Cat Holes and Dog Bowls

Oh you read that correctly! Welcome to the wide world of potty training!! Yes, we are starting potty training. We have a potty, and a seat adapter thingy, and there may be stickers, and unnatural happiness about urinary and bowel functions. We are making the leap. For now the diapers stay.  We'll be reassessing that in a few months. Yes, months. This is my no pressure approach to potty training. Every other hour (or so) we are putting LD on the pot and seeing what happens. Praise when he goes to the toilet and none when he doesn't. Then if we haven't made any progress by May we'll start working on some other method. Any tips and tricks out there?? We are all ears!

But, in line with potty training, LD loves dog water. Yes he does! He prefers to drink from the dog bowls...I swear I'm not abusing my child or making him. I shake my head and tell myself, "at least he's hydrating" and go on about my day. So this should make potty training fun not know when exactly he drank last because he drinks whenever he wants from the dog bowls.

LD just had his 18 month appointment and he is growing beautifully. Docs advice for the sleep issues?? Let him CIO...ya, well...that may not happen. We need to get him out for a hike and just exhaust him every night-if you ask me. So we may have sleep issues in this house for awhile longer. Like right now. I just had to take away a bottle of bleach and because LD is beyond tired he is now screaming bloody murder...I'm going to have to let him scream. I don't want my child to scream himself to sleep but I'm more than okay with letting him scream when he doesn't get his way...it's upside down. I'm going to hell.

Family Life

You know, I'm digging this family life. Tonight, I'm blogging from my phone while my love reads next to me on our front porch glider. Cider and tea on the middle table and he with a pipe. Got to love this night. Where's LD? In bed, asleep. We've got the monitor, don't panic. But you know, I am so loving this whole family life thing. The other night we had a date of sorts. I laid cushions on the living room floor and set up our new backgammon board and a candle on our side table and we played two rounds with the baby monitor on alert. It was great, just like tonight.

You see, there is this big giant warning out there (especially if you like the outdoors) that once you have kids it's all over. What is 'it'? It is freedom, whimsy, serendipity all those quixotic things. Well, the advice givers are wrong. I'm here to tell you! Wrong, wrong, wrong. We've taken LD camping, he's been to a climbing gym, and we take him hiking. I've got plans to get him on the lake (via kayak) that his great grandparents house sits on, hopes of snowshoeing next year, and finally putting up the climbing wall in his bedroom. I think A is planning on a slack line for LD too. Plus, there's disc golf. When did I have to give it all up? It does take a certain amount of either planning or "roll with it" attitude though. I'm still training for races, still climbing, still knitting, still sewing, still quilting. A is still enjoying the occasional tobacco product (seldom), beard competing, climbing, hiking, slack lining, and soon backpacking.

It's not about losing freedom, it's about making sure you maintain it. It's being conscientious and intentional with your time. Teaching your kids that family is NOT and either/or situation but an all situation. Why do I say all? Because right now, I have it all. I have an amazing son, a wonderful husband, calloused hands, and climbing gear. Because I walk through REI and I can't wait until LD can start climbing and join the local team. Because my idea of a gym membership is Pipeworks or GA, not 24hr Fitness. It can be done.

Catch Up

Its been a while since my last post and I apologize. Our lives got turned upside and I haven't had any spare time. Bug, I'm going to try to make some so I can continue this blog. For all 2 of you that read it. So, what have the outdoorsy parents been up to?? I don't know where we left off so I'll just start through things out there. In late August we redecorate LD's room in a national parks theme, but it's not done yet. We need to finish one wall. That wall will be covered with climbing holds. I know, he's still young. But trust me, this kid loves to climb!! So, he will get a wall full of climbing holds!!

Over the summer I decided to go to school to get my license for massage therapy and that has taken up most of my free time. So it's time to find a balance. Plus, LD has been sick. Yes, he spent some time back around Thanksgiving in the Pediatric ICU and was very sick. Then I was sick for all of December and poor A has been taking care of everything. While I prefer to stay away from the doctors as much as possible, it has been a rough road for us and the vitamin C wasn't cutting it. But, we all have little head colds right now, and vitamin C is really all we need.

