Drumlin Farm Revisit

The last time we visited Drumlin Farm was a bit of a disaster (we went to learn about syrup, but Frances had a break down right before we reached the syrup display), but we have a new membership to the Massachusetts Audubon Society that I am determined to use, so I dragged the kids out to the farm again.

It's the prettiest farm I've ever seen and it has baby goats and sheep.  What's not to love?

Frances was much more interested in the tractor steering wheel than in the baby animals.  I do not understand.

In the chicken barn, Frances gathered wooden eggs from stuffed animal chickens then sorted the eggs by size, while I learned that eggs at the grocery store may have been laid weeks and weeks ago.  We were both intrigued but not in the same way.

And Chandler hung out in her stroller.

On our way out, Frances asked if we could go to the honey display.  She meant the syrup display that we hadn't been able to see weeks earlier because she'd been having a fit.  I considered beating my head against a wall but decided it wouldn't enhance the drive home.

Eleven Weeks

The subtitle for this week is clearly, "Hands!  Where ya been all my life!?"

Or, "Knuckle Sandwich, My Favorite."

Or, "Chomp, Chomp, Chomp."

Or, "Gnaw, Gnaw, Gnaw."

Or, "Om, Nom, Nom."

I could keep at this all day.  So could she.

Tummy time, sorta

More Vacation Week Romping

Thursday found us at the Boston Nature Center, another Mass Audubon gem.  Our favorite part of the visit (besides encountering a wild turkey - that never gets old) was building a house from sticks on the Nature Center's playground.  Really, the necessary engineering prowess was minimal, but just being able to "build a house" was fun. 

And Chandler slept hung out in her sling.

Ten Weeks

Dept. of Darnedest Things

Last week was Vacation Week around these parts, so Frances didn't have school and we did a lot of romping around (at least until Friday, when we were in lock down because of the man hunt, then we watched TV all morning).  We took ourselves down to the Trailside Museum in Milton, MA.  Very worthwhile.  Frances was very pleased to interact with other kids and I got to see owls, otters, and other wild life.  Chandler slept in her sling.

After wandering the trails, we went inside the museum for a presentation on turtles.  That's Frances observing turtles in a kiddie pool.

Now we get to the Darnedest Thing.  The naturalist doing the turtle presentation asked the kids if they'd ever seen a turtle pop out of its shell on a cartoon.  All the kids, with some parental prompting, said "yes."  Then the naturalist showed the kids a turtle shell, complete with the turtle equivalents of a spine and ribs.  He asked the kids to find their own spines and ribs and then asked them if they could pop out of their bones.  The kids were supposed to say no and then understand that turtles can't pop out of their shells, just as the kids can't pop out of their bones.  Miss Frances Upton, however, chimed in with "My sister just popped out!" which has been her refrain since Chandler was born.  Luckily, only one other mom caught on to what Frances meant and she got a big laugh out of it.

That's us, spreading confusion-induced hilarity wherever we go.

Now the green blade riseth...

...like so:

...hence, it must be a great time to visit Crane's Beach, our favorite seaside romping ground.  Crane's Beach is one of the first places Mark and I visited after moving to Massachusetts.  I remember on our first visit to the beach, Mark and I had a lengthy conversation about how we wanted Frances's delivery to go.  I've got to stop thinking these things can be planned.  Regardless, I'm very fond of the beach.  Get comfortable, there are a lot of photos ahead.

The green blades may be arisin', but the sun it wasn't ashinin', so we wore winter jackets for this beach trip.  Frances brought along her Halloween pumpkin bucket for playing in the sand.

The tide was coming in, so there were great eddies to study on the beach.

Frances (and her father) spent a lot of time building a series of...citadels, let's say.

A little break from citadel-building to move around some smelly seaweed...

...then it was time to add some roads to the citadels.

That's me with the backpack, fleece, winter jacket and baby, helping with the road work.  No close ups of the baby, unfortunately.

Frances found some drift wood.

She (or perhaps her father) decided to add the drift wood to our citadel.

Once Frances's hands were good and red from the cold, we decided to retreat to a pizza shop.

The pizza shop was less picturesque, but ever so tasty.

I do love a good Crane's Beach trip.  Perhaps next time the sun will be out.

Oh where, oh where has my little Frances gone?

Frances doesn't usually nap at home any more (I'm told she naps just fine at school) but she does have a "rest time."  There's usually no sleeping involved, but at least mom gets some recuperating done.  Last Friday, during rest time, Frances got very quiet and I got concerned.  I went to check on her in her room and found this:

Frances had clearly been in her room relocating her stuffed friends, but she was no where to be seen.  Then I noticed our bedroom door was closed.  I checked in there and discovered Frances, sound asleep.

Dream on, kiddopotamus.

Nine Weeks

With her pacifier...

...and without.

Chandler loves her pacifier.

Two Months of Baby Chandler

And Chandler slept in her sling...

Two Month Fun Facts

• The Daily Grind:  Chandler is in flux.  She no longer sleeps all the time, but she doesn't have a daytime schedule yet either.  Luckily, she will eat and sleep wherever she happens to be.  Very convenient.
• Likes and dislikes:  She likes her pacifier.  She dislikes the car, I think because her pacifier falls out.  Or maybe because it reminds her of that first car ride, and she didn't enjoy it as much as we did.
• Greatest aspiration: Socializing with whom or whatever happens to be about.  Let me explain.  When she started smiling at and talking to me I thought what every mother thinks, "Oh, it makes her happy to see me" and, by extension, "She loves me in her two month old way."  Then I repeatedly found her smiling and talking to nothing in particular.  The legs of her swing were enough to get her going.  So much for love.
• Stats:  At her two month doctor's appointment, she weighed in at ten pounds, eight ounces.  Technically, this puts her well under the fiftieth percentile, but she feels mammoth to me.  I have to check the fat rolls around her neck for crumbs from my breakfast toast, so we must be doing something right.  Savory stuff, this parenting.