Hello, Pookie Bean. What a month it’s been!
You are officially three-and-a-half now, and you are tons of fun. It has been an exciting month and a wonderful summer.
We started the month with a day trip to Iroquois to visit Bambi and her mom. You greatly enjoyed our trip to Prehistoric World, which is a 1-km walking trail dotted with life-sized cement dinosaur statues. You still talk about it and ask to go back. After the dino walk, we had a picnic at the Iroquois Locks. We chased seagulls, watched the locks open and close and saw the boats go by. It was a lovely day. You happily gave Bambi’s mom a big hug before we left.
We have been lucky enough to have Aunt Natalie and your cousin Caspian in town for a few weeks. Uncle Darin came with them for the first few days. While it was obvious that you weren’t delighted to suddenly share our attention with a baby, you did really well, and love to entertain Caspian with funny dances. He loves to bounce up and down, so you do that too, and you both laugh together. It’s wonderful to watch. You have also been pretty darn graceful about watching a number of your toys being passed down to your little cousin. Although, when we found that some stickers I bought you were somewhat subpar and you suggested that we give THEM to Caspian because they “aren’t very good,” you may have missed the point.
This letter is so late because we’ve been away and it’s been a busy time since we got home. We spent a week in Wells Beach, Maine. We stayed at a beachside cottage (or a “little house,” as you called it) with Granny, and Aunt Janine and Uncle Mark stayed in another cottage across the way. It was a wonderful vacation. The weather was perfect, you were a total trooper on the drive there and back, and we got to spend time with some of our favourite people.
On the night we arrived, we were greeted by Evan and Megan, who you adore. We had a lovely evening with them, although bedtime was a bit of a challenge. You were pretty keyed up and you were sleeping in an unfamiliar place. I’m pleased to say, though, that you were an excellent sleeper for the rest of the trip.
The next morning there was sand play on the beach with Uncle Mark. You both devised a good system whereby any castles on the right side of a line in the sand were fine to be demolished and any castles on the left side of a line in the sand were not to be touched. It worked out well, you demolished many castles, and had a lovely time. Then Aunt Kimmy, Uncle Luc, Caleb and Noah arrived for the day and your cup ran over. Not only were they awesome playmates, but they brought you a slew of amazing hand-me-down toys that pretty much blew your mind. The highlights were the Dinosaur Train and a set of Buzz Lightyear wings and bracers. Oh my goodness. You were absolutely delighted. It was really lovely to see you play with Caleb and Noah. Caleb in particular took a real shine to you and helped you into your wings, played ball with you, and invited you to hang with him. It was also so gratifying to see how huggy Noah still is, even at the age of six. It gives me great hope that your wonderful affectionate nature will stay with you a while longer, even as you get older.
You did very well in Kittery at the outlet malls, both in terms of your behaviour and your haul of new clothing. We got you some new pants, a whack of socks, a fall shell coat and a winter coat that you liked so much you insisted on wearing it one evening in the cottage. How you didn’t melt away remains a mystery.
The best times with you on this trip were really the simplest times - sometimes we were doing things I remember doing as a child, and sometimes we were creating our own memories. Digging holes on the beach. Blowing bubbles for you to chase on the cottage lawn. Walking to the boardwalk, and visiting the Beachcomber, where you scored a shiny red firetruck with an extendable ladder. Sitting on the cement outside Forbes, eating ice cream. Standing outside the Goldenrod in York Beach, watching the salt water taffy being made. Sharing a lobster roll with you. (History repeated itself - I barely got any!) Standing on the sea wall, watching the waves crash against the rocks. Hearing you exclaim, “WHOA! Did you see that one? It was a big one!” with every wave. Watching you fly your pirate kite by yourself. Standing with you in the water as the waves lapped at our feet. Riding the trolley while eating fried clams and french fries. Watching you fall in love with showers. Our meal at the Ogunquit Lobster Pound where you were given a cookie bigger than your head.
You shared a bedroom with Granny, and while I don’t think she’s used to getting up that early, I know she greatly enjoyed seeing you first thing in the morning. Aunt Janine and Uncle Mark loved seeing you in the evenings when you were at your most cuddly. You were completely freaked out by seaweed and would not walk on it. But you loved when Aunt Janine carried you and made “squishy noises” when she walked on the seaweed.
You napped every day. You didn’t have a single accident. You behaved beautifully. We simply adore travelling with you.
Thank you for a wonderful “bacation,” darling. It was magical, and so are you. We love you so much and you bring such joy to our lives. I talk about Wells Beach being my happy place, but really, my happy place is anywhere with you. You made my happy place even happier by being there.
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