Weekend trails

Weekends are always a time for fun for us. My husband is home and we either have a busy crazy weekend, or a laid back relaxed weekend. For Charlie we try to even it out so he doesn't get two days of over stimulation, but rather just one and then one day of resetting. Last year we took Charlie and Amelia to the beach for the day and He had LOVED playing in the sand and in fact, in the ocean as well! Lately I have been day dreaming about that day, and was longing to get to the beach so Charlie could have a fun filled day. Finally on Saturday we were able to make plans with my parents and we met them at the beach. We took the kids to the Newport Aquarium and we were there for a couple of hours exploring all the different exhibits that awaited us. Charlie loved it just as much as the last time, Running from tank to tank looking at all the different fishes. There is a point at the Aquarium that is called "Passages of the Deep" and it literally is several tunnels you walk through that are filled with all different types of fish. One tank has all different kind of sharks, and it is amazing to see them so close. I could tell Charlie was starting to get overwhelmed and over stimulated in the tunnels, so we went outside for a little nature walk. Charlie really loves walking and this was a great time for him to calm down and unwind a little. On our way out we got him a mechanical toy that he could focus on so it wasn't tramatic leaving, and we quickly left and headed to the beach.
I was excited to get to the beach. It was a rather warm day for Mid Feb. at the Oregon Coast. So we got on the beach, took off his shoes, and I expected him to full on run and play.... boy did I fail. Instead he shrieked, and cried until we were able to pick him up and wipe off the sand. Once we got to the harder sand I put him down thinking that because there wasn't soft sand he could sink in, it would be different. Nope. He was crying almost as if he was in pain. So we held him the whole time. At one point we had put him down in the ocean with the water swirling around his feet. He was good for about a minute then started screaming again.



After coming back from playing in the ocean, we got his feet dry and socks and shoes back on.... and guess what? He was walking in the sand and having fun! As long as it didn't touch any part of his skin he was having a blast!




You could see in his eyes that he was happy, that he was a little two year old boy enjoying the beach with his Grandparents and Mom and dad.

During dinner Charlie started to act up a bit. The day had proved to be too over whelming for him, and he just couldn't take a restaurant. We all ate dinner, and enjoyed it to the best of our abilities. Charlie wasn't that bad, but I could tell he was reaching his limit. His cup was full, and was about to start running over. Once dinner was done and we said our good byes we headed home. The car ride home was a little rough. Charlie didn't know what he wanted, but insisted on eating ungodly amounts of snacks, and finally passed out 30 minutes from home (the car ride is about 2 hours). Once home he couldn't go back to sleep, so we snuggled in bed and watched Finding Nemo, and we talked about all the fishes, and sharks that we had seen. He finally settled down and My husband put charlie in his crib, where he promptly went to sleep.

Whenever charlie gets overwhelmed or over stimulated, the next day is always rough for him. He has a hard time dealing with simple things that he can normally do quite well. Today was a day of little battles, and big challenges. This afternoon I was sitting at the computer uploading pictures I had taken yesterday at the beach when I came across a special photo that I just couldn't help by cry when I looked at it.

Yesterday as we were leaving the beach, I looked back and took one last photo. It represents our daily lives. Here it is


Let me explain: The Ocean is the world- right at our fingers tips, It ours for the taking, yet we just can't quite make it yet. There are obstacles that we must go through in order to reach the ocean's front. There will be individuals and groups of people that come in and out of our lives, they will either hinder us, or help us to the ocean front. We must work together as a family, picking up and carrying ones who can not make it through the obstacle, and knowing when to ask for help. Off in the distance is a light house. At night it's light helps sailors keep track of the land to make sure they don't run aground, for us it represents all the friends and family that help us, and guide us through rough waters, and to help keep us on coarse.

From day to day the challenges maybe rough and hard to handle, but when I step back and look at the great picture of our life, I can't help but smile, because to me it is the most beautiful picture I can ever imagine.