Head colds? But it only just started raining. Yes, and I've been running in the rain. Trying to keep my training schedule has meant running in the rain. But with a head cold that is out of the picture for now. I may have to adapt my program to a 10k instead of a half marathon. We shall see. The running is important to our parenting. We want our kids to learn that physical fitness isn't just important, but that without it we have no lives. Without it we miss out on sunrise atop Half Dome, sunsets on El Cap, backpacking the JMT, PCT, & AT and so many more things. So running I go. Plus it's like an old friend. Its a commitment, I'm teaching my kids to honor their commitments, but accept when it is not the best option and readjust.

What Happens When Your Toddler Gets Your Phone...

our trip to Yosemite

hello this it A, i will be substitute blogging for you this evening because my wife is out

Today i am here to tell you all about our sons first birthday. For the past few weeks now M was toying with me and telling me that she had an awesome surprise in store for LD (Little Dude) and I for his birthday. well a few days ago she finally told me that she had plans to take us to Yosemite to go backpacking. Now this may sound crazy to some, but i really wanted to take LD backpacking before he turned one year.

I've wanted to pretty much since he was born. i was sooo excited. after she told me, all i could think about was what preparations needed to be done in order to make our trip successful. i employed some of my ultralight backpacking techniques to create a manageable pack weight for each of us while i would also be wearing LD on my back in our Osprey Poco Plus. Last Thursday morning we finally arrived in Yosemite after waking up at 3AM to drive while LD slept and make it to the permit office before it opened. The first thing we did was go straight to the permit issuing office to attempt to get a backpacking permit leading from Happy Isles to Little Yosemite Valley.

   Unfortunately it was a no go... permits were not available for our destination. we were all very bummed but decided to make the best of it. since i recently became an ordained Dudeist Priest (story for another day) i tried to keep to my faith and "abide" as the Dude most assuredly would have given the situation. So we decided to do our hike anyways and just hike it as a day hike instead of with our overnight gear. the hike was alot of fun. it was my first time up to the top of Vernal Falls and in the poor shape i was in it was quiet grueling, but the mountain air kept me going. we made it to the top around lunch and sat down for a bite to eat by the Vernal pool. after lunch we headed back down and by the time we made it , we both thought our legs were made of jello. We went to the visitor center and picked up LD's junior Nat'l Parks Passport Companion book and his Nat'l Parks Passport. M helped him stamp it which i know she really enjoyed. we went over to camp 4 and much to our dismay, we found out there were no available camp sites.

 We were thinking great... we drove here super early and now we are going to have to drive home the same night. we got dinner (pizza at Degnan's) and went to do a few other things, hoping that it would be easier to drive with LD tired and ready to sleep the whole way home. at about 9 we left the park with him wide awake. And then the nightmare began..... he began to scream, and scream, and scream. we thought he was tied and would most likely fall asleep in a few minutes. well, he didn't. we had to pull over to console and give him a break at crane flat. after about a half hour of waiting, we tried again. i pulled out of crane flat and after a minute or two, it started again. he screamed and screamed we thought we would come up to the park entrance soon enough and that we could stop there safely. i drove on and on thinking it should be coming up soon. after what felt like hours, and was probably actually about 45 minutes (still a long time to listen to your child screaming bloody murder) we see a sign for May Lake. AWWWWW SHIT. i feel horrible now because i realize i made a wrong turn somehow out of Crane Flat. I'm not about to repeat that trip back down to CF so we stop and decide to sleep in the car awhile, by now its about 11pm. i organize the back a little so M and LD can lay down in a sleeping bag. i try to sleep sitting up in the front seat which goes miserably for me. after about 2 hours of attempting to sleep. i wake up M and say we need to keep moving toward home. we buckle LD back up and he sleeps (for awhile) i drive until i feel like i cant do it any longer and then switch with M.

 i pass out in the passenger seat and wake up later when hes awake and screaming again. at this point we are nearing Sonora and decide we have to pull over and sleep again. so here we are at a god awful hour of the morning, attempting to sleep with me propped up in the driver seat and M squished in the back. from about 3am to 630am. we made due the best we could and managed to get a little restful sleep. at about 630 we woke up and were able to drive the rest of the way home. we couldn't even nap that day because we had so much preparation to do for LD's upcoming birthday BBQ. but man did i sleep well that night...

all in all im still glad we went.

