I know this has happened to all mamas of potty-trained kids one time or another.

You ask your child, “Before we start, do you need to go to the bathroom?”

Child: “No!”

Mom (suspiciously): “Are you SUURRRRRE?”

Child: “Mom, I told you already. I don’t need to go!”

Mom: “Okay then.”

Then you go wherever you’re going… and it’s surely some place without a nearby restroom. And then your child says:

“Mommmm, I’ve gotta poop REALLLLYYYYY BAAADDDDD.”

You Know Where I’m Going with This

Yep, that’s what happened earlier this week when Fadra (from All Things Fadra) and I went hiking. It was an impromptu playdate. We both needed out of the house and so we grabbed some sandwiches, had a picnic and set off on a little hike by a lake.

I was pretty stoked because I got to wear my Kelty pack… something Daddy Roo usually gets the “honor” of. Little Roo tried to climb in it pretty much as soon as I pulled it out of the car.

The walk to this part of the lake was pretty uneventful. Little Roo pointed at stuff and babbled mostly nonsense (except “airplanneeee!”). The older guys looked for the white dots to mark the trail and talked about leaves.

The perfect afternoon hike.Until Big Roo utters his “I’ve gotta poop really bad and I can’t hold it” speech.

We were about 15 minutes from the restrooms, which were near our cars.

Oh boy. We’d better get going.

Big Roo was on a mission. He didn’t have time to enjoy the hike and I didn’t have time to chat with Fadra. By this time, Little Roo (and my lower back) were done with the carrier so he was walking. And we all know how slow toddlers can walk. Plus that kid was in full-on exploration mode.

So, Big Roo and I turned our leisurely hike into a hiking sprint while Fadra walked with Little Roo and her son Evan (who’s camouflaged somewhere in this picture). At least they enjoyed the hike back.

Big Roo and I made it without incident (but with lots of “I can’t hold it” and the serious contemplating of pooping outside- hey, I had baby wipes, just no trowel)!

When the rest of the crew got back, Little Roo was happily waving a tree branch. Fun stuff!

Then the kids got to be the subject of iPhone-picture-taking mamas. Aren’t they cutesies?

Guess what Little Roo is pointing at? Fadra’s iPhone case, which has pictures of what LOOKS like are cookies.

And finally, my two boys, with nary a bodily function to hinder them from enjoying the beautiful day.

Have you ever been stuck somewhere with a kid who “HAS TO GO POOP RIGHT NOW” and not a bathroom in sight?

For four years now, Mother’s Day means, among other obvious things, hiking.

Y’all probably think that I’m super gung-ho and we shuffle out the door at 6 am. Oh noooooo. Not me. I start off every Mother’s Day by sleeping in while Daddy Roo simultaneously makes breakfast while making sure the kids don’t destroy something (welcome to MY world, buddy).

BUT we do get around to a hike every Mother’s Day. We started the tradition in Arizona when Big Roo was just a toddler. NOW look who’s a toddler: Little Roo.

This year we hit Umstead Park, only 15 minutes from our house but green, pretty and with water for the kids (and dog) to marvel. Here are my little hikers:

Note: Someone *cough- Daddy Roo- cough* should have told me that my headband makes my forehead look bulging. I’m really NOT happy about that picture.

We thought rain was imminent but lucky for us, the mild weather kept us cool. And the light perfect for cool nature-y pictures.

Big Roo even got to carry our old Camelbak for quick access to water… until he decided it was a pain to do anything other than have fun (see who’s carrying it on the way back? PIC: far right)

And Big Roo can’t resist giving his flashy sorta-smile when I break out the camera. Doesn’t he just look like trouble?

I’m adamant about getting a picture with the kids each Mother’s Day but my forehead pic above (and sans shower) just wasn’t cutting it. Instead, we popped out to the deck for a couple of shots before bed. Yep, Big Roo was in his PJs already. Better late than never though, right?

How was your Mama’s Day?

