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Silas: “Mama, we go to Hueco Tanks Tate Park. We put baby Isan in his nosuit, and he jus eats dirt. Isan ohways eats dirt. Isan ohways eats dirt at Hueco Tanks Tate Park.”

(He’s right. We’ve had plenty more of these episodes lately with Ivan – no hands dirt-eating).

Silas continues: “Mama, I has an ideeea. We need to bring sumpin to put on Isan’s mouth so he doesn’t eat dirt.”

Mama: “Yeah? Like what?”

Silas: “Mama, we need some tape.”

Mama: “Huh. Dad, you listening to this?”

Silas: “Yeah. And when he wants to eat, we jus take the tape offs and put some food in. Dats what we do.”

Mama: “Huh.”

posted by arr

Woohoo!!!!!!!!!!! Another low gravity weekend at Hueco! We’re on a roll people! 🙂 Thanks to cool temps and a whole lotta psyche we’ve got some more sends and significant progress to report. Here’s the weekend rundown:

Typically, Paul and I like to come up with a game plan for the weekend prior to arriving at the rocks. With kid-maintenance (i.e. diapers, feedings, playtime, kid-climb time, cry time, etc.) it’s awfully easy to get side-tracked or lazy and waste the day away at only one or two areas. We’ve found that having a game plan really helps us ‘force’ the day along. I suppose a more fitting term is a “mission,” haha. No, we’re not drill sergeants. We just try to hustle.

So this weekend the plan was:

– E. Mtn on Friday (so we would be rested and fresh to tick off Hector in a Blender, v7 and Liane, v11)

– E. Spur on Saturday (to project Better Eat Your Wheaties, v8 and Nagual, v13)

– North Mtn on Sunday (to work Bloody Flapper Traverse, v9 and Loaded Direct, v12).

But, the plan changed. Due to threatening wind advisories on Friday and Saturday and not wanting to repeat crawling down the East Mtn slabs in 40 mph wind gusts or sucking dust at the East Spur Maze yet another weekend, we decided to alter the plan. We’d play it safe and stay on North on Friday so we could easily bail if it got nasty and not feel guilty about giving up a tour day. We weren’t all that crazy about this decision because we soooo wanted to tick off our East Mtn projects. Delaying them to Saturday or Sunday meant having to try them tired – risky. But we were sick of the stupid wind. To our surprise, the altered plan turned out to be the best decision of the season!

We went to the Babyface Boulders to warm-up. I wanted to add some new warm-ups to my season tick list so we did a few no-star climbs. They were EXTREME “bottom of the barrel”. They were so bad I’ll never repeat them or recommend anyone ever try them: A v1 that I’m too lazy to go look up the name and Itty Betty, v2. Done.

Apparently, no-star bouldering really warms me up well because I then sat down in front of Daily Dick Dose, v7 and climbed it (a repeat, but a send nonetheless). After a few laps on Daily Paul then gets on his nemesis v11, Rogered in the Shower. Paul has been on this one on and off over the last year or so. It’s not stellar enough to make Day 1 priority so we’ve always come to it at the end of a weekend when he’s tired. He eats it up. Done.

From here we head down to my big long-term project, Bloody Flapper Traverse. Excited that the shoulder-y crux move of Daily felt so easy I decide to start at the beginning versus the soft jug before the first crux like I had planned in my ‘working it in reverse’ strategy. I’m greedy. Heck, why not?

No, I didn’t send, but I DID crush all the way to the final move. Four times. For those that had witnessed me falling at that last move back in 2010 pre-Ivan, I want to clarify that these go’s were way more promising. Pre-Ivan I would get to that last move completely gassed without any hope of sticking it. On these go’s I was literally ripping off, losing skin, holding that final hold for a couple milliseconds before my tension would fade and I would blow aggressively off. So close!! SOOO CLOSE!

Moving through the first crux on Bloody Flapper Traverse, v9

Before we called it a day Paul put some effort in on Loaded Direct and stuck the first move for the first time. Yey! And it ended up not being windy at all that day, haha.