(This has been edited with photographic proof of a good time had by all. Love M.)!

Death...and Taxes

Dudes, I have sad sad news. A has killed his phone. The good news is, that the cost of killing a phone is not nearly as high as that of killing a person. We will just have to pay the deductible to get him a new phone with free overnight shipping. Saweet! The thing is, what killed the phone is the death that we have allowed to be brought into our lives. It's funny, becoming a parent. You suddenly want everything to be great for your kids. You don't settle for less than what you feel they deserve. When they are kids, that's great. But, when they are adults we need to let them decide for themselves. Equally hard though, is when your kids become parents. I'm obviously not there yet, but we have been seeing how hard it is first hand. It's a struggle, especially when parenting ideals between the new grandparents and new parents don't align. At that point it all comes down to respect. But being a parent changes your outlook on life. You start changing your own life because of the things you want for your child(ren) and family down the road.

That's what has happened here. Someone said something to me yesterday that really resonates with me. Really has me stuck on what it means to have relationships and to have positive and healthy relationships. I got a lot of good advisement yesterday from a variety of sources and after sleeping on those things I have some words to say, some pride to swallow, and some wisdom to impart.

Words:
"You are speaking death into my marriage" Those were the first words that actually spoke to me about the situation we have been encountering with family lately. These words are true about all relationships though, not just marriage. I'd never heard it put this way, but I've said something similar to A. I have a friend whom I love. I don't dislike her husband, but I'm not his biggest fan. A asked me why don't I say something to her about it. I was shocked, and asked him why would I do that. After all, he's not my husband and it's her life and all that it would accomplish would be to cause a rift between my friend and I. Why would it cause a rift? Because I know her, and she (like myself) would be like, that's your opinion but he's my husband and I don't want to hear it. It speaks death into her marriage. Think about why we say the nasty things we say about other people. It's because we want to cause them to be separated and isolated from others. We may justify it as wanting to protect those we love, but the end result is the same: death to that relationship.

Swallowing Pride:
I am sorry to Natalie Hansen. I am sorry for the hurtful things I have said to her and the pain that I have caused her. Not my best moments. I hope that someday she can forgive me, when she is ready.

Wisdom:
If I want my son to know how to be a grown up (someday), or how to be a good man and have a good marriage then WE need to model that for him. We need to show him how to be a good person, respectful, caring, and genuine. I want my son to know that adults are not perfect, that family is important and that we need to have healthy boundaries to have healthy relationships. Healthy boundaries include those boundaries we place on ourselves. One of my own personal boundaries is to: live a life I'm not ashamed of. This is a part of that. Instead of being ashamed of my actions, I can learn from them, offer them to others as an example of 'what not to do' and I can atone for my misdeeds. If I want to give my son a better life, then I need to start by being a better model for him. If we want to change this world, then we need to start with changing ourselves. I want my son to fight for a relationship with us, if God forbid we find ourselves in the same situation again. So, WE need to show him what it looks like to fight for that, while protecting our hearts and each other. Because, when your children are grown what you have left is your spouse. So you need to protect them as much as you protect your children.


We have allowed death to be spoken into our marriage, and we have spoken death into the relationship with A's parents. We both have. We also allowed for it all to happen. We didn't stop and make the conscious effort to stop it, not do it ourselves, and sow in health and happiness. And that's about to change. We are changing that. It started last night and it is going to go on everyday of my life; so that our son will know what humility, respect, honor, love, family, and devotion all look like.  

