Time to Climb

I’ve mentioned before that J is getting into climbing and has been taking Kiddo with her on Saturday mornings.  It’s kind of become their Kiddo and Mumma time and their reconnection after the week of school and life.  

I was invited this last Saturday to join them and it was a blast.  I even got on the wall a few times.  As you can see, I am still loose and comfortable climbing.  If only I had the strength and endurance I once did.  Also, the extensive damage to my core due to the surgeries doesn’t do me any favors.  It is fun to monkey up the walls, though.

Kiddo, who is pictured climbing next to me here, is also great.  She really loves it, but she also sees it.  I think you would need to climb to really get that, but she can see and understand the path to take.  She’s not tall enough in some cases, not strong enough in others, and some times, it’s just that she doesn’t have the technique down to get to where she wants to go.  She is learning though.  Happily, there is a woman who works there who has taken a liking to Kiddo and is helping coach and guide her a bit (when she can and isn’t busy with work), but the cool part is she spent most of her life in the KC area, so her English is flawless.  I think in the next few weeks, Kiddo is going to BOOM and the concepts, techniques, and all the rest will fall into place and then she is gonna just be climbing everything in sight.

As for J, you can see here that she is getting a feel for it.  She’s had about a half dozen experiences climbing, so she is still a capital B, Beginner, but she is trying, learning, and willing to take direction and correction.  That’s her friend Ash in the vid with her.  

J has really taken to climbing and has chalk and a chalk bag on order and is looking at shoes.  She also got herself some squeeze rings to help strengthen her hands.  I’m happy about all of this.  I like active J.  I like J when she has an outside passion.  It adds a layer of happiness to her.  More than that, it gives her a physical outlet and something she can share with me and Kiddo, do herself, or have friends that she goes with.  Kind of mixes up her weeks a bit.  Also, and I’m speaking personally here, I think she’s pretty darned cute climbing.  

As for me, I’ll pop in with them occasionally, but I’ll leave that to a Mumma and Kiddo thing for Saturday mornings.  Part of it is that I used to climb and be much more proficient at it, so it’s hard hitting my limits.  The other part is that I don’t want to burst a hernia and need surgery, but I don’t want to spend the next 4-6 months doing core work to make that strong enough to climb regularly.  Part of it is to just give J and Kiddo some time together.  

I like that J and Kiddo are doing it.  Something new for each of them.  Something active and physical, but also with a puzzle solving and mental component to it.  It gives them some bonding time, also.  It’s something for them and gives me time Saturday in the morning to cook or errands or to just sit and game or read or blog or whatever.  

Let’s go, Kiddo… It’s week 2 of school and you’re doing great.  You’ll get more climb time on Saturday.  We are glad you like climbing and can’t wait to see you do more and more of it.  We love you, Lil Monkey, and can’t wait to see what you do with climbing.  Hugs and super trooper sandwich hugs.