This past weekend we camped at Mount Rainier National Park. We had planned nearly up until the last minute (which would be 1 weeks time to an analytical) to go to Mount St. Helens. When the weather started to look possibly ‘touch and go’ we started searching for different options. The weather may not have been any better, but we decided to swap out for Ohanacepash campground mainly due to the number of short nearby trails (Grove of the Patriarchs and the Hot Springs trail) that the kids could handle. Also the fact that the interpretive center was 21 miles away as opposed to 200 miles or so away from the campground at Mount St. Helens we were eyeing. St. Helens will be a fantastic trip to do when the kids are a little older and car time is tolerable knowing there is an active volcano on the other end.
It was obviously the point where the rangers are starting to expect mass overload of national park visitors and campers. The campground was maybe 25% full and it seemed as though there was one ranger for every six campers. Which meant we got one completely to ourselves. It wasn’t the same “one” everytime. But between the 15 or so who wandered by we were kept up to snuff with our campground policies. Coolers were snagged at one point by a ranger (we should have had them stored in cars), a chipmunk got stuck inside the picnic shelter (which was so sad), Winny wasn’t on a leash in the campground (the dog that patrols the campsite perimeter and would have to be hauled from our side crying than leave her “pack” – i.e., us). It just felt like if it wasn’t one thing, it was another. We were under the ranger’s microscope and we found it rather irritating. I have never been camping where seeing a ranger would set me on edge. Park rangers have always been our friends, and reasonable people. Then again, it isn’t everyday that we opt to camp in a national park either.
There isn’t a whole lot to say other than Leif and Winny loved it. I enjoyed it too. I particularly enjoyed watching Leif and seeing his constant smile. He was so cranky when he woke up on Sunday afternoon from a 3 hour nap and found us pulling into our neighborhood. Camp life was behind us and returning to civilization is not what he wanted to do. Winny either. If it was up to those two we would be wild beings that never set foot inside. Certainly if we can pick raspberries and cherries in our backyard we could survive, can’t we? I am sure Winny would kick up the chipmunk harassment to hunting in order to provide food for us all.
The return to civilization was good for Leif though. I think the camping might have relaxed him. We went to daycare on Monday, walked into his room and was promptly greeted by his teachers! He put his lunch away himself, put his lunchbox up, showed me the bins where his blanket goes and put it away and then gave me a quick kiss as he headed off to play. Wow, the difference! I can’t help but believe that part of it was him feeling welcome and like he belonged in the environment after his teachers actually greeted him.
AB had his first sailing class last night and loved it. I am so happy that he is so excited about these classes. I only feel bad that it is going to be stressful for him next week with trying to get to sailing class and leaving Leif to play with C during this time since I will be in Reno. (And stressful on V!) I really, really hope he behaves well, and thanks in advance V! We so owe you.
Leif is growing and learning leaps and bounds right now. He just amazes me all the time. A Leif funny… Leif wanted nothing to do with hot dogs. Ok, so meat in general is not Leif’s strong suit. But I remembered someone talking about octopus hot dogs. Sure enough, cut the hot dog to look like an octopus and we have a whole different ball game. Now he requests octopus for dinner!
The stall tactics are setting in. When he doesn’t want to do something he finds something else to stall it with. The favorite has become reading, and I fully believe it is because Leif knows it is my weakness. I *cannot* tell him, “no I am not going to read you a book” whereas I can tell him “No more computer Elmo” or “No more choo choos”. Nope, him bringing me a book from his bedroom with gusto squealing “read dis!” fully results in my complying with his request. Push over = me.
The one good thing about this is that books are also becoming Leif’s favorite thing to do without me. He reads “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see?” by himself. Of course he doesn’t read the “I see a X Y looking at me”. It is only the “first phrase” on each page, then flip page. Oh and “What do you see” is more like “Wa-oo-see”. Enter the Clifford Animal Sounds book. He flips it open, squeals HORSE! And then says “horse, horse wa-oo-see?” and “cat cat wa-oo-see”. Obviously whatever animal is on the page then wa-oo see.
Leif also really likes singing. He is getting very good at Twinkle Twinkle. My favorite the other day was “Twinkle twinkle lito tars, ow-I (mumble mumble) ARE. Up a bove high, diamon sky, twinkle twinkle lito tars, E-I-E-I-O”.
Lately daddy is Leif’s number one. AB will NEVER get away with anything again. “Daddy get toes”, “Daddy toot”, “Daddy silly”, “Daddy make supper”. But tonight Leif also figured out something new about Daddy… that he has a name and it is easy to pronounce and gets his attention when you yell it across the house!
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