Peking Duck

I'm not sure who decided to spread the myth that children are selfish and not good at sharing. But, they weren't correct. Not to say that they are wrong, they just aren't correct. Adults make kids bad at sharing. We teach them they have to give up whatever they have whenever someone else wants it, or after they've had it for a preset amount of time. Lets talk about unfair. We aren't teaching our kids to genuinely give and share when we do this. We just teach them that their wants don't matter and that they will get trouble if they don't give up their toy, color crayon, or stuffed animal.

When we let our kids play with their toys and crayons etc for as long as they like then, we are teaching them that their feelings matter to us and that when they are ready they can freely give up the item. No bullying, no punishment, no screaming. Just genuine love. Think about when Andy gives away his toys at the end of ToyStory3. He does it with such love, you know you bawled your eyes when it happened. That's what we should be teaching our kids. Sharing is caring, when it's done from a place of confidence not fear.

What does this have to do with raising a Little Dude to love the outdoors? Well, at some point we must address sharing. Ideally we'd address it now, because being squished between A and LD isn't cool and I don't want to share my bed with this many warm bodies, especially since A has been sick all day and I had to drag him to the grocery store earlier. Anyways, where was I...oh yes, what this has to do with our LD. He is an excellent sharer...if sharing his duck with dad counts. The other day it happened. He started offering A his yellow rubber duckie during their bath together. I came in to find the happiest LD shoving his duckie into A's mouth and then retrieving it and shoving it in his mouth. Back and forth whenever A asked for the duckie. My Little Dude can share!

Enjoy some of the beautiful moments caught on camera.

*Disclaimer
No duckies were harmed in the making of these moments and there aren't any visible penises.

"You have tomatoes in your front yard..."

Back in Sacto! Lots of changes going on with us, daily! What hasn't changed is that raising our LD is still an adventure. Now that we are back home the adventures are around every corner! LD is older and he's standing and starting to work on walking. Of course this also means he is getting into everything and our poor Stew is his favorite thing to chase. We have to help keep him out of LD's reach. All dogs are fun to LD!

We are also getting more teeth! #7 and #8 are coming in as I type. He is also biting my calf as I type, OUCH!  I hope we get a break for a while after these two finish coming in.

Almost first on our agenda for coming home was the garden! No more apartment, garden rules! I did some reading up on hugels and we are working on one of those in the actual garden. So for this year we planted a very small garden in the front flower bed. 2 tomatoes, cantaloupe, bell peppers, patypan squash, and pumpkin. Super small, but it's something, and now Z will get to have a home grown pumpkin for Halloween! (And of course his grandma has a lovely garden coming in with some butternut just for him). It's only temporary, just this one year, while we get the hugel set up and the backyard rototilled and reseeded. It doesn't seem to bother anyone in our neighborhood and they aren't coming up to our house to take veggies, so I think we are solid! Although, it has elicited some comments from family about the location of my tomatoes and curb appeal.

Curb appeal, for one summer it's not going to hurt our curb appeal. Plus, maybe that's the kind of buyer we will be looking for whenever we do sell our house. A nice young free spirited couple, like ourselves, just trying to make it in life while living the dream.

On The Road Again...

It is never ending. Relocating is such a pain in and of itself, but with family (especially a LD) it's a nightmare. There's no certainty on the horizon for A's potential future job with REI, and I've been waiting for a solid yes or no from a company since March. Last word was they still hadn't decided on who to interview face to face. But life must go on, wherever the jobs are. And we'll be together, wherever that is.

Hopefully somewhere that will facilitate LD's climbing. The dude is on a roll! He climbs everything that has foot and/or hand holds. As soon as one of us finds comparable work we will have to make a small climbing wall for LD. I'm super excited, a bit concerned, and deeply saddened-as most moms probably would be. He is getting so big and I miss my little man that was born early and so small. He is now bigger than kids older than him and has 6 teeth. He no longer wants to nap the day away in my arms. He wants to climb this thing and that, play with his train set, and "crawl" around. Though...crawling is not exactly what he does. It seems he isn't a fan of crawling. A few movements and then he's trying to stand himself up to walk. I don't know if he'll ever properly crawl, but I think walking will be upon us shortly.

