lots of stuff

Kayaking

Sam and I went kayaking a few weeks ago on the Sudbury River out of Concord, a place called ‘Calf Landing.’ The trip was run by a group ‘Still River Outfitters.’

http://www.stillriveroutfitters.com/index.html

Matt thought about coming but felt that it would be too tippy for someone his height. He ended up burning himself on his palm the night before, so it was just as well he hadn’t planned to kayak with us. We did miss him. The river was very full, so they changed our trip to a slower river. It was clearly also overflowing by a good eight feet up the banks, but there were no rapids. It was a cool, 55 degrees, day, with a spit of rain now and then. The birds were mostly gone, but we did see a heron now and then. The Hanscom AFB provided lots of planes which Sam loves as much as herons. She was very quiet for much of the trip. I sang songs to her and told the bear family story a couple of times. She paddled the kayak with me for a little bit, until she said the paddle was too heavy. At first she was in the front by herself. We stopped halfway through and John gave us hot chocolate and brownies. When we went back in, Sam asked to sit with me. She held the paddle with me too, but it was too awkward to manage that for long. She was so good in the kayak. She didn’t move much, and when she did she told me beforehand and stayed in the center of the boat. I couldn’t ask for a better boat partner. We had a lot of fun. The guide was amazed, as was the rest of the group, when I told them she was three. He said the trips he does for the mommy groups are usually in mid summer and a third the length, and even then most of the little ones are screaming by the end. Sam was just enthralled with the water and the trees and being outdoors. Definitely an experience we need to repeat. ‘Still River Outfitters’ also has a boathouse in Windsor, VT, so I am sure we will be using them up there too.

Skating

Sam and I start Ice skating Tuesday morning, Nov 8^th. She has never been on the ice before, so this will be interesting. I am not sure I can stand up, so it may actually be really funny. She is very excited. She loved doing gymnastics with Donna, whom I consider a gifted teacher, but I want her to try lots of different things this year to see what she likes. I can’t wait.

Halloween

Sam dressed as a Ladybug Fairy. She had ladybug wings, a hat with antenna, and a wand with a ladybug on the end and ribbon streamers. She was adorable. I dressed her in red pants and shirt and stuck on black circles here and there. We took her to her pre-school Halloween party the Saturday before and hung out there for a bit. Her friend Benjy came as the Green lantern, which I thought was very creative. Sam was just feeling better the day of Halloween. We were worried because she was still feeling yucky and she was too excited to take a nap, but she persevered. She went to three houses with Oliver, who came dressed as a spiffy cricket. I dropped off the sugar cookies that Sam had made and decorated, and the chocolate cows we made with the cow mold. After oliver went home we went to a few other houses, just on our street. Honestly I was worried to leave Matt home with a fever more than 103 degrees, but I also didn’t want Sam to miss Halloween. She has been so looking forward to this. She ate quite a bit of candy and threw up in the middle of the night, but she seemed much better after that.

Pumpkins.

As part of Halloween, Sam has continued her love affair of pumpkins. She reassured the pumpkins as U scooped out the innards. Picture little Sam, standing next to the pumkin patting it and saying “It’s okay, Bunny. You’re all right. It doesn’t hurt. It’s okay Bunny.” She named the big pumpkins Bunny and the little ones Boggle. If I called a big one Bunny, she would say, no, this is ‘Other Bunny!” So next time when I met it I would say hello, other bunny, and she would say, No, mommy, this is Bunny! I felt like I had been through a “Who’s on First” skit. She sat on the front lawn and talked to the pumpkins, but she wouldn’t tell me, because they were not telling secrets she shared with the pumpkins. She gave one of the pumpkins a stuffed snake she had won at the Topsfield Fair so it would have someone to talk to, and she grouped the pumpkins so none of the scarecrows or the pumpkins would be alone. She was very attached to them, so much so that I was worried what she would do when they got moldy and I had to throw them out. Turns out she was fine, didn’t seem fazed at all. She did wave goodbye to them when the garbage men came and took them away, but that was it. Now and then she asks me what they are doing, and I say they are making the dirt ready for next year’s pumpkin seeds. Seems to be fine to her.

School

Doing well, making friends

Sam has outgrown her pants again. She must have had a growth spurt recently because she is definitely out of size three, wearing size four perfectly, and looks comfortable in Size 5. She has her daddy’s height.