Just shy of reaching six months old, Harper Yeats has already visited every state across the U.S., her parents say – and now she has a bunch of adorable photos and heartwarming videos of giggles to show for it.
Harper’s parents, Cindy Lim and Tristan Yeats, had been documenting their baby girl’s journey across the States, which began in Maine on June 17, when Harper was eight weeks old.
Lim and Yeats moved from Australia to Canada at the end of 2015, shortly after they got married. Travel has long been a part of the couple’s lives; they’ve journeyed together to a number of countries, including Vietnam, Spain and Iceland.
And before Harper was born, the couple had dreams of traveling to all 50 states – they even visited 19 of them. But when they were preparing to welcome Harper to the world, the pair decided it would be a great opportunity to share the experience with their new daughter.
Their original plan was to travel with Harper to the remaining 31 states they hadn’t visited. But with the desire to have a significant amount of one-on-one time with Harper – and with Lim on maternity leave (standard in Canada) and Yeats on an unpaid leave from work – their travel plans evolved into a full road trip with their baby girl.
Despite warnings from people telling the couple that traveling with a newborn would be difficult, Lim said Harper was “surprisingly good.”
“To us, it’s been surprisingly easy,” she said. “I guess that’s because we’ve braced for the worst.”
Lim and Yeats had worked out a system that kept Harper happy. And if Harper’s joyful photos on Instagram are any indication, it appears to have been a success.
For example, the couple explained to HuffPost that they kept their driving periods relatively short by taking breaks on the road every few hours. The idea was to let Harper rest and have the family enjoy the actual journey as they visited all 50 states.
“Because we’re traveling with a baby we try to make the car trip as much of a vacation as possible,” Lim said. “We take long breaks, wander around, and make those memories as a family – and not rush to the destination.”
Indeed, Harper’s parents noted that some states had especially memorable moments and “firsts” for the family. Harper rolled over for the first time in Iowa. She had her first dip in an ocean in South Carolina. Bismarck, North Dakota, will always be remembered as the place Harper “mastered” a full laugh.
The family typically spent about two nights in every state, though some visits were longer or shorter. Yeats explained that for places where they didn’t spend the night, they made a point to at least spend some time wandering around, grabbing lunch or a souvenir. They also traveled back home to Toronto – by plane or car – every month, so Harper could get her checkups and vaccinations.
Lim and Yeats typically marked their destinations by taking photos of Harper in front state welcome signs, though in some cases they chose other locations.
The parents said they sometimes used various editing features to enhance the images or add fun effects. For example, they edited Yeats out of their Oregon photo, creating the illusion that Harper is floating in front of the sign.
“Can you tell?” the caption for the photo teased.
Harper, born April 22, completed her journey visiting all 50 states on Oct. 18 in Vermont. To celebrate the occasion, the couple hosted a casual meetup the day after, to sit with people who had been following their journey online.
After reading about the members of the All Fifty States Club, an organization whose members have traveled across all the U.S., Yeats and Lim have applied to the Guinness World Records to see if their daughter could be the youngest person to have visited all the states.
The proposed title of the youngest person to visit all the states is not an existing category, the Guinness World Records told HuffPost, but it is reviewing their application.
Lim ― who is a lawyer ― and Yeats, a civil engineer, are preparing to return to their jobs in Canada, with hopes to plan another big adventure in the future.
Yeats explained that they believe Harper’s early travel has helped make her a more adaptable baby. He hopes hearing stories about her experiences will inspire her to have her “own sense of adventure” when she grows up.
This story has been updated to include additional information from Lim and Yeats.
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Dhruv (Dhruva)
Origin: Sanskrit Meaning: North Star In Hindu tradition, Dhruv was the second son of an important king. Outcast and misunderstood by his family, Dhruv embarked on an extraordinary spiritual quest of devotion to the Hindu god Vishnu. He journeyed deep into a forest and began meditating and praying. Touched by this show of piety, Vishnu turned Dhruv into the North Star, so that he’d never have to be ignored again. The name symbolizes reliability and a strong sense of direction.
Aadhya (Aadya, Adya)
Origin: Sanskrit Meaning: First PowerAadya is the first power from which Hindus believe the five great elements (earth, water, fire, air, and space) originated. Aadya is another name for the Goddess Durga, a fierce warrior who encapsulates all of the universe’s material energy and is known for riding into battle on the back of a lion with a weapon in each of her arms.
Chava (Chaya, Hava, Ava, Eve)
Origin: Hebrew Meaning: LifeChava means “alive, living.” It’s the Biblical name for Eve, the first woman in the Bible. She was created by God to be an ezer and kenegdo (a helper-companion) for Adam, a perfect and equal match. Genesis 3:20 tells us Adam named his wife Eve because “she would become the mother of all the living.”