This is an old post from my first few months of blogging. I only had two comments at the time (insert sad face). But I’m bringing it back to life as part of the SITS girls’ Back to Blogging challenge. Fingers crossed for more than 2 comments this go around.

I loved this post because it was a great tale about knowing to listen to your body when you’re preggers.

Why elevation and pregnant women from sea level don’t mix

That pregnant hiker is yours truly. On my family’s trip to Denver in September to see my cousin, hiking was definitely on the list of things to do. I mean, how could you not trailblaze in the Rockies? We drove through beautiful Glenwood Canyon to get to our destination. The plan was to hike up to Hanging Lake, known for its crystal clear water and flowing waterfalls.

(Big Roo before walking to the trailhead.)

Let’s set the stage here. On the hike you had: two pregnant women (just starting our second trimesters), two kids (Big Roo and pregnant lady #2′s 21-month-old daughter), two HOPLs (Hubbies of Pregnant Ladies- yeah, I just made that up) and my cousin who’s lived in Colorado for about 11 years. And did I mention she’s a marathon runner?

My cousin, being the ultra in-shape-marathon-runner-acclimated-to-altitude cousin that she is, proclaimed the hike was easy. I used to be an avid hiker but let me just say this: the hike was about as easy as keeping a two-year-old seated for a four hour flight (insert your motherly head nod here).

Although I’m not as in as great of shape as I was in previous years (read: before finger food, potty training and The Wiggles entered my life) I still like to think of myself as in better-than-average shape, pregnant or not.

So traveling in two cars, we met at the trail rest area to suit up. Sunscreen. Check. Floppy hats. Check. Kid carriers. Check. Diapers & wipes (sound of Daddy Roo running back to the car and cursing me under his breath).

The fact that the sign ominously said “CAUTION: Trail is difficult” should have been foreboding enough but:
1. Like I said, I’m in pretty good shape.
2. I trusted that if my cousin said it was easy then it was.
3. If all the uber-tourist people with Old Navy flip flops and no water were hiking up then so could I.

(Here’s the sign.)

The hike started off just going up a relatively steep slope. I figured it would level off a bit… and it did for maybe 1-2 minutes. We’d cross a small bridge, take in a view and then off we went again huffing and puffing.

Our friends’ daughter started crying to get out of the carrier and so she hiked part of the way. A 21-month-old hiking up a steep incline made things slow going but I secretly welcomed the breaks where we stopped so they could catch up. While it was harder than anticipated, we stopped frequently and my heart rate was in check.

As for Noah, he was the same as he always is during hikes—entranced. He calmly rode in the carrier looking at the coniferous trees, the mini-waterfalls and the crowds of people making their way down the trail.

After reaching the halfway point, my friend’s daughter had enough of the walking. She wanted nothing to do with walking OR her daddy carrying her. So, her mama – pregnant hiker #2 – strapped on the gear and carrier her on her pregnant back, proclaiming to her hubby with the camera “You’d better get this Mother of the Year shot!”

Despite the dirty looks we got as people wondered why the pregnant lady was carrying the daughter and her dad just followed behind with a measly backpack, she was faring better than me. Not even two minutes later, I was the one holding us up.

Suddenly I felt weak and my heart was pounding.

At first I thought it was asthma but I wasn’t wheezing at all. I wasn’t shaking but after sitting down on a rock I knew I would probably get dizzy if I stood up. I needed more food, more water and began to wonder if I was going to make it to the top to see the gorgeous lake—the prize at the end of the journey. I felt so weak all I wanted to do was lay down smack in the middle of the trail and let people step over me. At that moment it would have been as cozy as laying on a soft bed underneath a mound of covers.

My cousin suggested it was probably altitude sickness as she peeled me a tangerine. Then Daddy Roo remembered the Clif Shot Bloks- electrolyte chews we purchased at REI two days before. I noshed on one of those and wondered what my cousin was thinking when she suggested two pregnant hikers and two kids under 3 should do this insane, high-altitude hike. At one point I silently panicked – what if I can’t make it down? – but the electrolyte chew sorted my brain out and I calmly regained my strength as my heart rate slowed down.

