Cragmama "Not all who wander are lost…" JRR Tolkien

Northern Michigan Road Trip: Great Lakes! 3 out of 5 Ain’t Bad!

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First steps into the chilly waters of Lake Michigan

Despite two toddlers on completely opposite nap schedules and many miles and hours driving, not to mention a very special wedding, I think our family did pretty darn good to hit three out of the five Great Lakes over the course of our week in Michigan.  Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, and Lake Superior are no longer on our bucket list – all we have left for another time is Lake Eerie and Lake Ontario. But before venturing, we’d informed and consulted our family attorney, Car Accident Lawyer Richard Morse on what itinerary would be safe for us.

“Keep going Mommy, this is fun!”

Lake Michigan – We spent a night in Traverse City on our way out to the Sleeping Bear Dunes , and decided to take advantage of our almost lake front hotel by spending an afternoon on the beach.  I’d anticipated that the water would be cold, and that C would get his chilly fill by just sticking his toes in, and that we’d spend the rest of the day on the beach playground apparatus.  But I should have known that chilly temperatures wouldn’t be enough to stop C from having some wet and wild fun!  He was a little hesitant at first, but step by step kept walking out deeper and deeper while holding tight to my hand.  It was a very windy day, so there were actual waves breaking on him, but it didn’t seem to phase him one bit.  Just when he had turned around, presumably to head back to shore, he decided to plop down butt-first in the water…At that point keeping the clothes dry was a lost cause, so we just splashed in the water until it was time for dinner, at which point we brought out some new dry clothes/diapers.

High-stepping on the rocks in Lake Huron

Lake Huron – Throwing rocks in the water with C on the pebbly shores of Lake Huron had to be one of the highlights of our time on Mackinac Island.  The sailboats and barges passing by half a mile from shore provided the perfect picturesque backdrop for our afternoon dip.  This time I knew better than to take Cragbaby out there with his clothes on…instead he sported his swimmie trunks and beach bod for everyone on the Hotel Iroquois lawn to see.  Since the lake bed was filled with rocks rather than sand, it was a lot harder to get around, so C kept his Crocs on.  However, all the pebbles made for great entertainment – we stacked them, threw them, and Daddy even gave us both a lesson in skipping stones.

Precarious pebble gathering and tossing

 

 

 

 

 

Lake Superior – This was the northern-most lake that we visited, and by far the most frigid.  Though we saw several folks swimming pretty far from shore, I couldn’t imagine submerging my head in water that cold.  Cragbaby, however, purposefully plopped his head in the water numerous times, and once accidentally dunked himself, getting an unplanned baptism that I’m sure left him feeling more than revitalized!  Our beach spot right outside of downtown Marquette was by far the most peaceful setting of all the lakes – a wide, sandy shore with water as calm and clear as glass, with an outcropping of volcanic boulders at a distance away that would have been tempting to explore had it not been for the threat of hypothermia…We kept our dip short, but by the end a happy, smiling C was still shivering with goosebumps, wondering why us grown-ups didn’t want to go back in the water.

“Last one in’s a rotten egg!” (Lake Superior)

Impression #3 – Lakes make for fantastic Green Hours – water play in a pristine, natural setting with no riptides, jellyfish, or crashing waves to worry about.  Obviously the kiddos still needed to be supervised very closely of course, but it was great fun seeing C’s eyes light up at the chance to play in what he must have presumed to be a giant bathtub!  It might be worth exploring some of the many local lakes we’ve got in our neck of the woods down South – where no Polar Bear Swim Club membership is required!

Drizzly sand!

 

 

C ready for a rejuvenating face wash…

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Northern Michigan Road Trip: Mackinac Island

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Toodling around town checking out the sights

Pronounced “MackiNAW,” this quaint little island that separates not only the upper and lower peninsulas but also Lake Michigan and Lake Huron was the next stop on our way to Marquette for the wedding.  One of the unique things about the island is that motorized vehicles are not allowed, so we left our cars at the dock, and boarded the ferry with just our luggage.  It was the first ferry ride for both Cragbaby and his cousin E, so the whole 20 minutes were filled with enthusiastic pointing and exclamations.

Our accomodations were at the Hotel Iroquois, and it was absolutely phenomenal!  The hotel was right beside the ferry dock, and all the windows in our suite had a stunning view of Lake Huron.  The cousins loved watching all the boats come in, and the parents were happy that none of the ship horns and “all ashore” type announcements kept the little guys from sleeping!

