Spiderman

Buddy climbing at three years old

Buddy has a very unique talent. From a very young age he has been a climber.

Now, back when we we lived in married student housing in college we spent our time judging everyone that had kids (or two or three...). One particular set of parents "let" their child run all around the chapel during church. We said we'd never do that.

Then that same family showed up for church one day and their 2-year old daughter was in an arm cast because she had fallen off the kitchen table. To put it mildly, G and I freaked out. "Call DHS! We will NEVER let our children climb on the table," we said.

As a side note, wouldn't you know: Buddy was two years old when he escaped from nursery and lead my dear friend Shauna on a chase through another ward's sacrament meeting. He was yelling, "Get me! Get me!" and Shauna was very pregnant. And Buddy was just over a year the first time he climbed on the kitchen table. A lot of good judging does, we now realize.

By the time Buddy was two years old, his climbing had become a way of life, and for his third birthday, we bought him a climbing harness and got him started at the fabulous rock wall at our gym.

Buddy's first time climbing the rock wall -- third birthday

He spent most of the summer climbing the tree in our backyard.

...And he spent the rest of the summer really hoarking me off every time he'd climb over the fence to get out of our yard.

Check out those back and arm muscles!

Just last week at church I got chewed out because I was "letting" Buddy climb out the window in the primary room after church was over.

I can't imagine that his ability will serve him well in his life, but I hope it does because I'd hate for his amazing talent -- and my nerves (considering I'm petrified of heights) to be wasted.

Buddy and a friend scurrying up the mountain while on a walk in central Oregon

Notice he isn't wearing shoes or a harness here... Yikes!