Day 2. The forecast was still threatening severe winds so we opt for a snow-globe of sand at the East Spur Maze versus getting blown off the East Mtn slabs like kites with the kids. Again, the weather turns out to be absolutely stellar with hardly any wind at all! We warm up at Tabloid Pass. I add Dwarf Toss Tragedy, v2 and Amazing Little Halfboy, v5 to my ticklist while Paul runs laps on Sex After Death, v8. It’s a much needed naptime for Ivan and I’d like to try Better Eat Your Wheaties somewhat fresh so I volunteer to take naptime duty versus try Sex After Death and we head to Nagual, v13.

Paul gets on Nagual for the first time and is pleased. He does the first couple moves and almost the big move out left to the first good hold. We realize we need WAAAY more pads, or spotters, or both. Unfazed by how the heck we’re going to hump 5 pads and 2 kids out to this boulder in the future, he declares it his new obsession and decides to take a break from Crown of Aragorn, v13.

The opening moves of Nagual, v13

Next up is Better Eat Your Wheaties for me. I kinda feel like taking a nap! Man, am I tired and my arms feel wrecked. I re-warm back up and then try to pull on. Whoa. I’m totally spent from the previous day’s efforts. I try a handful of times more (each go progressively getting worse than the last) and then finally decide to take the rest of the day off to rest up for East tomorrow.

From here we move to Scream, v11. Paul gives it a whole lotta go’s but doesn’t send. Tired from Nagual, I’m sure.

Scream, v11

Day 3, East Mountain. Finally!! It’s showtime!! (Positive thinking, haha. We’re both EXHAUSTED from Days 1 and 2). We start at Warm Up Roof. Ivan is napping again so I let Paul take the stage. He warms up and sends Liane, v11. Done!

Paul sending Liane, v11

Now it’s my turn. We go to the North Dragon’s Den area and I hang around on some holds to warm up and then send Instant Classic, v3 followed by the adjacent Jerry’s Not Home, v4. I feel tired, oh no! Paul apparently has just enough juice left for a v9 and flashes Man Gum. Nice.

A not-so-impressive photo of Paul topping out Man Gum, v9

On to Hector in a Blender, v7. I’ve already got it in my head that there’s no way I can possibly send it today because I feel so shot and Paul and I start discussing plans to return the following weekend just for this climb. I give it a go and fall. Another go, another fall. I feel horrible! A third go, a third fall. I decide to rest, eat a snack and give it one last go. Regardless of it’s outcome, we’re going to head home after this one. We’re spent, the kids are getting cranky, I already feel satisfied with my amazing go’s on Bloody Flapper Traverse and it’s late afternoon. One last try. I pull on, grab the heinous crimp with my right hand, barely snatch the left hold, desperately snatch the right hold, climb up to my high point and…and…and…I GRAB IT! Well, technically I didn’t actually grab the hold…I grabbed a little to the right of the hold but went with it anyway. SEND!!! Wooohooooo!!!!!

Reaching up to the heinous crimp on Hector in a Blender, v7

Set up to move off the heinous crimp on Hector in a Blender, v7

That’s a wrap!

posted by arr

As promised, here is my next all-climbing post. Which, as you can probably guess (by the completely discreet and modest title) is Paul’s mid-season report card. This write-up will be easy. Cause Paul doesn’t have any drawn-out, dramatic sagas of epic sends. His method this season is rather simple really: Try a climb, send it, move on to the next one, try it, send it, find another, try it, send it…you get the picture. Most of the climbs on his ticklist he cleaned up in a day. A handful, he came super close to doing in a day and then came back another day and sent first try. And only 1 climb took him a whopping three days of effort, which also happened to be the hardest. All this in preparation for what Paul *really* wants on his ticklist – his first v13. It’s hard to say at this point if a 13 will happen before this winter Hueco season is over or if it will come later this year. Regardless, when it does finally come, THAT will be the dramatic saga I write about for Paul. Perhaps I’ll title it “Climbers with Kids Rejoice: Dad Sends Crown of Aragorn with Toddler on his Back.”

Here’s Paul’s mid-season ticklist:

Burn Baby Burn, v8. An endurance traverse in The Gymnasium with a defined crux near the end. This is a great place for the kids. Too bad Paul has now ticked off everything in there and is not psyched on returning.

Paul somewhere along Burn Baby Burn

Bush League, v8. Fun, low roof near Windy Ass.