This up and down altitude-induced craziness happened in a span of just 5 minutes but I wouldn’t wish that feeling on anyone- yuck! The other family and my cousin decided to continue up (with the girl riding on my cousin’s back now) and we decided to descend so I could get some rest.

I tell you what- I was a different person on the way down. I was the sure-footed, fast hiker I was three years ago. I’d like to think it was those electrolyte chews. Well, that and the fact we were descending in altitude. But sheesh I felt GOOD. Almost good enough to turn back. However, this pregnant lady takes no chances.

We got to the bottom and broke out our lunch while we waited for everyone else to rejoin us. While I didn’t have to worry about altitude any more, little did I know what was coming next. Let’s just say Big Roo’s had an “explosion” of the brown not-so-solid kind. And so this was the scene walking to the car, which we actually thought was pretty hilarious.

Unfortunately for us, this was what we missed. Stunning.

(Photo from eadmund42 on Flickr)

And man, it stings that I didn’t get pics of my own, that I didn’t see to see such an amazing sliver of nature with my own two eyes. But I’m smart enough to know my limits. Something the guy with the beer gut, flip-flops and no water bottle probably will find out sooner or later.

By participating in the SITS challenge, I’m entering to win a new washer and dryer thanks to Standards of Excellence, Westar Kitchen and Bath, and Florida Builder Appliances.

Every family has traditions. They’re usually focused around holidays or other special occasions.

But what about outdoor traditions? Do you have a yearly camping trip? A goal to see a new National Park each year?

Ours is a simple one.

Each year we go on a Mother’s Day hike.

It started when Big Roo was about 15 months old when we lived in Arizona.

The second year, we barely got out of the freaking house. But I proclaimed, “We should make this our tradition, dang it.”

This year, we added Little Roo to the mix.

Three Mother’s Day hikes, three years in a row. I say this is the beginning of a bona fide TRADITION.

Do you have an outdoor tradition? Tell me!

If you’ve read my slightly outdated About Me page, you’ll see that despite the big plans we had to be hiking maniacs after BIG Roo was born, we didn’t get around to his first hike until he was six months old.

This time, despite the madness of having two kids, we managed Little Roo’s first hike last weekend. Little Roo is just seven weeks old. Score!

To be honest, I didn’t think we were ever going to get out of the damn house. Our morning went something like this:

8:30- This is the time that Daddy Roo let me sleep til (hubby rocks!)

9:00- Feed Little Roo, then pump

9:30- Slowing making our way until breakfast

10:00- “Didn’t we want to go on a hike today?”

10:01- “Where’s the Camelbak? The Baby Bjorn? Trajan’s [our dog] travel water bowl?”

10:05- Go on mad search through the house. Baby Bjorn was hardest to find. Stuffed in a box in storage. Thank Gawd I know how to label boxes.

10:08- Fill water bottles

10:12- Fight with Big Roo over going to potty

10:18- Apply massive amounts of sunscreen

10: 31- Finally out of the house and on our way

Sprinkled throughout our morning was Big Roo’s tantrums about the most mundane stuff. By the time we left, Daddy Roo and I were on edge and in pissy moods. I was so close to throwing a mama hissy fit and just staying home. If it was THIS bad just to get out of the house, were we really going to enjoy the hike anyway?

Since we weren’t entirely sure how Little Roo was going to handle both the hike AND the Bjorn (and due to the late start we got), we went to Durant Nature Park which is literally a mile or so down the street. Despite its close proximity to suburbia, we found a nice little hike… perfect for our timeframe and for little feet.

In recent weeks, Daddy Roo and I have noticed that Big Roo nearly becomes the perfect child when he’s outside.

He didn’t walk too far in front of us, he listened when we told him to be careful around the water, he was laughing and having a great time! All the acting out from having a new sibling seemingly vanished.

Trajan the Yellow Labster also had a blast. Loving water runs deep in his veins. He lapped up some fresh water then made a (failed) attempt to jump into the creek. I was too slow to catch a picture of that!

