Hiking

we took the kids on a mini-hike yesterday. Just through a path that runs around the lake and through the woods. It is mostly frequented by teenagers looking for a place to drink or smoke or... whatever... in peace. It had rained during the early part of the day, so I put some Wellies on the kids, partly because Gus hates to have wet clothes on and partly because I can't stand to have to handle wet socks.

Gus has been in a very hyperactive state lately. I think it's a combination of my not doing his brushing and joint compressions when he's not in school; part of it is sleep deprivation. He was up at around five a.m. yesterday and this morning. So while we were on our little outing, he wanted to run. But Wellies aren't really meant to run in. They kept sort of sliding off his feet and he'd keep going with his foot in the top part of the boot, looking like he had broken ankles.

Visuals like that I do not need.

After I told him to walk several times, I took a good look at him walking with my husband up ahead. He's kind of like the Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz. He has that same wiggly, wobbly, loose-jointed gait. It was cute and amusing and a somewhat disturbing all at once. It amazes me that someone who has such laxness in his body can a) be so strong, and b) have such incredible balance. We crossed over a makeshift bridge over a stream: a broken metal slide, a plank of plywood, a couple of beams and a narrowish log. He bounded across without a second thought! Twice!

At one point, he ran right out of his boot and kept going.

The geneticist mentioned something about the loose joints and hyper-extensiveness. I have it too, so watching Gus actually gave me a bit of insight to what I used to look like before my layers of fat lessened the effect. Anyway, the doctor said that loose joints could have some relation to some sort of heart disease later in life. I don't see the connection, but I guess I'll find out more tomorrow when we see him.

For now I won't worry about it and I'll just continue to watch my little scarecrow in awe.