Respite

Last week we had the opportunity to enjoy a bit of respite in the form of a backpacking trip with only AJ for a couple days to Pictured Rocks in Michigan. This trip is an annual tradition for us, with this being the 6th time we've went in the past 7 years (darn you COVID in 2020!). 

It's incredible to watch AJ transform on these short trips as we all truly relax and enjoy life without the daily stress and challenges that come with living with Teddy. A highlight this year was watching AJ create a lounge chair out of sandstone slabs propped in the middle of the river. He spent probably close to 2 hours creating this masterpiece and relaxing in it, knowing there would be no guarantee the waters wouldn't claim it overnight. (It did survive until morning, so he got one more relaxation break there!)

Hiking and camping are my happy places. We have so many family memories that I cherish, but hiking and camping are difficult to near impossible with Teddy through the years. That's why this trip is so incredibly special because we get to do things we love without being fully responsible for care 24/7. 

We're grateful for our village, particularly our one sitter who has spent lots of quality time with Teddy including mornings far earlier than she enjoys, to make this respite possible.

I can't help but share some of my favorite photos from the trip. And we're already looking forward to next year!

All set to hike in to our campsite!

I'm not sure how many more years we can all squeeze in one hammock.

AJ is relaxing in his chair.

We hiked to Spray Falls with AJ, first time since he was 11 months old!

This is my happy place.

Loving Life

This child loves time outdoors in just about every form or fashion, particularly when he's directing his own destiny. The stubbornness is strong with this one, as is evidenced by every attempt to get him into a vehicle and out of the vehicle once we get home. But while he's outdoors, he's a happy camper, even though we've had cold, windy weather lately. (Wisconsin in February is not the most ideal. Seriously, I never heard of a snow squall before last week, but I discovered what that was when I was driving in it.)

We spent some time outdoors this weekend. Dave, Teddy and I visited a nature preserve without a specific plan in mind. We wandered mostly where Teddy's legs carried him, tried sledding in a few spots and perhaps fell off the bank several feet down. Good thing Teddy is durable and remarkably unfazed by something like that ... unlike Dave. As long as we don't have plans to do a specific hike or walk, it's quite enjoyable to follow Teddy's lead. It eliminates a lot of the power struggles we sometimes encounter. I've also learned from our childcare providers that making things fun like playing Red Light, Green Light or fun, stomping walking or giving him a stick can make walks more enjoyable. Sometimes he needs a distraction to keep him focused, if that makes sense.

You can feel the joy, can't you?

We also spent some time at a park on Sunday when it was unseasonably warm (and therefore a soggy mess) and windy. Even though the temperature didn't require snow pants, we wore them anyways in an attempt to stay drier. *Shakes head at silliness* Teddy was quite pleased to discover the puddles to stomp in, slip around in (because there was ice under the water) and generally play. He also found a ball to carry around and send down slides. It was great to spend time outdoors and simply playing at Teddy's level.

Mutual Time Out

We spent this past weekend at home, which is a bit of a rarity for us in the summer months. Saturday was a perfect morning with the first farmers' market in 2 years, a bike ride and the boys playing independently while Dave worked on his school work. (Yes, school work in summer for my oldest child. Hopefully he has just a couple more months left.) 

Sunday, we attempted something similar to give Dave more time for school work. That didn't work nearly as smoothly. There was no farmers' market or bike ride. I wanted to get some baking projects complete and photograph them with a nice background. Teddy wanted to run around with my background, snatch my stuff and practice his comedy routine. His comedy routine includes scaling the back of the Tahoe, attempting to ride my bike while it's secured to the back of the Tahoe, pushing the riding lawn mower into the garage door (so strong!) and generally doing anything and everything he shouldn't do while giggling hysterically. Needless to say, as his audience, I wasn't impressed. 

I was ready to put Teddy in a time out in his room. I was beyond frustrated, yet I recalled my discussion with AJ the evening prior where I talked about managing our frustrations. After spending 30 minutes coaching him on how to manage minor frustrations that won't matter the next day, I felt like I needed to practice that skill. I was ready for a time out myself.

So, we loaded ourselves into the Tahoe, with a few more comedic antics that still weren't funny. We headed to one of our favorite trails and did an easy 4 miles. Well, that's a lie. It wasn't that easy because it was already warm, and Teddy is still a growing boy even with the ease of his chair. But it was exactly what we both needed: fresh air, time together when we weren't annoying each other, beautiful nature and some endorphins.