As for the other Roo, we didn’t have anything to worry about. He ALSO enjoyed himself. No crying. No massive poops. Instead, he gazed at this new world, where sunshine peeked through green leaves and birds chirped happily. Look how chill he was.

That’s the great thing about hiking… and our lesson learned. Enjoying nature has an innate calming effect. We went from a cranky, frantic morning to feeling refreshing and calm. Gotta love this stuff!

]]> http://www.adventuroo.com/2010/04/little-roo-goes-hiking-a-lesson-learned/feed/ 10 http://www.adventuroo.com/2010/03/get-wild-its-national-wildlife-week/ http://www.adventuroo.com/2010/03/get-wild-its-national-wildlife-week/#comments Mon, 15 Mar 2010 19:14:35 +0000 melissa http://www.adventuroo.com/?p=1061

Trees and dirt and birds, oh my!

This entire week (March 15-21) is National Wildlife Week. An entire week dedicated to getting our butts off the couch, away from the computer (oops!) and into the clean, fresh air!

How much time to you spend outside with your kids? I bet you could do more, right? Even just an extra 15 minutes a day? As the National Wildlife Federation puts it, “climb trees, chase butterflies, dig in the dirt and celebrate nature. You’ll become healthier, happier and more connected to the world around you.”

With a newborn in the house, I’m itching to get outside and get moving! For a little motivation, I signed the Be Out There pledge to get outside more with the kids. Recovering from a C-section, it’s just gonna be neighborhood walks and trips to the backyard. But doesn’t that beat having the Wiggles playing from your DVR for the umpteenth time?

Why don’t you make the pledge too? Just click the banner, sign the pledge and GET OUTSIDE!

For some awesome ways to “get wild” visit their website. And don’t forget to pass it on!

So after yesterday’s post about my three travel secrets, I’m enjoying the reminiscing of my pre-kid hiking glory days. Don’t get me wrong: Big Roo and Little Roo WILL hike in the Grand Canyon with us one day, but not anytime soon (cut me some slack- Little Roo isn’t even born yet!). So here’s a little pic of part of our Hermit Rapids hike a few years ago – the part where we hike over boulders left from a massive rockslide. I wish I had a good picture of the abyss to our right. Would have been more dramatic.

Hiking over rockslides is oh so fun!

Tripbase, an online travel site, is playing an adventurous game of blog tag and I’ve been tagged! My mission: write about three of your favorite “secret” places – somewhere obscure that is truly out of this world. Their goal: create a fantastic list of travel tips from bloggers all over the world.

In my attempt to be fantastic too, here are three places I’d go again in a heartbeat:

1. Havasu Falls-  Grand Canyon, AZ (not part of the National Park)

EDITED: I’m saddened to learn that a huge flood in 2008 has drastically altered and destroyed some parts of this area, including Navajo Falls, which I mention in my tips below. Havasu Falls apparently doesn’t  even look like my picture any longer. Floods aren’t new here but it’s still sad when it alters nature’s landscape like this. It sounds like some new falls have formed though. You can read about Havasu being “reborn” here. And see new pictures of the various falls here.

Anyone who has seen pictures of the Grand Canyon know what you typically see, but what about scenery like this?

Yes, the water IS as blue as it looks

Back in 2005, my husband and two friends of ours hiked the “Rim to Rim” hike. It’s a 21-mile hike that runs through the Grand Canyon’s South Rim to the North Rim through the main corridor. As part of our training, we hiked to Havasu Falls, a beautiful waterfall that’s in the Grand Canyon but in the Havasupai Indian Reservation. Their name aptly means “people of the blue-green water.”

