Adventures with Harrison, Vol. 1
Brandon and I have spent a lot of time discussing the types of parents we want to be and the values we hope to impart to our son. Although I could talk at length about this topic, I will try to keep this post a little more focused on one specific value, or set of values, we want to be intentional about sharing. We want our son to develop a sense of adventure, to grow up with a curious mind, to never stop learning and exploring the world around him.
Including Harrison in our adventures, many of which occur outdoors, is also good for him. Even at his young age, novel experiences help increase neural connections in his brain that promote learning and development and foster his natural inclination to explore. Research also points to the many benefits of time outdoors, including enhancing both language and physical development, supporting the development of a healthy immune system, and helping our new little baby better distinguish night and day to support the development of healthier sleep (aka sleep better at night).
Our first excursion occurred when Harrison was a mere 2 1/2 weeks old. Beyond any potential benefits to my child, by this point in the new parenthood journey, Mama really needed to get out of the house. And she needed some sunshine and fresh air. After all, the benefits of being outdoors are not limited to newborns. Obviously, I was still recovering from childbirth, so I could not do much or go far. However, I was up for a very short walk along a lakeshore followed by sitting in the sun reading a book while Brandon fished. We drove to the nearby Hemlock Lake where we did just that. It was incredible how much more stuff we needed to bring along simply because we added one tiny human, but it was worth it. All of us felt better after some time outdoors.
Our next mini-adventure was renting a boat on Tenmile Lake. My parents were visiting and meeting Harrison for the first time. Although they could have happily spent the week cuddling their grandson, we decided to spend Labor Day on the water. Again with all the stuff, but this time there were two extra sets of hands to help carry the load. We rented a pontoon boat from Ringo’s Lakeside Marina for $200 plus fuel for the entire day. The only thing I would have done differently is bringing Harrison his own life jacket - the ones we could borrow were gross, but he had to wear one when the boat was moving. We enjoyed delicious meals at Harbor Light Restaurant and 1285 Restobar because they’re our favorites.
We had a wonderful, relaxing day and Harrison did great, although this picture would suggest otherwise.
Our last excursion in Harrison’s first two months of life was a longer, 4 mile-ish hike to Twin Lakes. At this point, I was about 6 weeks postpartum. I realize that being able to hike at this point is not typical and I am grateful for being able to do so, but it wasn’t easy. Add in the literal extra weight of carrying a child and I was hurting by the end. But I was still glad we went. Teaching our son to love the outdoors, to be adventurous, and to never stop learning and exploring will take intention and, at times, be exhausting and even stressful.
But I think it will be worth it.
Even in these initial adventures with Harrison, we learned some things and we marveled at our son. I loved watching the wonder on his face as he experienced something new, so curious about this big new world around him. And I know this was probably a lot to fit into his first couple months of life. But for each time we made the effort to pack up all the stuff and venture out the door, there was probably at least one time we decided to stay home. Because I also want to teach Harrison that it is important to know when to rest, to understand the importance of honoring his body’s (and brain’s) need to pause, a lesson we can best teach by demonstrating that in our own lives. Literally, there was one day we had packed up everything for a trip to the coast and we got as far as lunch before turning around and going back home to nap.
Although whether or not he will inherit a bit of his mother’s urge to travel and see new places is yet to be determined, I do know he will have a childhood of adventure and exploration.