I'm so grateful that we have the ability to spend our timeouts running together.

See, running makes us happy!

Winter Adventures

Teddy gets the undivided attention of our sitters this week because AJ is at his grandparents' house for a week of e-learning, Beast rides and card games. Our sitters take advantage of these week to spend a bit more time outdoors because Teddy loves being outside. This week Bri took Teddy to Waukau Nature Preserve, which is where we went for our Christmas Eve stroll.

She realized when she got there, though, that there was no way she could push him on the snow-covered trails in his chair. She realized she had a sled in the vehicle because they had also been looking for sledding hills, so they traipsed into the woods using the sled. Teddy was super chill hanging out on the sled, which is slightly surprising because he often wants to take off exploring. I think perhaps the woods was enough of a distraction itself and there were no docks, open garage doors, etc. to distract him. 

I chuckled to see the sledding hill they found because it's a rather steep hill that curves and has plenty of obstacles on the sides. But they managed to safely navigate it several times and had a blast sledding in the woods and exploring there.

I'm not sure I'd have thought to take a sled for that hike, but it's definitely something I think we'll have to try this winter because they had so much fun! We're so grateful for our sitters who not only keep our kiddos safe but also give them such fun experiences. 

Our Sanctuary

A year ago when we signed for our land, we never could have fathomed where our world would be today with COVID-19, protests and so much uncertainty. We have found peace and respite at our land, a place without the need for masks or fear of COVID-19 but with an abundance of the healing power of nature.

We headed to the land Saturday afternoon, all of us crabby and in need of attitude adjustments. Some time in nature provided the necessary adjustments. We spent time organizing our space, re-hanging our sign, visiting with my folks, riding the ranger, testing out a back blade for the tractor and then splashing and attempting to tube in the river.

A boy and his tractor.

Although we need to be careful for the wild parsnip, which can cause serious burns, the boys have freedom to roam there. Teddy can see the tractor several hundred yards away and run to it, without us steps behind him to keep him from trouble. He has more space and more freedom, whether to dig in the dirt, run to his beloved tractor or learn how to tube in the river. (OK, the last one requires serious supervision.)

It's simple memories, time spent together, time outdoors and time on tractors and rangers. The summer nights are splendid with fireflies lighting up the night. The mornings are my favorite, although they're often early with Teddy, because a heavy fog usually settles into the valley. It's the most beautiful and peaceful time of the day in my opinion.

His toothless smile kills me. I'll be sad when it's gone. 

We're blessed to have this land to call ours, and we look forward to the years to come when others can make memories there with us.

Our Happy Place

We spent the past two months under Safer at Home, which was scheduled to end May 26. Our state opened up, so to speak, nearly two weeks early with absolutely no warning nor planning. The decision to open up for business had nothing to do with COVID-19 and everything to do with the politics. Given our risk factors with Teddy and myself, we will continue to take all the precautions we can and minimize our interactions with others. 

That means we head to our land when we can because there's wide open space without other people. The boys can run reasonably free, although Teddy still requires quite a bit of supervision, and we can all enjoy nature. We managed to sneak away Monday evening to spend the night to explore all day Tuesday for my birthday. It was also special because it was our first night sleeping in our bunk room in our garage. 

This boy loves his shovels and dirt. Notice his butt scootin' trail.

Although we didn't get to sleep until shortly after 10 p.m. because the boys were so excited to run around and play when we got down there around 7 p.m. That didn't stop Teddy from waking up at 4:45 a.m. to start the birthday celebrations. The boys played fairly quietly and decorated the room while Dave and I attempted to ignore them and snooze a bit longer. 

So happy to dig in the dirt or the sand.

We spent our day putzing around the garage with a few projects, building a log fort to make good use of our many downed trees, foraging for ramps and morels and hiking together to explore some trails near our land. In short, it was an absolutely fantastic day. Now, mind you even a fantastic day with Teddy involves several heart-stopping moments to catch him from falling into the river (as he heads there on purpose) or beat him to the decrepit death trap of a deer stand. 

 

Family hike ... for the first 5 minutes when Teddy hiked on his own.

We are so grateful for this piece of land for us to escape from the stress of our everyday life, enjoy each others' companies and make memories. 

