Snorkeling and Dolphin Watching in Oahu (#hnlbambina)

My favourite day in Hawaii included swimming with a wild sea turtle.

Chris and I did a tour with Hoku Nai'a that included dolphin watching in the morning, lunch on the boat, and snorkeling in the afternoon. We left Waikiki early in the morning, and boarded the brand new 149-passenger two-deck catamaran, custom built for eco-friendly dolphin watching around 9 a.m.

The dolphin watching was so cool. We saw a pod of at least 15 spinner dolphins, and they lived up to their names. As I remarked to Chris, I had to stay on the top deck of the boat or I would have been too tempted to jump in and swim with them.

Around lunch time, the boat got quite rocky and a lot of people started to get sick. The crew apologized for the rough ride and blamed the winds. I don't know if it was riding the subway while pregnant that made the boat ride a walk in the park for me, or just the fact that I was so excited to get in the water but thankfully I was fine.

Finally, the moment I had been waiting for arrived. I got to enter the water! As soon as we got in, one of the tour guides pointed out a sting ray swimming beneath us. Then a sea turtle was spotted. I tried to take photos with an underwater camera we purchased at the ABC Store, but it was so hard to see through the view finder. At one point Chris wanted to go back to the boat, so I swam back with him and then back out to the group. Those few moments when I was "alone" with the fish were amazing. I swam with a school of fish going the same direction as me and I felt a part of their pack.

When we got to the second snorkeling location, many folks decided to stay on the boat. I was the first tourist in the water and the last out. This time there was another turtle who was quite active. He swam by me, maybe five feet away. I think he was OK with getting closer to us because there were less people in the water. Our tour guide made sure we kept a good enough distance as not to startle him. Of course, by this point, I had no more film left in the underwater camera. A part of me was actually thankful for this - it made me truly experience the moment rather than attempting to capture it on film.

While it was mostly adults on the boat, and at least half only boarded to dolphin watch, one family who had a four-year-old daughter entered the water and she was quite happy to do so. I can't help but hope in a few years Hannah will be interested in joining me and seeing wild sea life up close. Being able to snorkel with my daughter would be the ultimate highlight of any vacation I could ever take.

YYZ Bambina is tagging all Hawaii-related posts #hnlbambina.

© 2012 YYZ Bambina. All Rights Reserved.

Honolulu Zoo (#hnlbambina)

I was in love with the Honolulu Zoo. And the animals at the Honolulu Zoo were in love with Chris' camera, he got lots of great shots (it was really hard to determine which ones to post).

Again, before we went my Mom warned us the Zoo hadn't gotten the best reviews online. I have no idea what these people expect for $14 admission, but our trio (and our free baby visitor) were quite impressed.

It's not as big as the Toronto Zoo, and there's no huge hill to check out the animals who are indigenous to the island (thank goodness). The exhibits are big and beautiful (although slightly odd when you can see a Waikiki hotel towering in the background), but they aren't so far apart you feel like you are walking for days until you reach one animal from leaving another. We saw everything the Zoo had to offer in about three hours.

There are more than 1,200 mammals, reptiles and birds that call the Honolulu Zoo home. There are elephants, lions and chimpanzees. Hippos, tigers and meerkats. If the animal showed up to Simba's introduction in the "Circle of Life" in the Lion King, you can most likely see them here. Like one of the dolphins at Sea Life Park, Hannah attracted many of the animals to come close so she could get a better look.

With all the controversy surrounding the elephants at the Toronto Zoo, I think their new home should be the Honolulu Zoo. And I think for coming up with that idea (although, not offering to foot the cost to fly them to Hawaii - perhaps Bob Barker could do that?), I should get a free trip every year to visit said elephants in their new paradise home.

Located quite close to the Waikiki Aquarium and across from Waikiki Beach, the Honolulu Zoo is a must for all visitors - with or without children.

YYZ Bambina is tagging all Hawaii-related posts #hnlbambina.

© 2012 YYZ Bambina. All Rights Reserved.

