This summer, with Auric developing into more of a peer for Thora, she's enjoyed finding all sorts of ways that she can play with him. Pushing him on the swing is one of her favorite things to do at the park. Also, she's found a new nickname for him: Baby Beluga. They sing a song at school about a baby Beluga whale and the name just fit. Particularly hilarious is her expression and demeanor when she uses the nickname. It's like her body goes all floppy, her voice gets all syrupy, and she does things like cradle his head or stroke his cheek and says things like, "Baby Beluga, I just love you too much." Pretty funny. She also likes to pick him up from behind, under his armpits, waddle a few feet across the carpet, and then plop him down. She feels very grown up and big sisterly when she's doing this. And most of the time, she's also defying our rule that she not pick him up when one of us is not right there, so that satisfies the part of her that always wants to challenge authority. (A win-win for her!) Usually Auric is either amused, or quickly composes himself once his bottom hits the carpet. He's pretty resilient.
This September also marked Sean's return to rugby. While not fully engaged as he's been in years past, he did get to play in an Old Boys game, which was fun for him. He's yet to decide how much he'll play in the future. He likes his fitness when he's running seriously. But he loves the game too much to let it go. We'll see what compromise he finds. Below, here he is, being lifted for a lineout.
September marked our final month with our friends the Chapmans. Lauren and I met back when our kids were just a few months old, at a new mom support group here in Cambridge. After 4 years of living here, they are returning to their native England--Cambridge as it would have it. So in the last few weeks, we've packed in lots of outings and playdates with Thora's friends Noah. Here they are, packed liked sardines, 3 across in the back of our sedan on our way to Southwick's Zoo, about an hour's drive from us. This zoo has so much to offer kids Thora and Noah's age. Besides the normal expectations of zoo animals, albeit on a smaller scale, there are kid-sized carnival rides, a farm animal petting zoo, a Fawn Meadow in which you can feed and pet baby deer, a train, a SkyFari chair lift (my living nightmare given my fear of heights--Fun!), a dog and pony show, and a bird aviary.
Watching the Dog and Pony Show
They're taking seriously the driving of this psychadelic pink bear-mobile.
Feeding the deer in the Fawn MeadowLater, still at the zoo, we played for awhile at the playground. Here's Auric doing what he loves to do--point!
He's also incredibly skilled at climbing up a slide. With bare feet and hands, this kid can monkey up the slide in no time. Seriously, you cannot look away before he's halfway up the slide.
Late in the month, my friends Lauren, Hilary and I took our kids (Zach, Noah and Thora, plus Auric and Zach's baby sister, Ellie) apple picking in Stow, MA. The weather was warm and sunny and the kids had a great time. There were pony rides, pedal tractors, a hay maze, and all the apples you could eat. We capped the morning with MASSIVE scoops of homemade ice cream (the kids' size was probably double what I, as an adult, would've been satisfied with!).
This summer, Thora has gotten to be so gutsy. She is generally willing to try anything, from a bite of new foods, to brave things like getting up close to large animals, riding all sorts of carnival rides, and dunking herself under water. Here, she was happy to leave me standing at the gate, walk up to the attendant, have the attendant help her on to the pony, do the pony ride, and then get help back down before running back to me. This may not seem that notable. But when you've had experience with a kid who wants to do things, but at the same time hides behind your leg or won't let go of a hand or an ankle or a pant leg, this self-sufficiency was something to behold.
Zach, Thora, and Noah in a play tractor
Thora found some "kissing apples." (They were joined at the stem on the tree.)Auric has enjoyed things with wheels for a long time now. But he's finally able to play with these toys, driving trucks across the carpet, making rumbling noises as he does. Check out a video of this here.
At the end of September, we had one final pizza party playdate with our friends Lauren and Noah. It was sad to see them go. But we're looking forward to visiting them in May, when Sean's English high school will be holding its alumni dinner.
Noah and Thora get one final cuddle
Thora and Lauren hug goodbye
Me, Summer, and Lauren
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