"I'll trade ya this flower for those sunglasses..."

Although there was an abundance of family green hour opportunities on the island, our crew opted for a morning of cycling.  The perimeter of the island is a little over 8 miles around, so including pit stops for photo opps and Cheerio breaks, we were able to leisurely cruise the entire island in just under 2 hours.  After biking, we had just enough time before C’s nap to squeeze in a visit to the Butterfly House, where we quickly realized that C uses the same word for “butterfly” that he’s been using for “bird” (a high-pitched “eeeeeee” sound, always accompanied by a finger pointing in the air).

"Let's get in the water! Who's with me!"

 

Not relying on motorized vehicles made for lots of interactions with nature on an everyday level.  Both cousins squealed with glee every time they saw the horse-drawn carriage “taxis” delivering people and their baggage to wherever they needed to be.  Each storefront, natural area, and sidewalk corner was littered with a spectacular array of flowers, with some gardens reaching several feet tall.  We had lots of fun watching geese, sea gulls, chipmunks, and even a small mouse darting in and around the maze of flowers in one of the gardens.  And of course no trip to any island is complete with out a dip in the water, no matter how mind-numblingly cold the water might feel!

The magic of butterflies!

Impression #2: The funny thing I noticed about our time on Mackinac Island is that being without a car wasn’t even slightly inconvenient.  Now granted, everything on the island was designed for transportation by horse/foot/bike/etc, and being that we were on vacation, there wasn’t a mile-long list of errands that needed to be checked off on a daily basis.  But it makes me realize that while its not always practical to walk or bike everywhere, taking the extra effort to do so whenever I can not only makes a cumulative difference environmentally, but will also exposes Cragbaby to a more simplistic way of living that will hopefully keep him from getting sucked into a life of materialism later on.

"BRRRRR!!!"

What about you all?  How do you keep your child from an “always needing more” mentality?

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In Celebration of World Breastfeeding Week

Climbing. Parenting. Reflections.
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In case you weren’t aware, this week is World Breastfeeding Week, which is meaningful for our family since Cragbaby is 16 months old and still nursing away with no signs of stopping.  So to celebrate, I wanted to do a post about breastfeeding – but not about the benefits of toddler breastfeeding, or how to find support in your area (you can find a lot of that information here, however).  My intent is not to judge those that formula feed, nor is it to  sound preachy towards folks that breastfeed for longer or shorter time than we have.  Everyone is free to make their own decisions about what is best for their family with regards to this sometimes controversial topic, so instead I wanted to share from the vault of my own personal experience.

Though very fulfilling on both sides, our nursing relationship has certainly not been without bumps in the road – together C and I have endured 2 bouts of mastitis, one of which completely tanked my milk supply, numerous growth spurts with marathon nursing sessions, and of course all of the uncertainties and second-guessing that comes with being a first time mom.

We never would have made it this far had I not been able to utilize the much-needed support from both family and friends.  Not that we are attempting to wean any time soon – but in the spirit of this week, I’ve been taking time to reflect on mine and C’s journey as a nursing pair.  I’ve realized that what initially seemed so difficult and at times entirely unnatural has slowly morphed into a relaxed, cherished time for both of us to break away from the hustle and bustle of our day and reconnect.  I remember in the early weeks my mother-in-law telling me that it gets easier after the first 3 months.  And although I would have to heartily agree, I would be remiss if I didn’t add that in my experience, nursing past 1 year has been the icing on the cake!

It’s a well-known fact that for the first year breastmilk (or formula) should be a baby’s primary form of nutrition.  (“Solids for fun until they’re one,” as my doctor put it.)  We introduced solids slowly and I was vigilant about making sure C nursed before eating solids, so that he would fill up on the superior nourishment, and use mealtimes as merely “practice.”  After C passed the magical 12 month mark and it was time for him to start actually relying on solid foods for nutrition, our nursing relationship changed.  Our nursing sessions gradually shifted from something we needed to do to something we wanted to do.

Keeping warm and hydrated with Mommy at the crag last winter

For the past several months, nursing has been easy and stress-free.  On a normal day, C will briefly (sometimes less than 5 minutes) nurse 4 times – at wake-up, before and after nap, and before bed.  If we are out  climbing all day, we might miss the middle of the day sessions entirely.  However if C is teething or not feeling well, it might be closer to 6 times a day.  I don’t feel the need to keep track of it because I know its all extra – extra vitamins, protein and healthy fats, extra immunity boosts, extra comfort, and extra snuggle time for both of us.

