Hike with our little hiker {sorry, our HUGE hiker!}

James is quite the hiker. Sometimes E and I talk about that fateful first hike where he screamed the entire time. How we joked that there was no way he was part of our family, our family loved to hike.

Now James will hike along beside you. He's not yet 2, and has decided the baby backpack is for babies, and he's HUGE (ask him and he'll tell you). So instead of doing any hike with real mileage (which is out anyway since I'm pregnant), we choose short easy hikes and James is beyond thrilled. So thrilled he'll talk about it for days afterwards.
He really is a goof. Runs up the entire trail and barrels down at full steam. E and I almost have about a million heart attacks because of the sheer amount of close-calls he has.
I love this one. E and James hike together most the time while I take up the rear. I love how he's looking up at his Dada.
Watching the river at the point we told him it was time to turn around. We gave him plenty of warning, so we didn't get an epic "why-do-we-have-to-turn-around?" fit like we did in Oregon.
James was so fast on his feet, that any time it looked tricky this is the look you'd get. It means "please take my hand, I need some help". It melts me. Such a good boy.
The snow and frost turned some of the aspens black. Always a sure sign winter's on its way.
Right at the end of the day the light turned to gold. James had found a rock he wanted to sit and climb on and I was beyond thrilled that he'd look at me and smile. Yes, I had to work for it, but Mama's "pterodactyl call" still will elicit a grin.

Last shot of the day, before the sun dipped below the peaks already brushed with snow.