So Many Miles, So Many Smiles

Last week our family was incredibly blessed on a rainy, dreary day. A giant package arrived at our house that made me literally squeal with excitement when I saw it. Teddy's very own running chair had arrived, after being approved late last fall. We had requested this through his case worker who approved it after her due diligence. We were super excited to partner with myTEAM Triumph (MTT) to order Teddy's chair because we've used these race chairs for several years through them, so we knew what works for Teddy.

Captain Teddy in his new wheels! And, yes, we ran down the street in the pouring rain.

We were able to get a chair that fits him wonderfully now but also fits me, which means that he can push me. Just kidding. It means that he can grow with this chair, with a few simple adjustments like switching the seat pads. It has a foot basket to help contain his feet and wheel guards to make him work just a bit harder to get to the wheels.

It also has some pretty sweet wheel covers that highlight Teddy's diagnosis with the CDG symbol, his name and the MTT logo. He'll do his part as a MTT ambassador wherever we go.

This chair means so much to our family because it gives us more freedom to enjoy the outdoors together. This allows me to return the chair to MTT that I had borrowed during quarantine, which enabled us to go on several runs while AJ biked along side us. This also adapts to pull behind a bike, which means that Dave can pull Teddy. (See, I push for running, so he can pull him for biking.)

Just this weekend alone, we logged 12 miles over the course of two bike rides. Of course, one of those bike rides was to look for the missing bolt we lost on our first adventure with the chair. I'll blame that on my 8-year-old crew member who doesn't quite tighten the bolts well enough for trails ... and my 6-year-old passenger who intentionally was trying to unscrew the bolt.

Pretty sweet ride for Teddy, and it pulls nicely, except with the gusty winds we had both days. 

We're so grateful for this chair. It will help us share so many miles and smiles together as a family. AJ and I were joking that now we could train for a family triathlon in a few years when AJ is strong enough to pull Teddy for the biking. I'll do the running, and Dave can pull Teddy in a boat for the swim. I was pretty happy with my plan to get Teddy a whip to make them go faster until AJ pointed out that whips still swing backward, so I'm not safe from Teddy trying to make me go faster either.

Life's an Adventure

I know I haven't posted as often here, not because anything is drastically wrong but rather because life is different, still rather busy and emotionally exhausting. So I aim for at least a weekly post.

This week we had three days of solid rain, which was quite the damper (literally) after gorgeous weather last weekend. Teddy and I had a day to ourselves while AJ and Dave planted trees, so we explored a local trail and then a nature preserve. Our goal is to enjoy the outdoors as much as possible while minimizing contact with people. So, unfortunately, sometimes we head out for a walk to turn back at the trailhead because it's too people-y. (That's now a word for me. I feel like the pandemic justifies it, even though I used it before.)

The trail we ran in the morning was fantastic, mostly flat and just beautiful. We also enjoyed at least a mile or two without running into anyone and were off the trail before it was too busy. But the treasure we found was the nature preserve, which on a beautiful day, only had a handful of cars in the parking lot. We took the chair we borrowed from myTEAM Triumph and headed off to explore. Less than a quarter mile into the preserve, it became obvious that we had an interesting choice to make in terms of which steep hill we wanted to go down. The path was wide enough to accommodate the chair, so off we went with me hoping I didn't have to push Teddy back up that hill.

Let's just say that we had so much fun exploring these trails, not only because it was a walk in the woods with so few people that we encountered ... I think only once did we step aside for others ... but also because it was an adventure. The trail got so narrow the chair didn't fit. That wasn't the biggest problem in the woods, but when the one side of the trail was the river, let's just say that Teddy thought it was hilarious. Anything dangerous is clearly more fun for Teddy.

We went back as a family later this week when the rain cleared up, and the trails were covered in mud. This time we brought the backpack carrier, so we were able to explore a bit further than our previous stopping point. Teddy still thought it was quite fun, even with a free ride.

I'm so grateful we found this place, which feels like a sliver of paradise for us close to home. Right now I'm not able to get to our land, so finding nature and solace nearby is a blessing.

Running with the Help of Angels

Spring has sprung here in Wisconsin with temperatures reaching into the 50s for the first time in months. It's wonderful to get days with sunshine and warm weather, and fortunately we're able to get outside yet to enjoy it despite COVID-19.

We've gone for quite a few family walks (although I was quite bummed to find the trail near AJ's school closed to prevent spread of disease). Butt I wanted to get out more, so I reached out to myTEAM Triumph to see if we could borrow a running chair until training runs resume. Thanks to Christian and Corey for making agreeing and even helping get a chair to us. Even though it was in storage all winter, I sprayed it down with disinfectant and let it sit overnight.

