night when I'd taken it a bit easier and was sitting and trying to do some work before I went to bed, it buzzed me at 11:30pm and recommended that I get up and go for a 40 minute watch to meet my daily movement goal.

What a busy body that dang watch is!

So I made it through my two weeks of solo parenting, but not without a lot of very generous help from the grandparents. To be honest, although I find it tough to be on my own at times, in many ways I also find it easier to get into a good groove with the kids, and I think it was really good for Niko and I to get some quality time together at the end of a pretty tough year.

(Anyone else aways think of "year" as in the school year?)

Although the other day I told him I was sick and tired of listening to him whine, and he said that if he was making me sick then I should go see a doctor.

Touché, Niko. Touché.

That kid, I tell ya.

ON HEY NUTRITION LADY THIS WEEK

As a follow up on my recent article What Are FODMAPs, I rounded up 12 Low FODMAP Breakfast Recipes to help inspire those of you suffering from IBS or who are FODMAP sensitive. Start your day with a healthy breakfast and a happy gut!

I also shared a new recipe for Spicy Pickled Onions. These are quick-pickled red onions, which are soooooo simple to make and sooooooo delicious to add to so many things like burgers, tacos, salads, and more.

WHAT’S TRENDING ON HNL

You’ll always find the top 5 recipes (like Mung Bean Curry and Chia Fresca) over in the sidebar. Here’s a look at what else is trending this week, according to Google Analytics:

1. Curried Cauliflower Chickpea Wraps. Always a fan favourite!

2. Turmeric Latte Mix. Welcome back to the top 5!

3. Ricotta and Spinach Egg Bake. Make it breakfast or breakfast for dinner!

4. Carrot Apple Smoothie with Ginger. Adding a little bit of zip to your zing!

5. Chocolate Black Bean Smoothie. You heard me.