C and I may be traveling down the long road towards weaning, and I can’t predict when exactly it will happen – but I know it won’t be before he is ready.  Before I got pregnant, I never gave a second thought to breastfeeding – I just assumed it was something some people chose to do for a few months, and a few weirdos did for a few years.  Once I became a mom I realized that it was so much more than that.  With the way the human body is sexualized in our culture today, its easy to see how people can think that nursing an older baby is weird, but when I see how content and blissfully unaware of trouble C is when he is cuddled up next to me, none of what society says matters because I have that deep, satisfying feeling in my heart that I’m doing what’s best for my baby.

Enjoying a quiet moment of reconnecting during a day of climbing at Whipporwhill

Don’t worry, I’m not gonna be the person that makes everyone else uncomfortable by whipping my boob out to my 5 year old in the middle of the company Christmas party.  What most people don’t understand is that the majority of the time it doesn’t go down like that – by the time your baby reaches the one year mark, both mom and baby have long since learned to be quick and discreet.  Despite the way its most often flauntingly portrayed on TV and in movies, most people I know that nurse toddlers can do it in ways that don’t leave your average person feeling awkward or uncomfortable.

Although Cragbaby will probably never remember our countless hours of snuggling in the rocking chair, they are moments that I will never forget.  And I’m hoping that what he will lack in specific memories will be made up for by a confident, secure child who never doubts the love both his mama and daddy have for him.

Can I get an amen from any other breastfeeding mommies out there?  Whether the time you nursed can be measured in days, weeks, months, or years, every ounce of breastmilk provides loads of physical and emotional benefit to your baby!  Please feel free to share a story, memory, or tidbit from your own personal nursing journey.

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Northern Michigan Road Trip: Sleeping Bear Dunes

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Papa Joe's attempts at being the Turkey Whisperer.

I’ve posted before on “fun-ctional vacations” – you know, the kind of travel where you take advantage of wherever your pre-set plans have taken you.  Well, on July 30th our family had a date in Marquette, Michigan to celebrate my brother-in-law’s wedding – but we decided to make the most of our family time by flying up a week early and enjoying all of the natural beauty that Northern Michigan had to offer. 

Our journey began in Grand Rapids, Michigan, after an early morning of chaos in both the Charlotte and Cincinnati airports (and as expected, Cragbaby was uber-excited to finally get to ride in an airplane…so much so that he woke up at 4 am).  Our first stop was Traverse City, where we took a frigid dip in Lake Michigan (more on that later) before heading up to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. 

Amazing view of Glen Lake

This area lies on the northern end of the Lower Peninsula, and got its name from a Native American legend.  Upon arrival, our first order of business, of course, was to hike the dunes!  Both Canaan and his cousin Eli had loads of fun riding on their Daddy’s shoulders to the top of the dune, where we were able to enjoy a spectacular view of Glen Lake, as well as a distant glimpse of Lake Michigan on the horizon, past a desert-like landscape of dunes. 

It would have been fun to hike the trail all the way across the dunes to Lake Michigan, but time wasn’t on our side since we had a 3.5 hour drive to Mackinaw City ahead of us.  After surfing our way back down to the bottom of the dune, we let the little guys have fun in the sand, then drove into the quaint town of Glen Arbor to grab some sandwiches before hitting the road. 

Family portrait at the top of the dune

 

"Hold on tight Mommy!"

Impression #1: Although I’m sure we wouldn’t survive a week in their winter, folks in Michigan have no idea what “hot” is.  Everywhere we went we heard complaints about the horrible heat wave ravaging the area.  Meanwhile “us Southerners” were in heaven…temps in the mid-80’s, gentle breezes coming off the water, and 2 extra hours of sunlight every evening made for a much more pleasant weather experience thathan the report we heard from our neighbors when we got back home (highs of 107 with off the charts humidity)…

Stay tuned for more adventures and impressions of our road trip later on in the week!

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Guest Post from Velomom

Miscellaneous.
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Earlier last week I shared a guest post from Kristen Lummis, the snow bunny component of our Adventure Moms project (@AdventureMoms).  Today’s post will feature our rad biker chick representative, Jen Charette.  A mommy to two boys, software engineer, and co-owner of a bike shop, I can’t imagine when she has time to breathe, let alone bike, but she manages to make it work with style.  Below is a contribution from her about how to get your kiddos inspired about cycling…

First, this is not a post on the mechanics of teaching a child to ride a bike. There are plenty of resources out there to help you with that. This is more about the psychology of getting your kids passionate about cycling. While I’m not an expert in the minds of little ones these are the things that have worked for us.