Something Different, v8. Repeat.

Mystery Knobber, v8. Short, crimpy and technical. Next to Two Days with Gene.

Je Suis Wedge, v8. Short and powerful ‘wedge’ of rock next to Flower Power. The mission was Flower Power this day but some friends on our tour started trying it so of course Paul had to as well.

Adjust Your Attitude, v8. Repeat.

Assisted Living, v8. New climb on North down near The Terminator. A big thanks to our friend Ander for walking up at the perfect moment and giving Paul a spot over the prickly pear.

Frogger, v9. Flash.

Bloody Flapper Traverse, v9. Repeat.

Dragonfly Low, v9. Repeat.

Rose Fruited Juniper, v9. Quality climb up above The Dark Heart. This was a “screaming-kids” send.

A Good Day for Swiss Crisp Mix, v10. Completed in a day.

Swiss Crisp Mix

Free Willy, v10/11. Repeat.

Full Service, v10. Repeat.

Burden of the Beast, v10. Fell at the end on first day. Came back another day and completed first go.

Sending Burden of the Beast head first, not feet first

Predator, v10. Repeat.

Flower Power, v11. On the first day he had pads, spotters, cheerleaders, the whole nine yards – came sooo close but didn’t quite pull it off (most likely due to expending precious energy on Je Suis Wedge, see above). Had to come back another day with just the kids and I. The good thing about doing it first try that second day was he had only two pads and no spot. “No need for pads or a spot if you don’t fall.” The bad thing about it was that the cave where the kids and I hung out in while he climbed contained a mighty fine ‘natural slide’ in the rock that Silas had a blast on. Silas wasn’t too psyched on leaving so quickly after dad’s prompt send.

Le Chinkel, v11. Two days. Same story – the first day he had pads and spotters but fell pulling the lip. Had to come back with just the kids and I and the two pads and no spot.

The big lockoff on Le Chinkel

Butterpumper, v11. Two days. No kneebar.

Rumble in the Jungle, v12. Three days. Day 1 – Quickly sampled most of the moves, thought he could make quick business of it that day. Started giving sending go’s but slowly realized he couldn’t reach the crux move with the bomber heelhook. Day 2 – watched a bunch of You Tube videos. Tried the heelhook beta again. Still couldn’t make the reach. Day 3 – watched a bunch more You Tube videos. Abandoned the heel hook beta. Muscled up and sent.

Rumble in the Jungle. I wish I was a little bit taller, I wish I was a baller

So what’s on Paul’s radar now? A couple more 11’s (Hueco is stacked with the v11 grade!) and the hard stuff: Nagual, Slashface, Alma Blanca or Crown. Epic! 😉

posted by arr

I did it again. I went waaaayyyy too long without mentioning any climbing. I’m truly sorry. I am! We are indeed climbing, I swear!! Despite all the baby cuteness you’ve been seeing on here, we’ve also been out at the rocks…a lot. And not just making an appearance, actually climbing…a lot. And to prove it, this post is going to be only about climbing. And…why not, only about me. It might sound like bragging I suppose. But I don’t really care. Cause I’m a mama now with 2 kiddos and it just feels dang good to be climbing strong (well, strong for me anyway). And I think mamas, especially mamas, deserve the right to brag every now and again. Read on if you’re interested. Stop here if you just want more baby cuteness.

Last fall Paul and I decided to approach this winter’s climbing season with a new philosophy: Train more, climb less. This switch was mostly out of necessity than desire. As the weather started to cool enough to start training on the backyard woody again, we quickly realized that our standard woody routine just wasn’t going to work the same as it used to pre-Ivan. The old routine with only Silas around was this: Get home from work, all eat dinner together, all go out to the woody together – most of the time friends would join us, climb, then around 8ish Paul or myself (depending on who’s turn it was) would take Silas in for his evening bedtime routine, put him to bed and then come back out to continue to climb until 9 or 10pm.