Waikiki Aquarium (#hnlbambina)

The Waikiki Aquarium is right on Waikiki beach. It's a short walk from the Honolulu Zoo, and a great place to cool off and see some really colourful fish.

Adult admission is $9, but we found a coupon for $1 off in one of the touristy magazines - and they honoured it for both Chris and I. As always, Hannah was free. My Mom had already been, so she decided to spend the couple hours at the hotel pool.

A couple hours was less than what it took. We walked there from our hotel, saw the Aquarium, and walked back.

It may have been the smallest aquarium I've ever visited, but it was the cheapest admission-wise and you definitely get your money's worth. It's the third oldest aquarium in the United States, and one of the coolest - almost all the indoor tanks have access to natural sunlight.

Hannah's stroller was the perfect height to check out the big fish, small fish and jellyfish. The aquarium houses more than 3,500 marine animals in their exhibits including the famous Hawaiin State Fish - Humuhumunukunukuapua'a (see photo at right). Seeing that fish is worth the admission price alone. The aquarium also has a touch tank (Hannah touched a shell) and two Hawaiian Monk Seals.

The Waikiki Aquarium is the perfect place to spend some time out of the sun - and learn about the fish you can snorkel with on the island.

YYZ Bambina is tagging all Hawaii-related posts #hnlbambina.

© 2012 YYZ Bambina. All Rights Reserved.

Sea Life Park - O’ahu (#hnlbambina)

One of the attractions I was most looking forward to on our trip to Hawaii was Sea Life Park.

Anyone recall the movie "50 First Dates" with Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler? This is the park Sandler supposedly works at in the film. And I say supposedly, because most of the scenes I remember from the film I did not see at Sea Life Park (as a big fan, I've watched the movie at least 20 times). I should have done a Wikipedia search before I left. Apparently the park featured prominently in the film is Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, in Vallejo, California.

Regardless, a park set on the coast of a Hawaiian island is good enough in itself.

Hannah was free, the adults were all $29.99 for admission. People have complained about this entrance fee on travel websites. With the Honolulu Zoo costing $14 and the Waikiki Aquarium $9, I can understand why they are upset with the steep jump, but as a family with a baby it was well worth the price.

The Wholphin is on the left.

My Mom made a list of all the scheduled shows to ensure we would catch all of them. Hannah LOVED the shows (and I'm not going to lie, I enjoyed them too). She learned to clap shortly before we left for Hawaii and the sea lions and dolphins amused her to no end (and got gasps of glee AND lots of claps). Sea Life Park is also the home to the only know Wolphin - her parents are a whale and a dolphin. 

The park itself is quite small - I'd say you could circle the main path housing exhibits in 2 minutes easily if you didn't stop to watch. With a baby who likes to be carried, I didn't mind the park was so small, just as families with toddlers who like to walk by themselves wouldn't mind either.

We also fed the sea turtles for $4 - the cost included broccoli, celery and a cute "I fed the sea turtles" cup. Hannah also got to touch the shell of a baby sea turtle who was 3.5 months old.

Sea Life Park also offers activities such as swimming with the dolphins, feeding the sea lions, "swimming" with the sharks, etc. Most of the older families we saw the day we went had also signed up for one of these activities.

You can tell these animals are well taken care of. There seemed to be as many staff members attending to the animals as there were visitors in the park. There were a few too many sea turtles for my liking in their exhibit, but the other animals seemed quite happy in their homes. I wish there were more underwater viewing tanks - just the sharks and a few of the dolphins had these.

It's about a 50 minute bus ride on TheBus (O'ahu's public transportation system) from Waikiki which charges $2.50 each way for adults - which is nothing considering the amazing views you get riding to the park (a lot of the journey is along the coast).

If I ever get back to O'ahu (and I hope I will), I would definitely return to Sea Life Park. 

YYZ Bambina is tagging all Hawaii-related posts #hnlbambina.

© 2012 YYZ Bambina. All Rights Reserved.