Scenery along the 10-mile trek down

Havasu Falls' milky blue-green water

Three Tips if You Plan to Go Here
Sleep in your car the night before you hike down: That sounds just luxurious doesn’t it? Well, I say this for three reasons. First, it gets HOTTER than a (insert your favorite heat comparison here) in the Canyon during the warmer months so you’ll need to get an early start. I’m talking 4:00 or 5:00 a.m. Second, there is nothing- I mean nothing- nearby. No hotels, no food – heck – you’re lucky there’s a road! But the trade-off is far, far greater which leads me to the third reason. If you’re lucky enough to sleep here on a clear night, you’ll be handsomely rewarded with the most star-filled sky you’ve ever seen. I’m not talented enough to get a good pic of the millions of stars I saw that night, but it’s etched in my memory as one of the most beautiful sights I’ve ever seen.

Wear high-top boots: The last two miles of this trail is mostly a sand and is BRUTAL on the ankles. I could barely walk the next day. High top boots will help support your ankles, although I can’t guarantee you won’t still be sore! Just less sore.

Swim in Navajo Falls (unless you like the Polar Bear Club): We visited Havasu in blazing-hot August and the chilly water of Havasu Falls was more than I could stand. About a 1/2 mile before you get to Havasu Falls, there’s another waterfall called Navajo Falls. The water is warmer and there are lots of fun, non-suidical spots to jump off the rocks.

Navajo Falls in the Canyon- the "warmer" place to swim

2. Hermit Rapids-  Grand Canyon, AZ

Along with the corridor trails, the most popular set of campsites in the Grand Canyon are known as the “corridor” campsites. Teeming with people, these are the sites with clearly-marked campsites, actual toilets (though not flushable) and water. The ones that are hard to get backcountry permits for. The next level of Grand Canyon-hiking glory are the threshold campsites. I assume this means it’s on the threshold of flat-out insanity. Ha! The Hermit Rapids campsite is one of these sites- no water (gotta filter it yourself from the river), no toilet (trowel anyone?) and no numbered campsites.

Hermit Rapids- On the Hike Down

The hike continues in those crevasses that you see

In lieu of fresh water and a seat to “do your business,” you’re rewarded with an open beach of sand to pitch your tent wherever you’d like…

Our campsite "on the beach" at Hermit Rapids

… with a view like this when you unzip your tent in the morning.

Hermits Rapids - In Front of our Campsite at the Colorado River

Three Tips if You Plan to Go Here
Don’t underestimate the Grand Canyon: I’ve seen marathon runners struggle in the Canyon because they had no idea what a soul-stealer the climate can be. It’s dry so you get dehydrated WAY before you ever would in any place with normal levels of humidity. Carry lots of sunscreen and wear a hat. And pace yourself (especially on the way back up) with frequent breaks, water and salty snacks, even when you don’t think you’re hungry. This hike is for the experienced. Bonus points? Bring hiking poles.

Cool off in Hermit Creek: On the way down, you’ll hike alongside Hermit Creek, a wee strip of water that leads to the Colorado. Since we had no plans to be swept away by the raging waters of Hermit Rapids, we opted for cooling off in the calmer, shallow creek.

Aaaaahhhh

Beware of Clif-bar stealing crows: Call me bitter, but we lost four Clif bars AT ONCE to those flying beasties. And our food was in a sealed baggie inside our tent. Persistent little buggers.

3. Rocky Point, Mexico

While anyone who’s ever lived in Arizona wouldn’t call this place a “secret,” but being from the Deep South, it was quite the secret to us! When we lived in Phoenix, we followed the herd and crossed the border to vacation in Mexico at a place called Rocky Point (Puerto Penasco). It’s the only town I can think of that Americans actually translate into English instead of just bastardizing the pronunciation. Back to the secret, a mere $750 got us five days at a house that sleeps 8 with a patio that opens onto the beach.

Rocky Point, Mexico

View from town

Three Tips if You Plan to Go Here
Eat at La Curva restaurant: It’s one of the popular places to eat but for good reason. Authentically yummy Mexican food with a just-as-authentic mariachi band. The band had the whole place dancing. Well except us. We were busy eating fried ice cream, which I guess isn’t so authentic.

