Apr. 7th, 2010

windinthemaples: A lane of red maple trees in riotous fall color. (Default)
Graeme hadn't been able to go to sleep until 12:30, so it was a real shock to the system when my alarm beeped me awake at 4:45am. I threw on clothes and then bundled a still-sleeping Graeme into the car. The roads were mostly deserted, straight, monotonous down to Miami and I was feeling so tired. It was miserable, really, trying to stay awake. We got to the airport alright and picked up Sequoia, whose red eye flight from Seattle had allowed her about as much sleep as I got. Both of us were feeling sick and puke-y and tired on the drive back where, again, I felt like a zombie and had to do stupid things like pinch myself and tap my fingers on the steering wheel to make sure my attention didn't wander to asleep-with-eyes-open status.

Back at home, Graeme zoned out in front of the television while both Sequoia and I beelined it back to bed. I'd sleep for twenty minutes before Graeme needed some attention or food or a channel change and then I'd be back to sleep for another twenty minute stretch. I just couldn't get up! That went on for about three hours of near-complete parental inattention. Sequoia woke up around the same time and the two of us kinda sat and drooled in a stupor, watching Spongebob Squarepants and saying every ten or fifteen minutes of silence--"We should go to the beach today." "Yeah."

We finally got ready and out the door around 1pm. A couple minutes from the beach, Graeme fell asleep in the car and we were obligated to rearrange our plans a bit. Sequoia ran into the grocery store to get us some chips and bagels and we sat in the car for about an hour, talking and snacking. Once Graeme woke up, we grabbed our towels and toy shovels and walked down to Juno Beach.

The sun was so bright, the sky cloudless, and the beach was hot! It was probably in the mid-80s, reminding me that summertime here will be into the high nineties and all humidity. A lot of man-o-wars in the water and on the shore, making the idea of swimming a little less appealing. We were on a mission, collecting shells with natural holes in them for my Fairie Festival costume plans and really had a great time. (Graeme later said it was his favorite time of the day--being at the beach with Sequoia (which he seems to say as, "Keera")).

After the beach and some time at the adjacent playground, we cooled off in town at Gelato Grotto (Yum!) and then visited another playground in the long hours of sunset before going home to play games (we found an electronic Deal or No Deal game of my Mom's, Sequoia pulled out her card tricks, we played School with Graeme who was excited to wear one of my backpacks around the house) and we ordered pizza in and talked about our mutual love of Vampire Diaries.

Lovely day, overall, despite our total out-of-it-space-cadet fatigue. :) Today, Daniel flies in and joins our party! :D

IMG_7946
Mango and Forest Berry gelato!
windinthemaples: A lane of red maple trees in riotous fall color. (ocean mom)
We woke up late, broke fasts with pizza and breadstick leftovers, and loaded into the car for a trip to the Grassy Waters Preserve. It seems outrageous that just a mile or so from our house is twenty square miles of (relatively) untouched wetlands, alligators and all. Graeme was sad to see that the "park" I'd promised him had no playground equipment. I think he thought it a betrayal. He eventually perked up when I dug around in my backpack for his toddler camera and spent the next hour or more running ahead of us on the boardwalk and taking photos of insects and ferns and his blue velcro sneakers.

IMG_7965

It was hot and sunny and beautiful. We saw lizards and swimming snakes, giant fuzzy bees and papery wasp nests, water-striding cypress trees, tiny silver fish and even a silently stalking alligator. We watched in shock as a group, led by an official guide, stepped off the boardwalk in their shiny white tennis shoes, walking through the swamp with only some nervous giggles and walking sticks, knee deep in the murky muck and tannin-brown water.

It was so beautiful and so alien.

At a certain point, we were too overheated to enjoy it anymore. We got back into the car, bought sandwiches at Jimmy John's, and then picked up Daniel at the airport. Here at home, Daniel took the kids swimming at our pool while I talked to Rhiannon on the phone and nursed my sunburns in the cool of our darkened bedroom. We had gnocchi and salad for dinner and have been playing games all evening long. Such fun! :)

More Grassy Waters Photos... )

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windinthemaples: A lane of red maple trees in riotous fall color. (Default)
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