And frolicking in the garden! My son has taken after his mom and has developed a love of tools and plants. Today I taught him how to transplant basil, after he decided that the shovel we got A for Father's Day was actually his, not A's. He watched very carefully as A began digging the trench in our garden. Lord help us, we might be raising the next generation of hippie.

Homeward Bound!

So, we are heading home to Sac. Its been an emotional and crazy two weeks, but this is our next step. We have a house there that we can better afford than this apartment and, most importantly, family.

That's a word that gets thrown around a lot, 'family'. But truly, we have been blessed with the most amazing family. And I don't just mean the biological families we came from. I include the many friends that we count as family. Today we received a phone call from one such person. She was beside herself with grief for our situation and it was very touching to know she cares for us so much. But she is not alone. We have received calls from many of our styled family. Words of love and encouragement to get us through. Now we are hoping to go home to that family and our biological family. Surrounded by kinship and love we will work our way back up from the ground.

So in a few weeks we'll be back to our adventures in parenting our Little Dude!! Hang in there with us as we make the move home. Much love to all our family.

ps. Little Dude went to his very first REI Used Gear Sale!! Yes, he's a member.

Flying by the Seat of our Pants...and Diaper.

Some of you already know what I'm about type. We've been conspicuously silent via social media on this, you want to know where we stand and what's going on. Here's the update:

Last Wednesday A was laid off as REI began their restructuring. He was not alone. We estimate that approximately 50 managers were displaced by the restructuring, including some of our good friends. The company cut 70 million dollars from their budget this year. Let me say that again so it really sinks in. They cut 70 million dollars from the budget. Wouldn't it be great if our federal government could do that!? That's a lot of dough. After the initial shock and devastation we sat down and discussed what would come next. What did we want going forward.

Background for those that don't know us personally: a few years ago we agreed to buy our house solely on A's income so that I could be a stay at home mom when we had kids and we could still survive. Until we moved to Fresno I still worked, since being a football trainer at a high school is extremely part time. With the move I became a full blown stay at home mom. Have loved every minute of it. But, that means we are entirely dependent on A's, now non existent, income.

Going forward it is very clear what we want. No child care, a parent with our kids at all times. Job(s) that is relevant to the outdoor/fitness world and lifestyle. Whatever that looks like. It was decided. With what A learned from HR about coming openings for managers (which would allow him to move laterally within the company) we set at getting him geared up for applications and the whole mess. Resume, cover letter, phone calls to stores to learn more about them, more phone calls to the same stores, making the list of stores that are good fits, and actually applying.

We are near the end of this process and will soon be waiting to hear for which stores he made the interview pools. Hopefully all that he applies to. Besides these openings we are also considering other options, but secretly hoping and praying that we are moving to the east coast or the south in a few weeks because he's been chosen by an REI there. I have put my resume out to other companies in the outdoor industry who are looking for someone with my stellar qualifications. We are waiting to hear back. This is a lot of hurry up and wait and the waiting is killer.

We cannot afford to stay here in the Freazy. So we will be breaking our lease, no matter what, at the end of the month. We will box up our things and wait to hear what is going to happen. By the end of April we should know where we are going. Either to the eastern seaboard or back to Sacramento. It is with all of our hopes and prayers though, that no matter what A continues on with REI doing what he loves. This is man who so believes in this company that after being displaced he stood up and told his, now former, core staff that everything that is going on is so that REI can keep gearing people up for another 100 years. That he is okay being temporarily displaced while the company restructures. I'm so very proud of him and I pray that his attitude will be what really strikes at the hearts of these potential stores.

When we know more, we will let you all know. But until then please keep us, and all the displaced managers, in your thoughts and/or prayers.

We have Toothage!! Much like Carthage...

Our LD bust out his first tooth last night, just days before he turns 7mo! He's getting so big, it makes me a little sad. This tooth explains the last two nights of awful sleep we've all gotten. Nothing like kicking the dog off the bed so you can sleep at the foot instead. Good thing we have such a great dog.

