Mar 20: Family Hike at Chautauqua

It was the perfect way to celebrate the first day of spring. The weather was beautiful, and we were craving Beau Jo's again, so we went back to Boulder for hiking and lunch.

It's a 40-minute drive to the trails, but the boys entertain each other in the backseat, and Adam and I get to have a real conversation. Jonah was engrossed in his favorite book at first, but he was very excited to be in the car. It didn't matter where we went; he was ready for some fun.


Jonah was cranky in the pack for some reason, so Adam carried him faster while I walked up the big first hill with Isaac.


Adam and Jonah hung out by the rocks waiting for us while Isaac and I took in the sweeping views. We'd given Isaac the job of water carrier, and the camelbak was pretty heavy on his little shoulders, so he wanted to rest halfway up the hill.



When I agreed to carry the camelbak, Isaac felt light as could be and started running up the trail. It was a good trick, I think - this time, he not only walked every step of our loop but also ran, skipped and jumped. He offered to take the water back now and then, and he trudged along with it, but I was happiest with what it did for his hiking!


Jonah, happy to be on his own feet again, was feeling good in his sunglasses.


Like last time, Jonah insisted on walking.


And I think Isaac ran all the way to this treeline.






Jonah was walking this rocky terrain too, sometimes holding a hand, sometimes not.




Both boys walked this whole path up to this point. Isaac was the champion hiker on this day. We couldn't figure out why Jonah kept getting cranky. He kept alternating between "up" and "walk."




Finally, when Isaac and I had walked ahead and stopped to wait, Adam made a discovery. He came toward us holding a hard plastic, round, pink-flowered object just bigger than a golf ball. It was one of the balls from a Christmas toy, which we keep in Jonah's room.

And guess where Adam had found it: in Jonah's diaper, wedged into his bottom. Poor, poor baby. And we'd made him ride in the harness, not to mention the long car ride to Boulder. No wonder he'd been cranky.

I got the blame at first; after all, I was the one who'd changed his diaper. But what?? Wouldn't I have noticed if a hard pink ball had rolled into the diaper before I closed it? I'm generally more attentive than that...

After a few minutes, Adam thought to ask Isaac if he'd put the pink ball in Jonah's diaper. Isaac said yes. Why? "I just wanted to."

Poor baby.

With the hard object removed, Jonah felt much better.

Basketball boys

Thanks Brian for this picture!

Isaac is taking a Saturday basketball clinic for 3-5 year-olds this spring. The first day, he didn't want to do anything the teacher said, but the second time, he followed directions and had a great time. He still couldn't make a shot (and neither could I!), but by the 3rd class, this had changed too. They use half-sized goals and mini balls, and Isaac was making most of his shots that day! He's also learning to dribble - which mainly means bouncing the ball about 5 times while chasing it wildly around the room. Really, I didn't know what the kids would learn at this age, and I've been surprised at what the coaches have been able to do with them. Best of all - it's really fun.

Jonah loves basketball class too. He is always happiest holding a ball, and he usually picks one up right away to play with. And he loves seeing his favorite friends Adler (his age) and his big brother Landon (Isaac's good buddy, also in the class).

Jonah has learned what the basket is for, and he loves to practice in our backyard. Here he is in March, when he first learned to make a basket:


And a short little video that I love (3/21/11) of Jonah making a basket and then applauding:

Mar 5: Adam's Birthday Hike and Lunch

For his birthday, Adam's request was a hike and lunch in Boulder. My parents were visiting, and it was the perfect outing for a chilly but beautiful Saturday in late winter.



Isaac hiked ahead with my parents while Adam carried Jonah in the pack.







I loved the sight of Isaac walking happily between my parents, holding their hands.


It didn't take long before Jonah was yelling, "Down! Down! Walk!"


We carried him over the muddiest spots...


but walk he did.






He walked slowly on those little legs but with great determination. If we said "Do you want me to carry you?" the answer was "NO!"




Isaac was the one asking to be carried this time.


Jonah allowed it for brief intervals, but then he was struggling to get down again. "Down! Walk walk!"












We showed my parents the Secret Trail and did our favorite Chatauqua loop, and honestly, Jonah walked most of it. I've never heard of a 17-month-old hiking like this.


He tripped pretty often, fell on his knees a lot, but he just got back up. Even when he fell on his face back in the woods, he cried for 30 seconds, then said "Walk!" And he was ready to go some more.








Face of determination.










All that walking made us hungry...The next stop was Beau Jo's for a Mountain Pie. This is becoming our favorite pizza. Jonah calls it "people." As in "people, more!" or "hungry, people!"




Adam and Isaac were hard at work coloring while we waited. My mom always has good ideas to stretch Isaac's imagination and make him think more.




The boys each ate several pieces and guzzled water. There was even tournament basketball on TV. A perfect Saturday.