Warming his hands by the fire
We were hardly home this summer. And when we were, we had guests – a full house of both relatives and friends. Katmai went on 3 expeditions this summer, a week, a week, and finally – a month in the Arctic. So of course his blog has languished, but we’ve got a billion pictures of him. Here are some from our most recent journey (described in detail on the Ground Truth Trekking blog – start here for the first installment).
I have a mischievous plan
Tossing mom’s hat!
After two long book tour trips, and this long expedition, I am even more convinced that shaking up the usual routine leads to great leaps in development. In the course of a month, he’s become a chatterbox, speaking in 6+ word sentences often, and picking up new words as soon as we say them.
“Sand come off. Wipe on mom pants.”
“Pick red cran berries. Put in mom bag”
“Dead sscchh (fish) don’t jump. Eeeive (live) sscchh jump!”
“I see spruce tree. I see uh-oh tree. Uh-oh tree fall in Noh-tak. I see not uh-oh tree.”
“Buh (bird) fwying! Up in buu dye (blue sky)? No. Up in grey dye. Buu dye all bye-bye”
“Leaf float down in Noh-tak”
Wearing mom’s shoes
On the plane
What kid wouldn’t like spending nearly every day on some sort of beach, throwing rocks in the water? And pointing out every possible color of beach trash. “I see buu twash! Buu twash bad?” “Yes, trash is bad” “Buu twash bad. Purp (purple trash) bad?” “Yes” ….
Katmai throws rocks in a lagoon on the Chukchi
And the rest of the days either picking berries on the tundra or eating muktuk (whale blubber) amidst adoring crowds of village kids?
Picking blueberries with mom
Eating muktuk in Point Hope
Finding trash on the Chukchi coast
Carrying Katmai, I was carrying maybe 22+ pounds of him, another 20 or so pounds I’ve gained in pregnancy weight, and finally, a front pouch weighing maybe 5 pounds. So even though Hig had all the gear, I was fairly loaded. (It’s the front pouch under the coat that makes me look so odd – not the baby bump!)
All bundled up for rain
Berry face
Picking cloudberries
Katmai’s favorite was the cloudberries (poof berries to him), but he enjoyed all kinds.
Diaper changes in the chilly air? Not so cool.
“No wipe on butt!”
Charging down the mountain
“Pink walk stick!”
Walking a narrow sand spit on a Chukchi Sea lagoon
With dad in fall colored tundra
Posing on a caribou rack by the Noatak River
Great pictures! He looks so happy. I really miss the little guy and am looking forward to meeting number two.
Love the pictures! Thank you! Dede
Hi Erin!
I’ve just discover your blogs and I’ve no words to see how many things you do .I’m very happy to see pictures from you.I see Alaska ,I see a wonderfull family:)I see a life style with joy and love for nature (your husband,your child,and your child on your womb too):fantastic!I hope to read more about you.Thank you Erin.
i love seeing clothes again! aren’t hand me downs (and, as you described, “hand-go-’rounds” great? these pictures are awesome portrayals of katmai’s spirit. i am so glad that we got to know him a little more as you all were waiting in homer. see you in seldovia next time?