LD went on his first camping trip over the weekend too. It was pretty good, but got too cold for a little dude. He and I bailed while our dog and the hubs camped out. To keep LD warm enough he needed to be in my bag with me. But to have him safely in my bag I had to have it un zipped and my upper body out of the bag. No bueno. Even a down sweater couldn't keep me warm. So, we'll go again in a few months when the weather is warmer!

It seems natural to me that we incorporate our son into our lifestyle instead of changing our lifestyle. There are a lot of folks out there that frown upon the more natural parenting style and the more natural life. I don't usually seem to run into them, but I hear horror stories from other natural mamas. Pediatricians who don't approve of not vaccinating, the use of amber necklaces, making ones own baby food, breast feeding without vitamin D supplement...the list goes on. It makes me a little sad for these women. I'm not special, I'm sure my pediatrician disapproves of some things we do. He can't stand Dr. Sears, though he is a former student of his. But the only thing our pediatrician has ever said concerning our more natural approach is to remove LD's amber necklace at night when we're all asleep. I shudder to think what some other pediatrician might say about our choices. But you know, does it really matter? LD loves his homemade peas and his boob, he's well fed and loved. And that is a recurrent theme I find in the natural parenting community, well loved babies...with awesome cloth diaper prints. Most parents I've met make their choices for the same reasons, the love of their children. So let us all parent our kids in our own way. Your child might be a wiz at computers by 5, but my goal is for LD to be a wiz at nature by 5.

In flu Enza

There is an old song, children's nursery rhyme, about the flu. I don't recall the exact words but its about shutting the windows and doors to keep the bird Enza from flying in the house. Well, we've all got it. Even LD. Of course I, like every mom, want to make my child feel better. But not at the expense of his long term health. So before we packed him up for the pediatrician's office I ran out and got baby vitamin C. Attempting to slowly and safely reach vitamin C saturation in an infant...not so easy. I don't want to scare him by giving him explosive diarrhea.

Knowing that RDV means nothing for practical purposes and/or therapeutic dosing, I had to go with common sense. So a dose and a half 3 times a day. Didn't reach saturation that day. But, I didn't want to up the dose either. A little can go a long way if you're on the cusp of saturation. The next day we went to the quack. And I say that lovingly, I adore our pediatricians. It's the flu. Awesome. But good news was/is he's handling it really well. So I've continued the vitamin C 3x daily. No diarrhea, but then it occurred to me he isn't likely going to get diarrhea when he is using everything he's consuming to fight the flu. He hasn't pooped in days. Well he pooped today and it was runny. Four days of slowly reaching saturation and we did it.

After seeing the pediatrician today I can say that it looks like LD will be on the mend soon. He is no longer getting worse, so we should see improvement in a day or so and then continuing improvement from then on. I think I will continue the vitamin C therapy though, just to ensure he doesn't get any other illness that might come home with dad.

Slack Lining...

Oh my. Yes, we took LD slack lining today. Packed up some lunches in the Poco, grabbed the line, crash pad and canine and headed to the park. A mostly slack lined and I mostly hung out with LD. But I got myself up too! First time since I was about 4.5 months pregnant, totally rusty but still fun. We even got LD on the line for the first time. It was lots of fun trying to get him to stand on the line. I think he needs a few more years before he goes pro.

How to Get it Done!

When we first got pregnant my wonderful husband was so excited to buy an Osprey Poco. This is the premier child carrier for hiking. He researched and researched, became an expert, and finally settled on which model he wanted. It got to the point of annoying before he made his choice. But, he's thorough like his father. Well, decision made or not there were other priorities. So LD came and no Poco in our home.

After a promotion, and relocation, the hubs found one at his store's Used Gear Sale for a great price. So he got it for LD for Christmas. LD likes it and so do we! Hiking made possible, walking the dog made easier, and even laundry. Since he hates his carseat the Poco makes a great alternative! That is...until he falls asleep and you need to get him out.