Ariel (Arielle, Ari)
Origin: Hebrew Meaning: The Lion of GodAriel is the symbolic name for Jerusalem and the altar in the Holy Temple. It is mentioned in Isaiah 29:1 as the “city where David settled.” Ariel is also the name of a respected Jewish leader who was called by the Biblical priest Ezra as a messenger who would search for ministers for the Temple.
Origin: Arabic Meaning: Early babyKhadija was the Prophet Muhammad’s first wife and the first person in the world to convert to Islam. She was a successful businesswoman who would often use her wealth to help the poor. Khadija is one of the “four perfect women” honored in the Quran and remains a powerful role model for Muslim women today.
Salman (Salmaan)
Origin: Arabic Meaning: SafetySalman the Persian (also known as Salman al-Farisi) was a spiritual seeker. He left his family’s home and traveled throughout central Arabia hoping to meet the Prophet Muhammad and learn from his teachings. He was sold into slavery along the way, but the Prophet helped him purchase his freedom. Salman eventually became a war hero and one of Muhammad’s closest companions.
Lydia (Lidia, Lydie)
Origin: Greek Meaning: From Lydia, beautifulLydia was an area in Asia Minor, but it was also the name of the apostle Paul’s first European convert. Lydia was a smart businesswoman who became known for selling dyed purple cloth. In Acts 16, she’s called a “woman who worshipped God” who “opened her heart” to the Christian message. She gladly welcomed Paul as a guest in her home.
Titus
Origin: Latin Meaning: UnknownTitus was an early convert to Christianity and a dear companion of the apostle Paul. In a letter, the apostle Paul called Titus “my true son in the faith.” Titus was a peacemaker who was given the task of collecting charity for the poor. He was later placed in charge of a growing Christian community in Crete.
Bodhi
Origin: Sanskrit Meaning: Awakening, enlightenment In Buddhism, the word Bodhi is linked to the state of nirvana, where the soul is free from hate, greed AND ego. Siddhartha Gautama, the wise sage who was the founder of Buddhism, was sitting under a Bodhi tree when he attained enlightenment.
Arya (Aria, Aarya, Ariya)
Origin: Sanskrit Meaning: Noble Although Arya is widely known as the name of a fiercely independent character on Game of Thrones, it has roots in Theravada Buddhism. An Ariya is a noble person who has achieved one of the four levels of holiness.
Grace (Gracie)
Origin: English Meaning: Goodness, generosity Grace is a simple name, but it holds much power. A person with grace is elegant and poised, generous and forgiving.
Gita (Geeta, Geetha)
Origin: Sanskrit Meaning: Song The name Gita evokes the beauty of the Bhagavad Gita (“Song of the Lord”), the sacred scriptural text of Hinduism. In it, the Hindu god Krishna speaks to his friend Arjuna before an epic battle. Mohandas Gandhi, the famous leader of the Indian independence movement, called the Bhagavad Gita his “spiritual dictionary” and one of the biggest influences on his philosophy.
Dharma
Origin: Sanskrit Meaning: Truth Dharma is a principle in both Hinduism and Buddhism. It can be thought of as “religious duty” or the ultimate divine law that rules over all things. Someone who practices dharma attempts to apply religious teachings in his or her daily life.
Pax (Paz, Paxton)
Origin: Latin Meaning: Peaceful Pax means peace, quiet and tranquility. Though the world may not be a peaceful place, the name Pax reflects a hope that there are good times in the future.
Origin: Greek Meaning: Gift of God Theodores are divine gifts. There were many famous Theodores in history -- from U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt to the beloved children’s book writer Theodor Seuss Geisel (AKA Dr. Seuss).
Magdalena (Magdalene, Magda, Maggie)
Origin: Greek Meaning: Gift of God Mary Magdalene is an important symbol of redemption and renewal for Christians. She was rejected by society, but Jesus offered her friendship and hope. She went on to become an early Christian leader, following Jesus during his travels around the towns and villages of the Holy Land. She was also the first woman to see Christ after the resurrection, and as a result, she was the first witness of the gospel.
Hope (Asha)
Origin: English Meaning: Trust, faith Hope was used as a Christian name by seventeenth century Puritans, but it now transcends religious boundaries. For an interesting alternative with the same connotation, parents can use the name Asha, which is Hope in Hindi.
Esther
Origin: Persian Meaning: Star Esther was a young Jewish woman who was chosen by the Persian King Xerxes to become his bride. When the Jews faced the threat of annihilation, Esther showed extraordinary courage by risking her own life to stand up for her people. Her bravery is celebrated by Jewish people around the world during the holiday of Purim. She remains a respected and revered woman of the Bible.
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