When the Toddler Hits the Trail

by Laurie Wells — March 5, 2007

We celebrated my son's first birthday a little over a month ago. Perhaps because it was a small affair - just his grandparents, my husband, and myself - it didn't really hit me that he had reached the one-year milestone. Then, last week, our little family was on our evening stroll to the park by our house, and I was suddenly struck with the realization that he's become such a little person - and an outdoorsman at that.

I'm not usually an emotional person, but my eyes teared up as I watched him toddle full-speed over the wooden bridge that spans the creek in the park. I had one of those "oh-my-gosh-he's-getting-so-big-so-fast moments," but quickly snapped back to reality to catch him just before he took a head-first swan dive into the water.

In addition to becoming the family daredevil, he has become an avid walker and hiker, and his face lights up as soon as we hit the trail or load him up in the bike trailer. And when we head out for a walk these days, he usually pushes the stroller rather than rides in it.

Over the weekend, we met some friends at a trailhead across town. It's still pretty nippy here in the foothills of Colorado, but the shining sun has been giving us so much hope for spring that we decided to bike to the trailhead. As we rode, I was distracted from the feeling of rust in my joints by the happy squeals from the bike trailer. We were sweaty by the time we reached our friends at the trailhead--their own 16-month-old son was strapped into a backpack--but I couldn't help grinning at the sight of the two boys' excitement to see each other and play outside. After a mellow uphill hike, we stopped at a large meadow near the top and spent the next 20 minutes laughing at the joy and antics of two toddlers gone wild. They climbed rocks, rolled around in the mud, and acted as a two-man welcoming committee for every hiker and dog that passed. Even the most serious runner couldn't help but smile at the utter delight and unbridled enthusiasm of these two trail ambassadors.

It never fails--no matter how fussy or tired, the little munchkin becomes giddy when he's outside. Perhaps it's because his parents are calmer when we're out playing in the sunshine or maybe it's just the chance to run free--whatever the reason, our outdoor dates seem to be his favorite activity, and they're the highlight of my day.