Where's the maps? Why are the maps gone!?

In all the relocations I've made in my life I've never been more disappointed than the move to Fresno. It's not that its a terrible place, I actually like it here. We are members of the VW club, beard and moustache club, disc golf group, I'm a member of the local LLL chapter. It's nice...as long as you don't want to hit a trail (with a map) in any of the city or county parks, including recreational areas maintained by the county. There are no maps.

When we first ventured over the highway to the park, I asked the park attendant for a trail map. I got a map of the roads and that was about all that was on it. I was fairly disappointed, so I asked a different attendant...same map. I went online to find a map, surely someone has a map. I mean this park has 13 acres of land with nothing but trails. No. No trail maps anywhere. Not even a map of the cross country course, which is terrible since the CC CIF championships are held at this park. I gave up trying to find a map and figured my Garmins would end up mapping the park as we explored it. Fast forward to today. Now, one of our new years resolutions was to get out with LD into nature (the disc golf course doesn't count, neither does the park) at least once a month. I pulled up Google maps and hunted around for where to go that our bug could make the drive to.

Enter todays destination, a recreational area just about 10 miles out of town, Lost Lakes Rec Area. I found the place last week and started doing my research for what there was to do. According to the research there are hiking trails, nature trails, camping sites, fishing areas, backpacking, picnic areas etc. Sounds pretty great. I then started to try to find myself a map of these trails or at least the area. No dice. How the fuck does the county not have a damn map!? I searched and searched and came up dry. So we went and decided to live dangerously: map free. I didn't even bring my Garmin.

It was fun, cold and a short stroll along the nature trail. Our ever faithful dog got let off leash and had a ball! Very tired when we got home. LD was up in the Osprey Poco bundled up in a bunting suit and his knit wool beanie. We ran into another member of the beard and moustache club, he was out fly fishing, and chatted a bit. It was a short day out given that the temperature was below 45f and we wanted to make sure LD didn't get cold, or catch one. But its close enough that we may make a return trip in the next week or so and explore the other side.

I've started researching possibilities for our next outing and I may make it a requirement that they have a map. I want to enjoy nature and the wild life, not get lost and disappear in it.

Climb on!

The local park near us has all the usual park features: jungle gym, grassy areas, ponds, picnic areas, bathrooms etc. However, it also has some pretty awesome other features: disc golf course (complete with moving baskets, 18 holes, and putting area), cross country course, equine trails, BMX training area, BMX competition area, mountain bike skills area, freaking huge amphitheatre (shaded), dog park, 13 undeveloped acres with trails, Japanese garden, and one of the jungle gym areas has a boulder complete with holds. It's a outdoor freak's sanctuary in the city.

This morning we walked over (luxury of living just over the highway from the park) to the park with Little Dude and our dog for some time at the bouldering area. It's clearly posted, multiple times, its for ages 6+ with spotter and adult supervision at all times. We supervised ourselves. We tool turns traversing the boulder while the other walked the stroller and dog. It was a good little workout and free! It has some loose holds, but otherwise its perfect for being free-if you walk in. There's a spot to practice smearing, crack climbing, over hangs, chimney etc. This was our first time out there...probably shouldn't have chosen a Saturday, there were lots of little kids.

After lunch LD and I pulled out the hang board and laid it on his quilt for a little test to see how he felt about it. I had to eventually take it away as he kept using it to pull himself towards it. I think in a few short months we'll need to build him his own climbing wall for the apartment, once he's mastered that we can take him to the boulder at the park. Maybe take him after a round of disc golf just to show him. Let's face it, right now he can't truly decide if he will like it or want to do it. But what kid doesn't like climbing all over things?

Section Hiking and Vaccinating

Two hot topics from vastly different realms, but so much in common.

Now, if you're going to vaccinate you do it a little at a time. There are lots of "schedules" so there's definitely more than one way to skin a cat. Just as there are loads of ways to section hike the JMT, AT, & PCT. Let's take the CDC schedule and the JMT for sake of discussion and we'll start @ Happy Isles.

