Lesson 56

We had such great success hiking with the kids over the weekend that I thought, "Hey, I can do this with the kids on my own!" Right? WRONG.

We hopped in the car this morning at about 10am and drove over to the tiny parking lot of Gnarled Hollow Road. The trail is actually a bike path, beautifully paved, winding through the woods for 1.6 miles. The problem is, it ends at a point 1.6 miles away, so you have to turn around and walk the same route back. No big deal for an adult, BUT INCOMPREHENSIBLE TO TODDLERS!!

We were having such a good time kicking leaves, and picking clovers, and seeing squirrels and lots of dogs on leashes passing us by. I knew just over what I gauged to be half way through the course that I was working with little kiddos here and I should probably turn around because 3.2 miles round trip probably wouldn't fly with their little legs.

Guess what didn't fly? THE WHOLE TURNING AROUND THING. Emma went bonkers refusing to believe me when I said that we need to go back the way we came because our car was waiting back at the parking lot where we started. She was convinced I was lying and planted herself firmly on the ground refusing to move unless we continued forward. I scooped Ben up and started walking back figuring she would follow after a minute, but NOPE, cheeky little princess sat right there and I am the one who had to go back for her with Ben SCREAMING THE WHOLE TIME in my left ear.

I pretty much had to bribe her with a promise that if she stood up and walked back with me we would stop at the "hamburger store" and get her a cheeseburger to eat in the car. She accepted that and made her move.

But that didn't console Ben. I had absolutely no clue what his problem was as he still doesn't speak. He was "saying" (crying/screaming) the same thing over and over and over though. After hearing it about 100 times I finally convinced myself it sounded like he was saying "all done." I had to carry him THE WHOLE WAY BACK. Every time I even tried to put him down to give my bulging biceps a rest he screamed even harder. The kid was EXHAUSTED by the time we got back to the van, and not because he was tired from hiking!

I took some of the cutest pics of us walking before it all went to Hell in a hand basket, but I don't even feel like uploading them after the exciting denouement. Maybe tomorrow...

So lesson learned. If I do that trail again - and I will because it was AWESOME, I will take the double stroller with me. That way they can sit on the return hike and stuff their faces with raisins and watered down V8 fusion (blueberry/pomegranate).

This afternoon after naps, and by naps I mean me and Ben, we all headed over to the mall to wander around as a family. I knew Jolly Old Saint Nicholas was there and I was hoping Emma would want to chat with him and maybe get a nice picture. NEGATIVE. We chatted about him on the ride there and she was excited, but as soon as she caught a glimpse of him (and he was a GOOD one, too - real beard and all!!!), she hid behind Daddy's leg and got all quiet. We didn't push her and gave her a few more chances passing him another couple of times, but each time was the same reaction. I am going to keep "talking him up" and hopefully the next time she sees a Santa, she will be braver.

She did request to watch "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" after dinner though, so maybe that is a good sign. hahaha