Mommy Time

Today I was desperate need of some time to  myself.
This qualifies as having no more than 3 children with you at one time.

Jim was working this morning and I took the kids to church on my own.  Nate's performance during Mass was epic.  Ugh.  I can't even think about it.  He is just so two in every way, shape and form.  I do think it's very hard on Nate to be two.  It must be exhausting.  I know it is for me. I need strength and wisdom and patience.  STAT. 
Sleeping has not been a strong point of his since he has returned from Rochester.  Hence me blogging while laying on the floor outside his room to preempt any escape attempts.  He wakes up in the middle of the night and wanders into our room with his pillow and blanket.  It's pathetic.  Of course, after four kids, I am immune to pathetic - especially when sleep is involved.  But even so, it hasn't been a picnic to get him back on track.  I put him back in his room 18 times last night. 
Yes, 18. 
He's quiet so far tonight - so I'm hoping it will be better.  

So, in light of this, Daddy took the boys for the afternoon and Caroline and I went hiking up in Cactoctin Mountain National Park.   It was 65 degrees with an impossibly blue sky - a day just begging me to be out in it.  We hiked a moderate trail (the boys and I do the easy trail) to Cunningham Falls and did some extra work to allow Caroline to earn her Junior Ranger Badge.  She is very proud. 
We DO do more than hike, usually.  We have been doing a lot of that lately.  The weather has been very nice (besides the hurricane) and it's fun to explore new places.  Now that Benjamin is here and my body is healing, it's also nice to be able to hike again.  I'm in the midst of attempting to get back to fighting form and am trying to include the kids any way I can.  I also have come to  the realization that our children will not be the most athletic kids in the bunch, so it's really up to us to give them non-sport-based aerobic activities.  If we hike up to all these rock formations while searching for dinosaur bones, we're really nurturing their inner athlete and inner geek all at the same time.  =-)  The fact that it's fun and an activity they can do for the rest of their lives doesn't hurt, either. 
Here is Caroline with her magnifying glass.  She is rip roarin' and ready to hike.  

 I was informed I also had to pose with the magnifying glass, "It means you're ready to hike, Mama."
 I obliged...

 The 100 year old trees dwarfed us.  The sky felt close enough to touch.  It was amazing. 

 Some Pre-Cambrian rock formations covered with uprooted trees from Sandy.  Caroline was able to point out the different types of rock we were seeing and the differences in the rock during the course of the hike.  It was like being in Mr Swain's 8th grade Earth Science class all over again.  =-)

 Resting along the way.  I surprised  Caroline by putting Gator-Aid in her water bottle.  She was thrilled.  "This water is just so tasty, Mama.  I love it.  I really love it!" 
It's the little things that keep us going, I suppose. 

 At the Falls.  "What do you mean our hike is only half over, Mama?  I'm tired." 

 Playing Poohsticks in the creek.  Funny how she always wins...

 Taking her Ranger Oath after her book was corrected and the Ranger asked her some questions about the ecology and geology of the area...

 Her fourth Ranger Badge and first Ranger Patch!  We have to put the patch on her bookbag...

And now this Old Lady is taking her aching legs to bed. 
G'Night!