At birth babies receive the HepB vax, and when starting the JMT you have to get going from one end or the other-this case Yosemite NP. Now at 2 months baby is slated to get 5 different vaccinations. Or the back packers must get up and over the falls, past Half Dome and to Tuolomne Meadows. Now, these schedules leave little room for error, like only having 20 vacation days to section hike the JMT  throughout the year. You have 200+ miles to traverse and you don't want to do any back tracking persay. So you try to get off trail and back on in the same place. But sometimes its not possible, and you may have to (for whatever reason, say meeting up with a friend for that particular section) cover the same ground twice. And that is what we were faced with at our 4 month appointment today.

Who knew that not all vaccines were created equal, or compatible with the same vaccine from another manufacturer? I now know these things as we moved and the little dude (LD) got his 2 month vaccines from his old pediatrician and now his 4 month from his new pediatrician. I know this because the two offices use different brands and they are suggesting that LD receive extra doses of some vaccines so that their records show him fully vaccinated. Well, I want a vaccinated child, not an over vaccinated child. I don't want to go back to Happy Isles just to cover the same ground to get out of YNP, when getting back on trail were I got off will do just fine and cost me less time. So one would think with vaccines. And one might be wrong.

Our new pediatrician doesn't have contracts with the manufacturer of the vaccines LD already received, so they can't even order them. To facilitate vaccinating him he will have to get extra (read: unnecessary) doses of certain vaccines. The question is, how many extra doses? Well as mom and dad that's entirely up to us to decide. The full set, 2/3 of the set, or calling our old pediatrician in hopes of not over vaccinating at all (just the 8he round trip drive to see the old pediatrician). It would be so much easier to meet that friend at the postal service in Tuolomne than to start at Happy Isles again, but permits may not work out that way. What's a back packer to do?

Teething Stars and Whisky

I'm sure I'm not the first mama to think of this but is certainly entertaining. I have been looking about for those ice cube shaped cubes for liquor. The ones you throw in the freezer then put in your drink instead of ice to chill your drink without diluting it. Those. Haven't found them yet. But tonight as I sat holding a teething ring (star rather) for our little man it dawned on me: teething rings aught to work just as well!

I shot my hubs a text with my brilliant realisation and awaited the moment he would tell me I'm a sick and twisted person. It never came. Instead he told me it was a good idea. Ya buddy! Then we quickly discussed how long both our days were and that perhaps we'd share a glass of crown chilled via teething ring later after the little dude is asleep. But of course, that's after showers, daddy time, and story time. So that drink is still a few hours away.

p.s. Teething rings also make great ice packs for minor injuries. Just in case you ever need an ice pack stat and all you've got is teething rings.

These are like crimpers, Not yet, but someday

"Okay, grab a hold of my fingers. These are kind of like crimpers, well, you can grip all the way around my fingers but someday they will be like crimpers." The words I spoke to my son the other night as he has decided, at 4 months of age, that he doesn't want to sit, he wants to stand. So I was talking him through this standing thing. Which, I'm sure to those around me, was rather amusing.

"Okay, you're up now drop your heels...and you're down...and you're up, drop those heels, you'll be much more stable. This is a valuable piece of knowledge for climbing, always better grip when you drop your...and you're down." I'm probably not winning any awards for motivational speeches given to 4 month old children. But we continued.

"Grab a hold, just like that. Whenever you're ready get yourself up and remember to drop your heels. There you go, up and now drop your heels. And you're down again...and up, okay now drop the other heel. Stability is crucial in standing, as it is in climbing, and dropping your heels will be a huge hel...and you're down. Okay, next time. You'll get it next time." No you most likely won't. However, we'll keep working on it and you'll get it eventually.


It all happened when I let my son scoot around the carpet without putting a blanket down. Our apartment has thick shag carpet and he grabbed a hold and pulled himself along instead of scooting himself along. It was at that moment that I decided climbing was definitely in our sons future. I started putting the blanket down after that, but climbing jargon has been a part of raising him ever since.