Everyone had always warned us that once the second kid comes along the required effort is actually multiplied by 10, not 2. And of course we never believed it, until Ivan was actually here. All fall we kept trying and trying and trying to get the old routine to work, where we all went out to the woody together after dinner and then put the kids down for bed and then continued to climb afterwards. We failed miserably, over and over again. With two kiddos dinner now seemed to take exceptionally long and getting them ready to take outside even longer. Once outside, one or the other inevitably needed food, a sip of water, a diaper change, a potty break, a different toy, some kisses, etc. etc. etc. and before we knew it both kids would be screaming in hysteria because it was way past their bedtimes and we were only just barely warmed up! The bedtime routine always felt like eternity and by the time they were both finally (finally!) sleeping, Paul and I were too exhausted to even think about going back out to climb.

Hence the new philosophy: Train more, climb less – figure out how to make the most out of less time.

Fall was already upon us and we needed a solution, fast! So first, we came up with a list of intense climbing-specific training routines that we could do in a short amount of time. We didn’t care about ‘general-purpose’ fitness as we like to call it (or “all-around” fitness), we just cared about the exact fitness or strength required to send our Hueco projects. We specialized. Next, we outlined a rough “schedule” of which days of the week we wanted to train, taking care to allow for proper rest before a Hueco weekend and/or an exhausting day with the kiddos without cutting out priorities like pizza-and-board-games night or dad-makes-pancakes mornings. And finally, we decided to push all mid-week training until *after* the kids went to bed. This last part was the hardest. First of all, I deep down really like it when the whole family is all hanging out at the woody together and having fun (key words being ‘having fun’). Second, starting a hardcore training/climbing session at 9pm takes an EXTREME amount of motivation. Thank goodness there’s two of us. It’s rare we both feel lazy on the same night so we can usually count on the other to get our butt outside to train.

(So here’s where I start talking all about me, hehe). Day after day, I tried to stick to our schedule. Sometimes I didn’t. Most of the time I did. As we started to descend upon Hueco I also made up my mind to focus on doing new climbs of every grade. Note: having climbed at Hueco for 9 seasons, it’s sometimes hard to find new stuff to do that’s within one’s ability. Enter “bottom of the barrel” boulder problems. Hey, what’s NOT to love about a unchalked, manky-looking v0 above a menacing prickly pear with the name “Dead Cat Face?”

As the weeks ticked by and daydreams of finally crushing Bloody Flapper Traverse danced in my head, I slowly began seeing the results of my late night training sessions. I was getting stronger and in addition, all the bottom-of-the-barrel boulder problems were improving my technique as well as my head. Steadily, I began ticking off harder and harder problems. And this week, riding home after yet another Hueco weekend rampage and contemplating my winter performance thus far, I realized I’ve pulled off my strongest season yet…..AND….IT’S NOT EVEN OVER!!!!!

I present to you my mid-season Hueco tick list; the new and/or noteworthy sends:

Lip Sync, v3. A climb I’d always wanted to do but was always too busy working on Bloody Flapper Traverse, v9, which shares the same start and topout. I did this one second try, only because I dropped off on the first thinking that the pads weren’t placed properly under me while noticing Paul ditching my spot to tend to children. (Happens a lot these days).

Squeeze Me Tender, v3. Flash. A fun little ditty with a real topout hidden over near The Dark Heart on East Mountain.

Stationary Snake, v3. Flash. Another exceptional climb for the grade and 2-star rating.

El Burro, v3. v3, hah! This climb was a long-standing project for me. Yes, project. In my defense, the guidebook claims, “A challenge for any v3 climber – or v10 climber for that matter.” I think I first tried this climb like 8 years ago or something. It’s hard! And right before Christmas I finally did it. And a momentous send it was: Last climb of the day – we decided to stop there on a whim (the story is always the same: we’ve got 30 minutes before the park closes, want to try El Burro real quick? It’s right here. Try it. Fall off. Pack up and go home. Stupid El Burro.) On this day my good friend Tammy and I had given it a half-dozen or so tries. Dusk was quickly turning to dark and it was getting hard to see. Paul (who was the guide for the day) says ok, last try. We gotta roll. I try again and latch the slopey pocket for a millisecond before falling off trying to get my feet up. A new high point! Paul announces it’s time to pack up. Tammy hands me the chalkbag and says “Chalk up and go again. Right Now.” Are you kidding?! I need to rest at least a couple minutes after that big go – I’m all out of breath even! Paul protests and starts packing up. Tammy hands me the chalk anyway. Not a full minute after falling off I was back on … and … sending!!! I was positively beaming while pulling the topout and we were all whooping and hollering like madmen, Silas included. These are the kinds of sends I fantasize about. The perfect ones.