The next day, I added AJ's bike and headed out work my boys for a workout. AJ on his bike provides a speed workout as I attempt to keep up with him and tackle all the hills he wants. Teddy provides the strength workout as I push him through the miles and up the hills.

All the miles. All the smiles.

We made it 6 miles, only because AJ was determined to go that far. We all had a fantastic time and got to enjoy the beautiful weather. Thanks to MTT for making this and future runs possible!

#mtt #runlikeangels #mttbassador

A Hiking We Will Go

Hiking is one of my favorite things. Before children, Dave and I hiked and backpacked across the entirety of Isle Royale as well as the length of Pictured Rocks. Carrying those heavy backpacks was merely training for carrying children when we continued hiking after having children. AJ is more than capable of hiking on his own and alternates between doing remarkably well and complaining remarkably well. Teddy, on the other hand, has always been carried despite the fact that he is now 6 years old and weighs more than 50 pounds.

I recognize that my years of carrying Teddy for any distance are greatly limited, but I will continue to carry him as long as I'm able to in order to give our family the ability to truly experience the great outdoors. There's so much to be seen that can't be reached in even the sturdiest of wheelchairs.

Teddy is capable of walking, running even and climbing darn near anything. (Seriously, the other day I walked in the garage to see him perched on the back bumper of the Chevy Equinox holding onto the rear windshield wiper and attempted to use that to brace his knee to climb up the back side of the vehicle.) However, he falls constantly. So much, in fact, that we don't even pay attention to him falling most of the time because it's such an ordinary part of every day. He also lacks any sense of safety awareness and seems to gravitate to ditches and ravines because they're more fun.

So he's had very few opportunities to attempt hiking on an actual trail, but he's continuing to improve his balance and want more independence. On Friday I wanted to take the boys hiking at High Cliff State Park for one last summer memory that would be an excuse to eat ice cream for lunch. I decided to give Teddy a hiking stick and see what happened. He was extremely excited and took off in the opposite direction, so I turned him around and steered him past all the vehicles because I didn't want him to scratch one with that weapon of his. Yeah, a hiking stick isn't for balance. It's for swinging wildly, jabbing and poking. It's way more fun that way.

Teddy set off with an excited pace!

We made it onto the trail with Teddy leading the way part of the time. He is easily distracted by other people, so I had to redirect his attention to follow AJ. He thought the big rocks were really fun to poke, touch and inspect. He also liked tapping different trees with his stick and whacking all the foliage along the trail with it. The trail turned uphill and got much steeper, narrower and rockier. The steepness and narrowness were fine for Teddy, but the rocks got to be too much that he kept falling every few feet.

4 cars in the entire parking lot, and he nearly ran into them.

 So, I loaded him up, and we continued on our hike in our usual fashion with me as Sherpa for Teddy. But I was impressed that he made it 4/10ths of a mile on his own two feet, especially with a portion of that being rougher trail. I think that if we stayed on the more level trail that he'd have been able and interested in going further. It's something we'll have to continue to practice and try because he's interested in it, and I'm interested in not carrying a squirming 6-year-old for the entire hike always. (It's much easier to carry the same weight as Teddy that isn't trying to escape and flail and steal my hiking stick and stab me with the stolen hiking stick.)

I was surprised by some of the comments when others heard of our adventure about being a great mom and giving Teddy this opportunity, but it's really self serving. Hiking is one of my absolute favorite things to do, and I want to share that love with both my children. I want to continue to do it as Teddy grows older, even if our pace is slower and we have to poke every rock and tree. Nature soothes the soul ... and we all need that.

Snow Much Fun!

Winter in Wisconsin has arrived with about 4 inches of snow Sunday and now chilly temps today. We had a dusting of snow last month and some snow to play in at my parents' farm, but this was the first substantial snow for the boys to play with at home. And play they did!

Teddy thinks snow is scrumptious.

The best part of their adventures was I watched them from the kitchen window while I got things done around the house. Dave spent about an hour outside with the boys, building two large snowmen, chasing Teddy as he hopped to explore the creek and making snow angels. All three of my boys had huge smiles on their faces and came in to warm mugs of cocoa and tea ... because that's mom's job, right?

He may be trying to eat the snowman ...