Adventures of a Little Boy

I'll give $1,000 to anyone who can guess what the following 6 items have in common:

1. backpack
2. baster
3. pacifier
4. socks
5. flashlight
6. massaging ball

If you guessed that they are all items Tate packed to bring on a hike, then you've guessed correctly! How many winners do I have out there? (I'm really hoping none, because I don't have $1,000 to give away)

Tate packed his backpack last week and told us that he was ready to go on a hike. For a couple of days, he asked when we could go on our hike, so we set off on Friday for a fun family adventure. It was so much fun to watch Tate explore in his curious boy way.

It has been a warm week (think Minnesota in November and add 10 degrees), so it was perfect for a hike. On Friday morning we packed up the kids and headed to the river where there are some paths that feel like you are in the middle of the woods.

We had walked about 50 feet when Tate saw a bench and said, "I'm feeling kind of tired. I think we need to take a break." We convinced him that we should hike a little more before we took a break, so we'd rest at the bench on the way back.

Along the path, Tate announced that he was going to look for lightening bugs (remember it's November in Minnesota) up by a fallen log. Once we got there, he very purposefully set his backpack on the ground, unzipped the front pocket and took out his flashlight. He explained that the lightening bugs were eating underground, so he had to use his flashlight to find them. After he had found one and looked at it for a couple of minutes, he packed up and we set off again.

On our way back to the car, we passed the bench again where Tate insisted we all sit down and rest. Again, he set down his backpack and unzipped it. Before we knew it, he had taken out the pair of socks he had packed (which we told him was a very wise thing to bring on a hike) and was getting ready to change them. Daddy explained that sometimes we bring things in our backpacks that we don't always use, but we have just in case we need them. It took a little convincing, but he put them back in his bag and took out the baster. This was used to warm us up, so he squeezed a little air on each of us and put it back in his backpack. I was a little confused when he started taking off his jacket, but then realized that it made complete sense, because of course he'd want a massage after a long hike! He handed Mike the massaging ball and asked for a back massage while we sat there on the bench. Like the good big brother he is, he had also packed a pacifier for his little sister (which was pretty fuzzy, so I suggested she keep the one she already had).

It makes me smile to watch this little boy's imagination. It's only a matter of time until our next adventure! Next time I'll bring my camera!