Bloody Flapper, v4. Repeat. Figured I should pay my dues to the Bloody Flapper Traverse if I’m serious about wanting to send it this season. The v4 and v9 share the same finish.

Young Guns, v4. Second try. Lowball with heinous crimps. Bottom of the barrel.

Be Flat, v4. Repeat. Why not? I like this one.

Belly of Burden, v5. One-move wonder adjacent to Belly of the Beast, v7. Completed in a few go’s. Uneventful. Not quite bottom of the barrel.

Ides of March, v6. Completed in a session. Not so hard climbing to a defined crux move where you’re laid out on tiny pinch above a not-so-great landing….if it’s just you without a spot cause your husband is busy watching kids that is. Luckily we were there with friends so I not only had peeps to move pads, I had spotters too!!! And excellent ones at that. Thanks Dan and Steve!!!!

That Hi-Pro Glow, v6. First tried this one back in 2005, blowing off the final jugs at the top. Eight years, two kids and with a lot more power-endurance later we at last return and I clean it up in a morning. This was another one of those “I wonder if the pads are under me?” sends as I hear Paul wrangling kids far below.

See Sharp, v6. Small crimps and delicate moves. Had always wanted to take this one seriously and start projecting it but could never do ANY of the moves. Tried it again in January and was pleasantly surprised that some of the moves actually felt do-able. Went back a month later and cleaned it up in a session. An unexpected send. This never happens to me.

The beginning of See Sharp

The mid-section of See Sharp

“Banana Split,” v6-ish. Having fallen from the final move of the Bloody Flapper Traverse, v9 (aka Banana Juice) a handful of times pre-Ivan, I’ve decided to take a more pragmatic approach toward trying to send it this go-around. I am working it in reverse. My first goal was to do the topout (see Lip Sync above). Next was to send it from the v4 start (see Bloody Flapper above). After that was to send it from what’s kind of a low start to the v4; standing on the ground on small crimps instead of standing on a tower of pads, or your husband’s knee or whatever other means one needs to reach those ridiculously high start holds to the v4 proper. By starting from the ground you do the second cruxy-portion of the Traverse. It’s quite good in and of itself and my friend Raquel and I refer to it around one another as “Banana Split” since it sorta splits the v9 in half. Anyway, this goal is now done too, woohoo! The next will be to send it from the soft jug before the first crux (which I’m pleased to say I’m one final move away from sending). And then all I’ll need to do is tack on a few v2ish moves before that! Easy, right?! 😉

The first move into what we call “Banana Split”

Belly of the Beast, v7. I first tried this in November. Would have sent it in December had I not body-checked Paul into the adjacent boulder at the finish. Kept going back but could never get to that high point again. Watched some You Tube videos last week, changed my beta and sent it next go. Yey!

So what’s left on my to-do list for this season? I’m close to cleaning up Hector in a Blender, v7. I tried Sex After Death, v8 last week and not only nailed the second move for the first time but climbed all the way up to the good right hand before the final big throw. I’ve sent Better Eat Your Wheaties, v8 in my head a least 3 dozen times already but in the real world still have yet to stick the first move again post-Ivan (came close back in January though!). And then there’s The Bloody Flapper Traverse, v9 but that one goes without saying. How’s this for ambitious? Or psyched? Or cocky? Or however you want to look at it. If you think this was bad, just wait for my next post: “Dad Eats V11’s for Breakfast.” See you at the boulders! Hehe.

posted by arr

Oh special day! It snowed!! Here!!! At our HOUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Tucson weathermen/women had been warning us about this winter storm since Monday. Yesterday morning warnings were flooding the tv stations announcing “90 minutes until it hits.” “60 minutes until it hits!” “30 minutes!!” The countdown was on. The skies definitely looked ominous and the surrounding mountains were already socked in. News reporters were showing live video of blizzard-like conditions at the higher elevations. Even though it was still a pleasant 50 degrees out and according to the weather predictions I still had time before the storm, I opted out of my morning run with the kids. Being out in snow with kids in a stroller is probably sacrilege in sunny Tucson and I didn’t want any beef from passerby. We instead went to the library for storytime just after the “30 minutes and it’ll be here!! Don’t travel unless you have tooooo!!!!!!” announcement on the tv. Hmm, maybe this will be exciting.