Riding at camp

Expose them early – If you have a child I’m sure you’ve heard that you should start reading to them even before birth. Just being around books helps them develop a life long love of reading and helps them read earlier. The same goes for cycling. Kalden has been around bikes since birth. We own a bike shop, so that helps, but he’s also been on bike camping trips nearly every weekend in the spring-fall, and seen the back of a bike from the Chariot since he was 6 months old. Seeing us having fun on bikes got him interested. If you never take them to the trailhead or on weekend bike trips how will they know how cool the sport is?

Don’t force it – While you should expose them early, make sure it’s always their idea to ride. We always bring Kalden’s bike when we go on trips. If he wants to ride we make time to take him out. If he doesn’t, we don’t push it. If you force them to ride before they are ready, it will be a disaster that might take years to correct. I still remember the first time we took Kalden sledding. He wasn’t even 2 years old and we took him on a huge hill. He was not happy about it and screamed the entire way down. This is the first year (at 6) he has enjoyed sledding. That first bad experience shaped his thoughts about sledding for many years.

Don’t freak out – They are going to fall. When our son was 3 he was being silly on his bike, did an endo, and ended up in the ER with stitches in his chin. Some parents would have taken away the bike right there. We didn’t make a big deal of it. The very next day he asked to ride his bike again. While we were freaking out inside we let him and remained calm about it. Before he made his first pedal stroke we reminded him about why he crashed (being silly). From that day on he has been in total control of his bike (maybe not always but he does not goof around on his bike).

Starting earlys

Acknowledge their feelings – When Kalden takes a big crash on his mountain bike this is how we handle it.

Him- Crying, upset .

Us- In a upbeat non- worried tone. ” Wow that was a big crash, are you OK?”

Him-Points to where he is hurt, usually starts yelling at what “caused him” to crash like a big bad rock or root.

Us- We make sure he is really OK, try to talk to him a little about it, and then offer a Honey Stinger Chew. Once we pull the snack out he usually stops crying and moves on.

I know some parents like to say something like “you’re OK” or “wow you’re a tough boy” without asking if they are hurt. I think that approach, especially with boys, could be dangerous. What if they are hurt and don’t want to disappoint you by speaking up. Also, in the long run you don’t want them hiding their feelings to be “tough”(that is a whole other post).

First ride sans training wheels

Don’t miss an opportunity- One rainy day in June just after Kalden turned 3 he asked to take his training wheels off. It was not an ideal time but he was ready and wanted to try. We didn’t want his excitement to pass so we took them off and let him go. He did great and the training wheels were off forever. If we had waited for a better time it might have been okay but he also might have changed his mind and been on training wheels another 6 months. Letting him decide when and where worked.

Bring snacks- Snacks are key especially when they are just learning. There is nothing worse than getting a few miles out and having them say they are done and you still have to get back to the car. We let Kalden have as many snacks as he needs during a ride to keep him motivated and fueled. He likes Honey Stinger chews and waffles but anything they really like will work. We have a rule that he can’t have any Honey Stinger products when he isn’t biking so it’s a real treat for him.

Enjoying a snack on the trail

Don’t hold them back – Well if you have a daredevil on your hands you might have to hold them back a little but you’ll be surprised at what your child can do when they are passionate and motivated. This past weekend my son rode a trail I didn’t think was ready for. He was amazing; enjoying every turn, rocky section and climb. Our rule of thumb…if there is a true danger we make him aware, otherwise he makes the decision.

Follow their lead– In the end they have to be interested for any of this to work. Some kids simply may not ever like to bike. While this should be rare in an environment where you have nurtured them in a cycling culture it could happen. I would not push it, just keeping doing what you love and hope that one day they will “roll” around.

What has worked in your family? I would love to hear stories about helping your kids get passionate about any sport!

I think all of these points are great starting points for getting children passionate about any sport, not just biking.  I can definitely see how Jen’s nuggets of wisdom could apply to climbing as well.  For more on Jen, check out her blog, Velo Mom, where you can read about how she juggles mommyhood, two pregnancies, mountain bike racing, and more. 

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“Not all who wander are lost.” —JRR TOLKIEN