La Curva restaurant

Beware the dry, hot sand: The sand is brutally hot in summer. I don’t remember sand being so dang hot at any other beach I’ve been to. Gotta wear shoes. If you have furry friends, you may want to make them wear dog boots until they get to the wet sand. Our dog ended up burning his pads and so this became the way he got to the beach from then on…

Now does that look fun or what?

Know how to cross the border: “Drive across it” is one smarty-pants answer that comes to mind but seriously, did you know you needed Mexican auto insurance to drive in Mexico? It’s only temporary and pretty cheap though. Here’s a great link describing all you need to know about crossing the border and making it back across. I would say that last part is key.

Well, there you have it. Three of my favorite places and secret tips to boot!

So, what are your favorite “secret” destinations? Willing to share the secret?

I came across this awesome link today on Twitter from the North Carolina Department of Commerce. They have lots of information of things to do during the Holidays in North Carolina, like Christmas at Biltmore Estate, The Polar Bear Express and the National Gingerbread House Competition and Display. Honestly, I doubt I’ll be able to make it to any of these this year between being pregnant, insanely busy and sometimes just insane, but we’ll definitely drive around Raleigh to see the best Christmas lights!

Enjoy the links– maybe you’ll be more ambitious that me!

For the longest time, whenever we’d go hiking I’d take snapshots of just scenery and more scenery. But then, I’d get home, upload my pics and wonder, were we even there? I started realizing I could have just bought a postcard for the same effect.

So, I’ve gotten more creative over the years with my snap-happy self, especially now that we’re hiking as a family. I want shots that make those hiking memories all the more vivid.

Here are my five top pictures to snap next time you go hiking:

1. Take Nature Shots at a Different Angle
We can all appreciate the shots where we stand and click, turn right, stand and click, turn right and make our way in a circle to capture all the beautiful scenery. But why not take it a step further? Kneel down to what the forest critters see. Look up and capture the sun peeking through the trees. Tilt the camera slightly to capture a more dynamic view. You may be surprised at what nature shows you, even for something as ordinary as trees.

Looking up at the trees- Holly Point at Falls Lake, NC

2. Get a Picture of the Sign
I started this trend a few years ago on our first hike in the Grand Canyon. I was in such awe that we were actually IN the Canyon at THE Indian Gardens (which at the top of the Canyon, the trees here look like little pieces of broccoli). Now I make it a point to capture a directional sign somewhere along the trip. It can be the trailhead sign, the park entrance sign, whatever! Just snap a pic. It just may come in handy later when you wonder what the heck the trail was named.

Trail Marker- Indian Gardens within the Grand Canyon, AZ

3. Capture actually hiking.
When we go hiking, why do we forget to take pictures of us actually hiking? Instead it’s typically a posed, static shot of the hikers (if you even got shots of people at all). So, walk ahead and get the family moving along the trail. Or stay behind and get them hiking away from you. If it’s a place that’s particularly steep, capture your family trudging up the hill (you’ll get a nice breather). Or coming down off a summit. Whatever the case, just capture movement.

Daddy Roo and a younger Big Roo- Umstead Park, NC

4. Snap a close-up shot of nature.
While I dig the panoramic shots so I remember what a place actually looked like, there’s also beauty in the finer parts of nature. Maybe it’s the spring flowers that just started to bloom or the dead roots of a fallen tree. Maybe it’s some interesting moss or an unusual rock. Get close and capture a close-up of a little piece of nature.

Splash "fossils" on rock from Colorado River- bottom of the Grand Canyon, AZ

5. Make sure YOU (yeah, you) are in at least one picture
I mean it. Step away from the camera and hand it to someone else. As a mom, I’m always the one with a camera strap around my neck. And I definitely could use a little nudge here and there to actually remember to do this. It’s SO important to capture ourselves in these family moments. While you may hate seeing yourself in pictures (make-up, hair or outfit isn’t perfect), I bet your kids love it. So, ask someone (your spouse, a hiker, one of your kids) to take your picture too. At least ONE pic of you per hike. That’s not too much to ask for, right?

Me and Big Roo (as Baby Roo)- somewhere near Prescott, AZ

Any other shots that you love to take while hiking?