We walked out of the library and it was raining. Humph. Boooring. I buckled the kids in, pulled out of the parking lot, and wham! The rain instantly turned to snow and it was a full on blizzard just like the weather peeps predicted. We made our way home as heavy wet snow quickly piled up on the hood of the van (how fun!). When we got home we ran around a little bit in the front yard yelling “woohoo!!!” and then raced inside to watch it come down.

The kids at the front door watching it come down

Could it really be? It’s actually starting to stick!!

Time to head out kiddos and enjoy the white stuff (like I really had to twist their arms, haha)

Ivan of course was trying to eat it. His mouth was open the entire time trying to munch on snowflakes that were pelting his face

Paul came home from work early. The snow stopped, then melted, then started coming down again way harder then before. It snowed until about 10pm

And this morning we awoke to this

Our front yard

Sunrise on Mt. Lemmon

When the kids woke up I nearly force fed them their breakfasts so that we could get outside before it all melted. We were out the door by 8:15am

All Silas wanted to do was make and throw snowballs. He probably made at least 500 while we were out. 😉

and Ivan just giggled at every one. Especially at the ones that were thrown at him

Beautiful snow-covered Catalinas

By 9am most of the snow had melted off the trees. We made up for our missed run yesterday and ran our usual 4 mile loop. Lots of people were out. By the time we got back home there wasn’t too much snow left and it was getting harder and harder for Silas to find enough to make snowballs with. By 10:30 it had disappeared completely.

posted by arr

We just returned from a short trip to Vegas over the weekend to hang out with Paul’s parents, brother Mark, sister-in-law Francine and nephew Luke. Being on the strip with two small children was interesting…mainly because of all the people. I realized I was a bit paranoid about losing them! We escaped to Red Rocks for a half-day and also got to show Silas the Hoover Dam (He’s super into dams these days. We’ve checked books out of the library about dams, built a dam out of rocks, dirt and sticks out back by the woody, and had heavy discussions about the 3 dams at Hueco and why one of them is destroyed and the potential correlation between that particular broken dam and the nearby boulder problem “Dam Buster.” Needless to say, Hoover pretty much knocked his socks off.) The best part though was getting the boys together with family. When asked “What did you like the best about Las Vegas, Silas?” he replied, “I really like hanging out with Grandma and Pap pap!!!” Word for word, that was his response. My sweet boy.

The view from our room in The Flamingo. No need to go out on the strip, we’ve got all the entertainment we need right here. A massive crane was lifting the big white tubular structures into place during our stay.

Good morning Ivan. Ready to hit the town?

First item on the ticklist: Flamingos, birds, ducks and fish at ‘The Habitat’ at The Flamingo hotel

Next item: The auto museum. Paul and I have decided to save up for one of these for retirement.

Next, Red Rock Canyon. Silas making a friend at the visitor center.

Ahhh, nature.

Silas getting his climb on

Pap pap and Luke

The boys looking all outdoors-y

Silas with his Grandma and Pap pap

Paul not being able to resist climbing rocks

Digging holes in dirt – the usual

Looking cute as a button – the usual

Time to hike back

Our final item on the ticklist: THE HOOVER DAM!!!!

He’s definitely impressed

On the drive home we passed through an amazing Joshua Tree forest at sunset. A very nice ending to a very nice trip. A big thanks to Mark, Francine and Luke for prompting it. Let’s do it again!

posted by arr

My baby is turning toddler…fast! Ivan is on a mission to catch up with his older brother as soon as possible. At 9 months he crawls fast. He eats fast. He transitions from laying down to sitting up to standing, fast. He tries to flip over and get away every time we try to change his diaper or dress him, fast. He gets angry when he’s ignored, fast (and does a classic “angry face” that we all love). He reaches for and grabs everything…EVERYTHING!!!, fast. And of course tries putting everything in his mouth, even faster. Gotta watch out for this one. 🙂

Don’t let this innocent smile fool you. He’s about to get into mischief. Fast!

