Jake sporting the "trucker-style" hat option he told us about...We packed up a bunch of food and snacks for a day of hikin', adventurin' and explorin'...things like PB&J sandos, banana chips, naan and hummus, grapes, dried cranberries, pepperoni, water and more! We definitely were not going to starve!
Our first stop was to be Cronkhite beach and a hike up to the old WW2 gun batteries sprinkled in the hills. Jake was a trooper as always as we hike in the 3/4 mile to the battery. What an incredibly large emplacement! The hills around the area are /were covered with tunnels and underground living/working for the troops that manned the guns during WW2. we kicked back and snacked while looking out to sea.
Jake really likes the Golden Gate Bridge so he was pretty stoked to learn we would be going right under it! First though was a stop at the Discovery Museum. What a cool place. Totally hands on for kids to try and do so many things. There were puzzles, word scrambles and more. Jake's favorite area was the Wave Room. Inside here there were all kinds of activities set up to show kids how waves and wind work. Jake was hooking up various figures (a boat, a dolphin) to a tether that then moved up and against a wind and back. He's so into how things work, I admire his tenacity to learn and understand exactly what is going on.
Of course there was a sweet play area outside, all framed by the GG Bridge in the background. Jake took off running around exploring. There was so much to see and do. A sweet maze/house all made out of living vines did it for me. As did the collection of sticks that kids could weave into a kid-sized birdnest. Jake played boat captain for a bit and then ran up to climb the crows nest.
A few more stops into the art rooms again opened the door to Jake's world--creating art and playing with simple sticks, rocks and natural objects. His school is all about the kinds of hands on creation the museum was showcasing. We colored some leaf block prints, played with some sandy clay substance and checked out the rooms full of rocks, twigs and logs for creating whatever their little minds can dream up.
From there we headed to a pier closer to the GG Bridge where Jake got to see people fishing for crabs wile taking in an incredible view of the city (SF). I'd say the highlight was when two sea lions/seals popped up and had Jake running back and forth to see them popping up!
Of course after all the excitement, my little trooper fell promptly asleep on the way home.
I have to say it is so incredible to watch him go about things. Trying to see it through his eyes has helped me slow myself down a lot more too. There's no need to "rush" through a day or an adventure...letting Jake take the time to really settle and enjoy the task at hand is really the best. As my life morphs into it's new shape, I am coming to grasp the true gift that was presented in the form of Jake and will continue to strive to do anything and everything I can for him...
Oh yeah, I have more pics on my Flickr page...
1 comment:
Next time call you sister and nephew Kaleb. It would be nice if the boys could spend some time together and get to know one another, other than the occasional holiday and birthday! It seems silly we are so close yet worlds away.
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