Baby's First CNE

One of my favourite things about living in Toronto is the annual Canadian National Exhibition (CNE), also know as The Ex. Even though it marks the end of summer, how can one not love rides, food and fun?

This year was Hannah's first taste of the CNE. And although she didn't get to actually taste any of the delicacies yet (hello Tiny Tom's Donuts and Ice Cream Waffle Sandwiches), she soaked in the sights and sounds of Canada’s largest annual community event. According to the CNE website, over the course of its 18 day run, the CNE attracts more than 1.3 million people each year.

Hannah didn't make it on to any rides. But she won her own stuffed animal on the midway (a brown horse at the Duck Pond - she touched two ducks, those counted), saw her first ice skating show and took in the SuperDogs (thankfully she's not old enough to ask for a dog yet...maybe I should be training Booyah to do tricks when she goes to bed).

We also made a stop at the CNE farm where she talked to a cow and went through an activity about being a farmer (OK, I pushed her stroller and my Mom did all the hard work...but next year, Hannah will REALLY enjoy that).

I can't wait until next year when I can take her on some rides, she can enjoy the bouncy castle and I can FINALLY give her the first (of what I hope will be many) Tiny Tom's Donut.

Have you been to the CNE? If so, what are some of your favourite memories?

© 2012 YYZ Bambina. All Rights Reserved.

Disney Store - A Magical Interactive Shopping Experience

When the invite for the exclusive Disney Store preview at Yorkdale Mall arrived in my inbox, I felt as excited as Winnie the Pooh would be getting invited to an all-he-could-eat hunny buffet.

What's behind the black curtains?
A magical, interactive shopping experience!

The newly-designed Yorkdale location opens to the public on July 25, 2012, with Grand Opening celebrations taking place on Saturday, July 28, 2012 (9:30 a.m. marks the opening ceremony when two Make-A-Wish children "Unlock Imagination", plus the first 500 guests will receive a free gift. That afternoon, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., there will be a Meet and Greet with Mickey and Minnie in Yorkdale's Centre Court).

Disney Princess Castle
with Magic Mirror

Disney Store carries high-quality products, including exclusive product lines that support and promote Disney's key entertainment initiatives and characters.

Disney Store offers a magical, interactive shopping experience, aiming to deliver the best 30 minutes of a child’s day. And the Yorkdale location does just that.

Can you see Casa Loma
moonlighting as Cinderella's Castle?

From the Disney Princess Castle with Magic Mirror (that comes alive with scenes from specific princess stories when guests walk by) to the Translucent Trees, there is so much to see. The unique skyline of the store includes five popular Toronto landmarks, one being Casa Loma moonlighting as Cinderella's castle.

There are also daily events for guests including Storytime, Learn to Draw, Trivia, the Imagination Parade, and Showtime (when guests learn how to do the hot dog dance). Just ask a Cast Member for scheduled timing.

Why do I have a feeling I'll be spending
a LOT of time in the baby section?

Every day the store is opened by a child who uses a large Disney key to "Unlock Imagination" - the guest (chosen randomly) is then given a smaller key to keep to mark the occasion. There is also a closing ceremony at the end of the day.

Along with daily events, many rituals also take place throughout the day in the store. I don't want to ruin all the surprises, but make sure you pay special attention to the Translucent Trees at Yorkdale...and hope Tinker Bell is around to come to the rescue!

No visit is complete without a stop at the Disney Store Theatre - you can ask a Cast Member how to celebrate birthdays, unbirthdays, engagements, anniversaries - or in our case, Hannah's first visit! There is also a table with crayons and colouring sheets to entertain younger guests, while they watch the celebrations or Disney videos on the big screen.

And of course, being that it is the Disney Store, there's great shopping (toys, clothes, DVDs and lots more!) organized by classic Disney characters and Disney films.

If you don't live close to Yorkdale, newly-designed Disney Stores are also located at Square One in Mississauga and Upper Canada Mall in Newmarket. Scarborough Town Centre will be the location of the next Disney Store in the GTA, opening in October 2012. There are currently more than 200 Disney Stores in North America, and more than 340 worldwide. You can also buy Disney Store products online.

