Can you believe it? Fall is here. Cozy sweaters, Crackling fires, Warm soups. And of course, all things pumpkin. Speaking of pumpkins, you still feel like you're smuggling one under your shirt and you aren't sure how you're going to get through the days till your darling baby makes an appearance. Let us help you with some suggestions to pass the time and leave you feeling completely prepped for baby's arrival.
1. Get a massage - You're nine months pregnant. Need we say more? Yes, there are some great places in town to get treated to a luxurious massage but a loving massage from your partner can feel wonderful too. And, it may help get a little oxytocin flowing too... 2. Bake cookies - Fall and baking feel like they go hand in hand so how about taking some time to mix up a batch of cookies. If you're not the baking type Stacey Cakes has you covered. 3. Take a stroll through Ponderosa State Park - Spend some time wandering through Ponderosa Park soaking in the fall colors. There are several miles of easy hiking trails where you can enjoy the sights and sounds of fall but still keep yourself in cell service and close to town, Just in case. 4. Treat yourself to brunch and a hot drink - As a fun way to pass the morning why not do something unique and take yourself out to a place you don't usually frequent. Bring your friend or bring a book and spend the morning refueling physically and mentally. 5. Stock your freezer with some freezer meals - Maybe this one doesn't sound quite as fun as brunch out on the town but I promise you'll thank yourself later! Pinterest abounds with delicious freezer meal recipes if you need some inspiration. 6. Hire a doula - If you haven't considered hiring a doula it's not too late. A doula is there to help you navigate your birth, understand what to expect and ease your discomfort during labor. 7. Pick up a new just-for-fun book from the library - It's great to feel prepared for what is to come, but put down the baby books and the birth books for a while and let yourself get lost in a novel, a biography, a cookbook - whatever is going to feel like a delightful treat to sit down a read for some YOU time. 8. Put together some "busy boxes" - Not to keep you busy, you will be plenty busy without any additional help of a "busy box." These boxes are to help keep your young kids entertained when you are tending to the needs of your new baby. Pinterest is a great resource for busy box ideas too and they can be as simple or elaborate as you desire. 9. Give yourself an hour to spend on a hobby - Is there something you love to do that you haven't gotten a chance to for a while? Why not set aside an hour or so one night to just do something you enjoy even if it means the dishes or the laundry wait to be done until the next day. If you're looking for more ideas you can check out our Spring and Summer editions as well.
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If you live in or near McCall, there is a good chance you're here because you love recreating and being outdoors. Being pregnant can put a damper on some of your activities but as long as you have your care provider's ok, there should be no reason why you can't continue to do some moderate hikes if that's something you enjoy.
That being said, it can be reassuring to know you have communication with the outside world if you are in the woods and either don't have a hiking buddy and/or are later on in your pregnancy. So, we've put together a list of some great hikes in McCall to get you outdoors but keep you in cell range for your peace of mind. (Please note that while these hikes tend to have decent coverage every phone and phone provider is different in where they pick up good signals) 1. Ponderosa Park - there are several great hiking trails in Ponderosa. They are all pretty easy hikes with great scenary and lots of options to make it as short or long of an exursion as you want. 2. Crestline Trail/Blackwell Lake - Just off of East Side Drive, Crestline trail has a bit of a climb right off the bat but then you stay at a fairly constant elevation for the rest of the hike until it's time to head back down. There's a great loop that can be done going up to Blackwell and back down Crestline but it is about 10 miles so be sure you're up for some walking. 3. Bear Basin - just west of McCall, Bear Basin is one of our favorite places to go play in the summer. Lots of trail options and super easy access to town. 4. Boulder Lake - It takes a little bit more driving to get out to Boulder but well worth it. This four mile round trip hike will reward you with some amazing views at the lake. It's not a particularly challenging trail but be prepared that you will be doing a fair bit of steady climbing most of the way up to the lake. It is also a VERY popular trail in McCall in the summer so if you go on a weekend be prepared to have lots of company! 5. Louie Lake - Louie Lake starts out at the same trail head as Boulder Lake (you can actually do a beautiful 7-ish mile loop from one lake to the other but you may not have reliable cell service for the middle portion of the hike), but you head off in a different direction. This hike is a little shorter than Boulder but with a little more elevation gain. 5. Goose Creek Falls - This 6 mile hike round trip hike is a nice mellow trail that ends at a beautiful waterfall. The trail leaves from the Last Chance Campground, about halfway between McCall and New Meadows. *These are not intended to be formal trail directions or descriptions. Please do your own research before you head out and make sure you are adequately prepared. Those last few weeks of pregnancy. They're tough. You are SO ready to meet your precious baby, but your baby seem to be in no hurry to enter the world. Plus, it's spring. In McCall. Which means mud, rain, slush and some teases of warm beautiful days tossed in the mix. To help you pass the time we have put together a list:
9 Things to do in McCall When You're 9 Months Pregnant - Spring Edition 1. Treat yourself to some Stacey Cakes (because, well, it's Stacey Cakes and therefore amazing) 2. Stock up on some easy to grab snacks for those early postpartum days. You will be ravenous. You will be exhausted. And you will be constantly attached to a newborn. Granola bars, fresh fruit, cheese sticks, Stock up on things that are easy to eat one handed and will nourish you. 3. Take a stroll along Legacy Beach. The tourist haven't flocked in yet, so take advantage of a sunny spring day to breath in some fresh mountain air and get your heart pumping. 4. Create a list of ways to people can help you when they stop by. New babies often mean lots of visitors. It also often means many people eager to help you out in anyway they can so take a few minutes to write up a list of things that would really help you out as you recover and adjust to life with a newborn. Tossing in a load of laundry, grabbing some milk at the store or walking the dog are some ideas that most people are more than happy to assist with and can really feel like a big relief to you. 5. If you already have kids, try to have some special one-on-one time with them before baby. Life will be busy for a while after baby is born so take advantage of the semi quiet now to plan a special date with your kids at home. It could be as simple as a park play date, building a fort together or going out for ice cream. 6. Call a girlfriend. Sometimes a good chat with an old friend is just the thing to brighten our day. 7. Book a Postpartum Placenta Specialist to encapsulate your placenta. Not sure what that is? You can learn more about it HERE. 8. Take 30 minutes to sit down and do some coloring. Put on some music, pull out your colored pencils, crayons or markers. Sound childish? Maybe, but it's also an incredibly relaxing way to unplug and put everything else aside for a while. 9. Make sure your hospital bag is packed and ready to go. If you're looking for idea of what to pack and what you don't really need you can check out our Hospital Packing List for the Minimalist So there you have it. And when you just can't take one more person asking if you've had the baby yet, you can always start sending them to www.haveyouhadthatbabyyet.com! |