Mommy's Blog: Seven Days

Its been a great week. And there's one more to come!

Ivy's pretty psyched about that.

Nat and I realized we've been coming for our two-week stays at the little cottage for at least 8 years now. In that time, we've gotten a little bit better at packing (but not too much better-- this year we managed to forget a number of items which we now feel would have been indispensable such as a bike for Ivy, a stroller of any sort, my water shoes, band-aids....). We've also gotten better at relaxing. It used to take us most of the first week to get into the swing of being at the lake, the sitting, the reading, the not-going-anywhere of it all. This year, I feel like we slipped right into the rhythm of Farley's without even thinking about it, sometime after the first couple of days. We've been doing not-too-much ever since then, filling our days right up with it, greeting the breezy lake nights tired and well-sunned.

Spotty internet access this week means that my plans of frequent, detail-oriented blogging have fallen aside... so many little moments, little things the children say, descriptions of sunsets and morning swims that will just have to be assimilated wordlessly into my soul.

In lieu, I give you a series of photos, described in brief, that capture some of the themes of our first week at the Point:

*Manually propelled watercraft.

The Morehouse boat is undergoing repairs this summer and is out of commission. We are sorely missing the sunset cruises that have been the crowning glory of many a perfect lake day. But we are not letting this keep us from being out on the water. In addition to the kayaks, the whole family has been out in the canoe and the rowboat. I miss the wind in my face and the rush of the lake opening up before me... but there is something lovely about the soft splash of paddles and the nearness of the water in these little craft. The kids are wonderful in the boats, Ivy trailing her fingers in the water as we canoe, Jack learning to row...

Jack loves that the water is shallow enough for him to push the boat to the dock...

Nat took Jack and the girls out for a sunset row...

You're going to love this video.


Our whole family fits in this canoe... which is, by Nat's estimation, probably over 60 years old. Ivy (who is hidden by Jack in this picture) LOVES the buoys. She also knows that the front of the boat is the bow. It is so cute, the way she says "bow."

*Swimming.

Have I mentioned that the weather has been PERFECT all week? That we had one little bit of rain, one afternoon, but that every day has been graced by 80 degree sunshine begging us to get in the water??

So we have. Here at the point, at Harris Park in Cayuga where Jack's done swimming lessons, at Long Point where we had not one but two picnics yesterday...

Heading out on our dock.

Swim lessons... Jack fought mightily against participation, as you know-- but he has thrived in these mornings in the water, as instructor Kelly has taught our little group of cousins about water safety and confidence in the water. Jack was heard to state to Sarah the other day, "You know, I ALWAYS have swimming lessons and I ALWAYS love them!" Please be sure to hear in your head the way he says his little "L's", soft and almost a "w".. AW-ways... I love him.

At Long Point after our annual Morehouse clan photo shoot yesterday evening...

* A little cottage full of children.

We've happily hosted the triplets for several mornings and afternoons; they adore Jack and Ivy and our kids return the favor. The little group plays together so well. In some ways our "five children" have been easier than two, as they engage each other so well. The tiny cottage somehow accommodates all these little people, as they cluster around the table, in the toy corner of the porch, kneeling to draw on the bench by the windows, sitting on the couch to play on i-Products... Its so magical to watch them grow up together, the see the love they share and the common space they inhabit and the collective memories they are creating.

Among those memories will be play doh (and helping to clean up the play doh!) as well as:

Morley the snail (who lived in our cottage for about 24 hours and was well loved before being set free...)

Manicures and pedicures..

Lots of clay from the lake...

Time at the playground...

(No photos-- just a memory: all the "under 10's" on the point gathered together to play with the "stomp rocket", lined up to take turns, trying to catch the rocket as it headed out across the field, Jack in the thick of it, him in his little shark swimsuit and nothing else, bleached out hair all rustled up, looking every inch a BOY; running so fast to get the rocket, body bouncing with the excitement he could not contain when it was his turn to stomp, so proud, so happy, holding his own out there. And Ivy on the big kid swing in her white terry beach cover up, bare bottom hanging over the back, pigtails flying in the wind, begging to be pushed higher, higher...)

*A sun-kissed little girl

Little blondie, growing up before our eyes, using the potty and talking so much and getting her summer feet under her on the gravel road; falling in love with Sailor, the puppy; bold and friendly with neighbors; independent and bossy and sweet as pie...I wish I could just record every little thing she says for you! I love the way she talks, and she is just so funny and so serious about categorizing her world...

* The sweetest, snuggliest little-big boy you can imagine.

Fell asleep on my lap while we were reading his book the other night... Sleeps in til almost 9 in the morning!

Farley's can be hard on a boy who doesn't nap (but probably should). So much sun, so much water, so much playing and so much excitement-about-it-all. I think he's been utterly exhausted for about the past four days (he and Corydon both!). Which may explain the fact that he's crawling into our laps every chance he gets, hugging and kissing on his sister, and loving on every puppy and baby in sight. Not that he hasn't had plenty of "Jack" moments-- never fear, our demanding little scowler is not lost forever!-- but overall? Sweetness. Just good-smelling, tanned-up, skinny-ribs sweetness.