September 5. Claire is 2 years old! The day started with balloons, including an Elmo balloon that when you tap it, sings happy birthday. And you can tap it and it will sing it again! And again! And again! Claire likes to hold the balloon and dance in front of the TV watching her reflection.
We had a birthday party at Sylvan Park with Claire & Maria's friends from the park. Claire plays there every day. Her closest friend is named Sophia, who will be 2 years old in November. Lorenzo is a big 2 1/2 year old boy who used to play in the park but now goes to pre-school so only comes on Fridays. Matthew is 3 years old, and his sister Samantha is 8. They go to school but play in the afternoons sometimes. Trent and Harlan are 20 month old twins. Claire seems to be a ringleader - she goes her own way and Lorenzo and Sophia tend to follow.
We had a pink cake with sprinkles (baked by Morgan, frosted by Kim), and three kinds of homemade salsa, fruit, juices, vitamin water and chips from Maria. Rounding out the party was Laura (Sophia's mom), Serena (Lorenzo's mom), Irma (Trent & Harlan's nanny), Marta (Matthew & Samantha's nanny).
We also brought the bubble making grill. This is essentially a fan, where you "grill" bubble making shapes by dipping it in the bubble soap and putting it on the grill of the fan, producing bubbles.
A good time was had by all - but it was a hot day and a lot of excitement. By the end of the party, Claire sat in a stroller (not hers) said, "I'm ready to go home." Clever girl!
See photos, above left.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
The Family's First Backpacking Trip
25 miles, 3 days, 4500 feet in elevation
Start: Green Lakes, Hoover Wilderness
End: Glen Aulin, Tuolomne Meadows Yosemite
Theme Song (Kim): "Move Along Train, You've Got a Heavy Load" - Staple Singers
Theme Song (Claire): "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Song/ABC"- Claire
Theme Song (Morgan): Unknown
Though the terrain was not the most challenging, our packs were heavy and there was the added challenge of entertaining a two year old. My pack, was 40 pounds, carrying Claire (25 lbs), plus other gear. Morgan's pack was 65 pounds.
When she wasn't sleeping, or playing with the trinkets tied to the backpack, Claire liked to sing - Twinkle, twinkle little star, ABCs, and then words to the tune of twinkle, twinkle. "Raining raining raining" was one that I remember. She also would cry sometimes. Probably not more than in a usual day with mommy & daddy, but -- nearer. We set goals for ourselves, 60 minutes hiking, 10 minute breaks. Morgan would lie to us about how long it has been to reach other arbitrary stopping points that somehow lend more sense of accomplishment. In some ways, this was better as we did have to go a long way, and there was only one way to get there - walk.
We did not make things easier for ourselves by only going three miles the first day. This was somewhat based on the decision that I had made in my mind 1 1/2 miles into the hike that I would not go further than the planned first day. This thought was quite comforting to me as I struggled on through the first day. However, the lake we stayed at in the first night was beautiful. And the thought occurred to me that what else would we do with the time that I would feel was better spent than if not walking. I didn't believe that I couldn't physically do it - just that I didn't want the strain of caring for another person while purusing this pastime. But seeing the lake, seeing Claire so excited by the tent and the preparations. And so I started to get enthusiastic about the idea of doing the rest of the trip together as a family.
I thought of the family that we saw on a previous trip, with my brother, before Claire was born. This was a family of 5, girls age 9, 12, 15, doing a 200 mile, month long trip. The three of us were in awe of the "Iron Family" -- while we were congratulating ourselves on a hard day, there they would be going another couple miles. I realized that there's only one way to get to be an Iron Family -- and that's by backpacking.
So at the end of the day, or days (13 miles Day 2, 9 miles Day 3), I am very glad that we did this trip. There was much to like, and much to dislike, but there is no doubt that it was an accomplishment in the face of doubt, which feels like something.
Start: Green Lakes, Hoover Wilderness
End: Glen Aulin, Tuolomne Meadows Yosemite
Theme Song (Kim): "Move Along Train, You've Got a Heavy Load" - Staple Singers
Theme Song (Claire): "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Song/ABC"- Claire
Theme Song (Morgan): Unknown
Though the terrain was not the most challenging, our packs were heavy and there was the added challenge of entertaining a two year old. My pack, was 40 pounds, carrying Claire (25 lbs), plus other gear. Morgan's pack was 65 pounds.
When she wasn't sleeping, or playing with the trinkets tied to the backpack, Claire liked to sing - Twinkle, twinkle little star, ABCs, and then words to the tune of twinkle, twinkle. "Raining raining raining" was one that I remember. She also would cry sometimes. Probably not more than in a usual day with mommy & daddy, but -- nearer. We set goals for ourselves, 60 minutes hiking, 10 minute breaks. Morgan would lie to us about how long it has been to reach other arbitrary stopping points that somehow lend more sense of accomplishment. In some ways, this was better as we did have to go a long way, and there was only one way to get there - walk.
We did not make things easier for ourselves by only going three miles the first day. This was somewhat based on the decision that I had made in my mind 1 1/2 miles into the hike that I would not go further than the planned first day. This thought was quite comforting to me as I struggled on through the first day. However, the lake we stayed at in the first night was beautiful. And the thought occurred to me that what else would we do with the time that I would feel was better spent than if not walking. I didn't believe that I couldn't physically do it - just that I didn't want the strain of caring for another person while purusing this pastime. But seeing the lake, seeing Claire so excited by the tent and the preparations. And so I started to get enthusiastic about the idea of doing the rest of the trip together as a family.
I thought of the family that we saw on a previous trip, with my brother, before Claire was born. This was a family of 5, girls age 9, 12, 15, doing a 200 mile, month long trip. The three of us were in awe of the "Iron Family" -- while we were congratulating ourselves on a hard day, there they would be going another couple miles. I realized that there's only one way to get to be an Iron Family -- and that's by backpacking.
So at the end of the day, or days (13 miles Day 2, 9 miles Day 3), I am very glad that we did this trip. There was much to like, and much to dislike, but there is no doubt that it was an accomplishment in the face of doubt, which feels like something.
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