But I’m just sitting here looking cute, mama

Hmmm, what shall I put in my mouth today?

Oooo, that looks good

A little leaf

Come here little leaf

I wasn’t trying to eat a leaf, really!

I much prefer rocks

…and dirt

…and…..walls?

(maybe this is where he gets these ideas from)

Hmmm, what shall I get into next?

Books!!!

I want to be a bookworm just like my big brother

Now on to the kitchen. Time for my morning towel-grabbing

Towels on floor. Mission accomplished.

Moving on: dining room. What sort of fun can I have in here?

Why, hanging from the dining room table of course (the boy can hang, but not yet walk. hmmmm)

Ahhh, time to eat. Finally!

Hey! Pay attention to ME mama. Not Silas, ME!

I said MEEEEE!!!

Ok, you asked for it. Time for the angry face

He’s just too much fun. LOVE it!

posted by arr

For as long as I can remember, Silas has always had a major attraction to dirt. Nearly every outdoor photo I have of him (in locations where dirt is plentiful), he has it on his face, covering his hands, under his fingernails, up his pantlegs, between his toes, etc. – unless I wipe it off real quick for the photo, or to eat sometimes…sometimes, or to go out to dinner in a public place afterwards. Where there’s dirt, Silas must play. He must lay down in it to play with his toys with his chin is resting in it. He must scooch around in it such that his shirt slides up to his armpits and his belly is exposed, making it oh so easy for the dirt to creep and puff and slide into every little crevice of skin and clothing. I had always thought that every kid went about their outdoor play like this. Getting dirty was just part of being a kid, right?

And then along comes Ivan.

Ivan. Little, innocent, cute, chubby-faced baby Ivan. THIS BOY takes his love of dirt to a whole new level.

It all started with him discovering he has a little pointer finger. A pointer finger is useful for doing things like picking and poking. So first he started picking and poking at the tiny pebbles and sand grains between the bricks in our courtyard. He would do this for a half hour straight, I swear. Cute. Next, having discovered the usefulness of his thumb in conjunction with the pointer, he started picking up larger pebbles and little rocks. Coordination. Impressive. After that, he decided that it really was way more fun to grab with his whole hand after all versus all that picking, poking and pinching nonsense. So he grabs just about anything he can get his chubby hands near, including and especially DIRT. Oh, and there’s just one small thing I forgot to mention: Unlike Silas at this age, Ivan puts everything, and I mean everything, in his mouth. And he’s fast. Wicked fast.

We are now thus in a bit of a predicament. We’re a climber family who goes climbing outside nearly every other weekend. We climb on boulders, which a lot of times sit upon lots and lots of dirt. And Ivan is now mobile on hands and knees and never at all interested in the toys we bring to the boulders for him to play with. He’s got only one thing on the brain: his true love, dirt.

So Paul and myself, being the resourceful parents that we are (when we’re really really desperate to climb and not wanting to worry about our baby choking on rocks and dirt), have the idea of putting him in his snowsuit that has the little rollover hand-covering-thingy’s so that he can’t grab anything. He’s safe now. “He has no hands” as we like to say. And this idea did actually work….for a little while anyway.

Ivan too appears to possess some resourcefulness of his own, as well as a little desperation. Picture this: Our baby, in his snowsuit, without hands, sprawled out on his belly like a starfish, face down, head down, mouth open, going in for a big luscious mouth full of good ‘ol fashioned Hueco-flavored dirt. Not so cute. Paul and I both see this simultaneously. I yell, Paul lunges, and before he can reach him, Ivan goes in for seconds. Fast, remember?

Meanwhile, Silas is getting a kick out of it all (probably impressed with his little brother’s ingenious technique of successfully getting dirt into his mouth). Ahh, what are we going to do with these boys? Watch ’em like a hawk, that’s what!! Anyone know where can I get a pair of those eyeballs that go on the back of mama’s heads?

Click on the picture to watch a short video of trouble brewing

posted by arr

posted by arr

So it pretty much hasn’t stopped snowing since we’ve arrived at Grandma and Papa’s house. This morning we measured 20 inches but like I said, it’s still coming down. Earlier today my mom, sister Katie and I (and Hazel too!) went out on a cross country skiing adventure. Love it!!!!

posted by arr