Summertime Goals

We had the pleasure of enjoying a sunny Memorial Day weekend with Nana and PopPop in town. We spent a lot of it outside, which is a new thing for us.

Last year, Elena could NOT navigate grass. At this time, E can navigate most surfaces (grass, gravel, large stones, wet surfaces, dirt, small roots, mulch) using her loftstrands, depending on her energy level for a given amount of time/distance. She can travel all these surfaces, on a mild incline or decline, about 100 ft before she needs a break.

That's a big improvement from last year, which is super fantastic!

This past weekend, though...we found another obstacle to being outside.

HEAT.

Since E's exposure outside was limited due to terrain, we never thought about how the summer heat would sap her energy. We even signed her up for a week-long day camp right when school lets out--thinking how she'd LOVE being outside, and would love to be around friends. Then we went to visit. The staff was great, the terrain very difficult--but the biggest issue out there for her endurance isn't just terrain. It wasn't even hot out yet, and she was d-o-n-e after 45 minutes (the camp isn't air-conditioned). We went to a park today, where she was in a stroller most of the afternoon, used her crutches for 50 paces, and walked maybe another hundred feet in total--and she looked terrible. Her gait was distorted, she dragged, her limbs heavy from exhaustion. The temperature high was 88°F, and we were out for no more than 4 hours, half of it in shade, and E was well-hydrated. As a comparison, Vivian (18 months) ran all over the place, the entire time, red-faced but energetic.

This is good information. I don't feel disappointed--but I DO feel like I've learned something very important (besides the fact that E isn't ready for day camp).

Our Summertime Goal (in a nutshell): For E to spend more time 1) playing outside, 2) playing with other kids WHILE building confidence and strength.