I wish I could visit Disney World every week. But since I can't, a weekly visit to the Disney Store is a pretty great (and just as magical) substitute! My experience definitely left me as satisfied as Winnie the Pooh would be after hours of eating yummy hunny.

© 2012 YYZ Bambina. All Rights Reserved.

Top 5 Tips for Parent & Tot

This past Thursday was Hannah's first swimming lesson. I was full of giddy excitement. I had been counting down to the day our session began. I couldn't wait for us to be in the pool together. I was thrilled with the entire class, and when it was over, I wished I could join the next class so I could have 30 more minutes of fun.

Hannah? Not so much. She didn't cry, but she didn't smile either. Chris thinks next week will determine how she truly feels about it. The high school swim team member in me hopes she will smile.

We go to Eunice's Swim School. The lesson passes by quickly with songs and rhymes. Hannah went under the water for the first time, kicked her legs and jumped into the pool (with my assistance, of course).

If you are interested in jumping in the pool with baby, here are my Top 5 Tips for Parent & Tot Swim Lessons:

1. Prepare (your LO) to get wet. Make sure your baby is used to/likes water. Try splashing them in the bathtub and see how they react. The class involves a LOT of splashing and if they cry when splashed, they might not be ready to enter the pool.
2. Leave your fears at the door. Like everything else in life, your baby will sense your fear and play off of it. I was relaxed in the water, and as a result Hannah was too.
3. Get there early. At Eunice's we were able to enter the pool a few minutes before the class began. That allowed Hannah to soak in her surroundings and adjust to the water before we began instructed play.
4. Be positive and trust your instructor. When it came time to dunk Hannah I nearly had a heart attack. But the instructors have taught many babies (and adults) in water orientation. You aren't their first and won't be their last pupils, so trust that your baby will be successful in all skills being taught.
5. SMILE AND HAVE FUN! (This rule is mainly directed to Hannah...if only she could read). These classes really are a great way to bond with baby, and the start of their learning how to swim - a required life skill.

What Parent & Tot lessons have you tried? What are your tips?

© 2012 YYZ Bambina. All Rights Reserved.

Baby's First Island Trip

This week Hannah had her first bus, subway and boat rides. Our destination was Centre Island. We wanted to squeeze in a trip before school let out.

As Hannah is five months old, the only rides she could go on were the carousel and the train. Since she was napping the time we walked through Centreville with the intention to go on rides, we ended up not going on any. (Although we did see a lot of babies on the train who seemed to be having fun!)

That's not to say Hannah didn't have a great time without rides - she did. She loves people watching, being outside and of course, visiting the animals at Far Enough Farm.

It's weird, but going on this trip officially made me feel like a Mom. The last time I had been to Centre Island was to drink beer and catch a music festival. I didn't even bother with Centreville or Far Enough Farm. This time the only drinks I had included Pepsi and water (and OK, I got a slushie too). This trip was meant for Hannah to have fun. It wasn't for me or for Chris, it was for her.

Now I get why my Mom was so happy to stand with all of our stuff while my younger brother and I went on rides. They made us happy, which in turn made HER happy. I thought she must have been bored out of her mind while we were having fun, but her fun was watching us have a good time. When I came to this conclusion, I felt pretty silly for not realizing it before, but I think it's one of those things you don't bother thinking about until you become a parent yourself.

We spent a good five minutes at the Far Enough Farm checking out the baby chickens. She was enjoying watching them, and I was enjoying watching her, watching them. It's been said before, and I'll say it again - witnessing a child's first is like witnessing the same experience you've had a million times but with fresh eyes. I hope it never stops!

I can't wait for our next visit to Centre Island, and all the visits to Centreville in the years to come.

Far Enough Farm is in danger of closing at the end of 2012. I hope this won't be Hannah's only visit. To learn how you can help save Far Enough Farm, please visit this blog where you can sign the petition and donate online.

© 2012 YYZ Bambina. All Rights Reserved.