Hecla 2011

This is kind of a random thoughts post after our annual trip to Hecla Island. Usually we go with Marc's Mom and Dad and sister and family, but this year it was just us.

I discovered that I actually like our minivan. It only needed accessories, a cartop carrier and a bike rack.

Quote of week from Hanaa (while chasing a butterfly), "Butterfly sister, where are you going? Come baaaaaaaaaaaaack!"

Since there wasn`t room to pack a stroller, I packed the baby carrier for Hanaa`s bedtime walks. It worked really well. She was generally asleep within 10 minutes. Here`s my guilty secret though, I didn`t walk very far from the cabin on those walks. There was a turn-around in the bike path beside our cabin, so I walked in circles a lot. I was freaked out about meeting a bear. Turns out, I was not being silly. There have been lots of bears approaching campsites this year because of the scarcity of food due to dry weather.

Always pack at least 3 towels and 2 sunhats per person.

Bike trails are difficult for 5-year-olds on tiny bikes. We should have packed the tandem instead. The last two days, we didn't even attempt to bike to the beach, to Molly's great relief. There was considerably less whining. (I loved biking to the beach. I would have loved to leave the van in parking lot the whole time.)

Pizza night at Integrity Foods outside of Riverton is lots of fun and may become a yearly tradition. Go for the pizza. Stay for the torpedo ball. Noah was a particular fan of this outing. Molly and Hanaa liked the bunnies (but not the chickens).

I'm very relieved that no one peed the bed. I'm looking forward to travelling without a potty next year. By the end of the week Hanaa was asking to be taken to the bathrooms instead of using the little potty in the cabin. I`m hoping this is the end of her fear of strange toilets (especially on road trips).

Sunset beach is really very lovely in the evening. Pack water shoes.

Riding home in the tow-truck was not planned, but not particularly unpleasant. Maybe those new accessories were too much for the van after all.

Noah invented a new superhero persona on the trip: Canadian Noah. Sadly, I was cast as the villain: Evil Mom Lady.

what's your favourite colour?

Molly likes to ask me what my favourite colour is, but it doesn't end there. I have to think of second and third favourites (at least). It's one of those questions I answer without thinking about it, with my mind on the dishes I need to wash or the road in front of the van or making sure Hanaa doesn't fly off of something. Sometimes I answer it impatiently. Here is my real answer just for Molly:

My first favourite colour is the orange-red of your hair shining in the sun when you've taken off your hat, followed by the colour of those cinnamon freckles on your nose, followed by the golden greenish brown of your bright eyes.

growing up two

Molly is also growing up. She has always been very, um, hands on with Hanaa, mostly out of love, but I am always telling her to back up, not to squeeze so tight, that Hanaa screaming means she doesn't want a kiss right now, etc.

 The girls were playing some sort of rough and tumble puppy dog princess game this morning, and Hanaa bonked her head. She started wailing and ran over for some cuddles from me. Molly came over too and attempted to give Hanaa a hug. Hanaa was having none of that and pushed Molly away. Instead of getting upset and trying to give Hanaa that hug using any means necessary, Molly make a big show out of falling over from Hanaa's little push. Of course, Hanaa started giggling and pushed Molly again. There were more dramatics and more giggles. Soon Hanaa had forgotten about being hurt all together thanks to her big sister.

growing up

So, my little guy seems to be growing up and maturing. I was taking him to see Harry Potter the other night, and I asked him how I thought we could make Molly feel better about not coming. He agreed that we should promise her a movie too. Then he said, "when Molly cries like that when you leave, it's really hard on Dad."
He is also learning how to manage his own feelings. Noah is very sensitive to sound and light. A busy, noisy space like a school assembly or a gym full of kids (or sometimes a classroom) is overwhelming for him. When I went to pick him up from mini-U (day camp) today, he was sitting apart from his group reading a book. They had just returned from a day of activities (rock climbing, dodge ball, swimming, etc.) , and they were gathering in the Max Bell center with all the other campers. He was tired; it was loud and hot and bright. He was feeling overwhelmed, and pulled out his book, so he could escape all of that. I sat there with him while he read for 10 minutes. He didn't want to talk to me or to anyone. When he was feeling OK again, he read me a funny part from his book and was happy and social again. This was sooooo much nicer than a huge melt down on the way home.