We went on a week-long vacation earlier in the month. Elena loves going on vacation - "who doesn't?" you might ask, but the sudden change of venue and schedule can be somewhat scary for kids with an orphange background, as I talked about last year at this time. Elena's never really had that problem, and in fact loves just about every aspect of taking a trip, from hotels to restaurants, even (to some extent) the car ride.
Part of her enthusiasm is getting both of us to herself for an extended period, I think, but another large part is just in doing different things. We went again this year on a trip to Michigan's Upper Peninsula, staying in Marquette and Houghton. Last year, we made a similar trip, but only made small, short trips out-of-doors, knowing that a three-year-old's stamina wouldn't match ours.
Elena's four-and-a-half now, and old enough that her stamina is noticeably better. And, we found, she's much more adept at walking than she was a year ago, and can keep up with us for the most part with no trouble, even along paths filled with roots and stones.
And so we got to take some pretty lengthy hikes, along the beach or just exploring some of the terrain. Like waterfalls, for example:
Or just walking on the rocks in the river:
What was really, gratifying, though, was that after we were done with some of our walks. Elena would say, "Mom! I had a lot of fun today! Walking here-or-there was really really fun!" This even after she'd originally expressed some skepticism about whatever it was we were doing.
It's gratifying that Elena enjoys doing some of the same things that we do. Maybe that's not all that surprising, since we're talking about walking in the water, or hopping across rocks, or just exploring - thinkgs I think kids would universally love. But still, watching her discover some of these places and things for the first time is a little special.
Even more fun is that we spent some time walking around the Quincy Mine near Houghton - not underground (this time), but just through some of the ruins on the surface. I've always thought the old mining equipment and old buildings were cool - there's a sense of history, and the large industrial equipment appeals to my engineering sensibilities.
That's not really a reason I'd think would resonate with a four-year-old, though, so I wasn't certain Elena would actually enjoy looking at the mining equipment and buildings at the Quincy Mine. But, surprisingly, she did. Or, rather, she enjoyed climbing on the old mining equipment.
Which, really, isn't all that much different from my attraction to this old mine stuff - it's just a different way to interact.
Part of her enthusiasm is getting both of us to herself for an extended period, I think, but another large part is just in doing different things. We went again this year on a trip to Michigan's Upper Peninsula, staying in Marquette and Houghton. Last year, we made a similar trip, but only made small, short trips out-of-doors, knowing that a three-year-old's stamina wouldn't match ours.
Elena's four-and-a-half now, and old enough that her stamina is noticeably better. And, we found, she's much more adept at walking than she was a year ago, and can keep up with us for the most part with no trouble, even along paths filled with roots and stones.
And so we got to take some pretty lengthy hikes, along the beach or just exploring some of the terrain. Like waterfalls, for example:
 |
| Water-walking at the Hungarian Falls |
Or just walking on the rocks in the river:
 |
| Walking through the water with Mom. |
What was really, gratifying, though, was that after we were done with some of our walks. Elena would say, "Mom! I had a lot of fun today! Walking here-or-there was really really fun!" This even after she'd originally expressed some skepticism about whatever it was we were doing.
It's gratifying that Elena enjoys doing some of the same things that we do. Maybe that's not all that surprising, since we're talking about walking in the water, or hopping across rocks, or just exploring - thinkgs I think kids would universally love. But still, watching her discover some of these places and things for the first time is a little special.
Even more fun is that we spent some time walking around the Quincy Mine near Houghton - not underground (this time), but just through some of the ruins on the surface. I've always thought the old mining equipment and old buildings were cool - there's a sense of history, and the large industrial equipment appeals to my engineering sensibilities.
That's not really a reason I'd think would resonate with a four-year-old, though, so I wasn't certain Elena would actually enjoy looking at the mining equipment and buildings at the Quincy Mine. But, surprisingly, she did. Or, rather, she enjoyed climbing on the old mining equipment.
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| Dancing on the "stage." |
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| Climb aboard! |
