Is it spring yet?

I don't think it's officialy spring, but it sorta feels like it here, so we'll take what we can get. Of course with spring comes the rain. Saturday closed out the driest February that the city has on record. Yeah for us! Does that mean bad things for March and April? Probably.

We ejoyed a nice weekend. Friday got off to a great start with a late meeting for me so I had Walter home early. Evan was at a team event (I'm going to have to have a chat with Brian about his abuse of my husbands free time :)) so it was moma and baby time. We had fun! W was in bed early and that left me to clean, laundry and have some down time with no noise, just me and the dog. I was in bed before Evan got home.

Saturday Evan slept in. Watler and I were up early to learn all soft of new things. We learned how to open and close the blinds to see more of the world, we learned how to peel an orange, and put away toys, clothes, and diapers. He helped more with the laundry. He loves to climb into the dryer and shut doors, and push buttons. Such a big helper. We also caught him on camera playing so contently with his toys this weekend. He loves to stack things, put things in other things and of course to dance to any and all music/sounds/noise. Last night we went to dinner at the Wahlert's house. I was sitting on the floor and Walter likes to play this game where he runs and "tackles" me and I fall back as if he weighed 200 lbs. He would do that and then I would stay down for awhile. He walked up behind me and started pulling my shirt and pushing my back to get me to sit back up so he could tackle me again! So cute.

Saturday Arielle and I went to tackel "big Si" since we had such a great time on little Si. Last weekend the weather was perfect and we chatted with a few people at the trailhead about how great it was at the top of Big Si. Dry, no snow, very smooth trail. We did get some snow this week but the weather had been in the 40's so we figued at worst we'd find a little mud.

What is the #1 rule for hiking? Always be prepared. We should have turned around in the parking lot as we saw everyone gear up with gators, packs, trecking poles and winter clothes, but nah, we were going to run and stay warm. Arielle and I started up the mt hitting the rocks and the first gradual climb and warmed up from the chill we fought at the bottom. We got about 50% up when we found the snow. It was managable because it'd been tracked down pretty well. The next 20% was where the steep climb sets in and I lost sight of her a few minutes after that. The snow thickened and the trail steepened and got progressivly narrower to the point you weren't sure you were really on the trail except that was the only place you could conscievably walk. (yes we were walking by this point).

What is the 2nd rule of hiking? Always have a contingency plan and communciate it with all members in your group. We first said we turn at snow. When we got to the snow, we said, not so bad we'll keep going. We never stopped to talk further. So I spent the next 10 minutes first praying that Arielle wouldn't fall off the side and break something, then praying that I wouldn't fall of the side and break something, than praying that she would get some sense about her and turn around because I was not sure how or if I'd make it to the top if that was where she was going to stop and wait for me. During that 10 minutes that seemed like an hours, with every step I feared she was getting 2 steps further ahead. With ever creek pass I had to find a way to manuever (in my running shoes, long sleve tshirt and capri pants), I thought for sure she was moving further and further out of catchable distance from me making it necessary for me to find my way to the top sometime before dark (it was only 10am). Just as I has about had a panic attack I stopped to breath and I heard her calling my name, she was on her way back down. Thank GOD! It was quite the event not even considering the looks and remarks we got from other hikers on the snowy trail. Once we got back below the tree line and to a reasonable temperature, we felt a little less like the village idiot but still not proud of our decision making. It was a great trail, a tough work out and I'm sure would have been an amazing view and we look forward to going back someday with proper gear, or in the summer when we know there won't be snow. We made great time back down and the roots, rocks and snow made a great agiltiy work out so I was a bit sore that afternoon. I got home to a napping boy and enjoyed the rest of the afternoon safely home in 1 peice with both my boys. Saturday night I had a girls night out to movie and coffee so Evan and Walter got to spend some daddy boy time.

March started appropriately with a nice bout of rain. Not the normal Seattle "we'll run outside anyway" rain, but the rain that you don't want to be stuck out in for an hour with a toddler in a stroller. I did learn my "always be prepared" lesson and had the right amount of clothing, blankets, covers, for Walter, but not for myself! I ended up turning to cut a few miles off my intended run and sprinted back to get home because I was so cold. Walter was a trooper and held up great, but I'm sure he was dissapointed as the playground came and went and he didn't get to stop and play which is normaly how he enjoys the end of his sunday runs with mom. Poor little guy.