Adventures in Apple Picking

We decided to enjoy the fall foliage and invited Nana and Zayde to join us. Up we went to Fishkill Farms (not located in Fishkill but in Hopewell Junction) and a wonderful time was had by all. Here are some highlights.

It started out with fun in the car with Mama and Zayde (that was after Mommy had to go in the front seat to avoid getting sick which put Nana in the driver's seat).


One view of the orchard and the surrounding mountains



Sasha eats his first apple of the day - a Macoun!


Sharing with Nana (this is an activity that is fraught with fun such as pulling back right before you get to take a bite and then laughing in the other persons face)


Sasha meets his first milkweed pod and is understandably entranced
Riding around the orchard without being strapped in!


Crawling around the orchard - the more preferred mode of transport


Playing in the hay after a long day of picking (or crawling, eating, and being carried)


The finished product

What's up, Doc?

Even though Mister is a long way from talking, he still manages some deliberate noises. You could have knocked me over with a feather the first time he leaned over and sniffed the flowers while we were reading Pat the Bunny. I learned later that this was a trick learned from Nana. She taught him to stick his nose in the book and noisily inhale! I guess it takes a 3-time mother to have faith he could learn to sniff on cue.

The latest is "rabbit." We often read Neighborhood Animals, a picture book of common creatures. Because the words are beyond him, I just say the name of the animal and make its noise. Woof, meow, etc. For rabbit, however, I make the Bugs Bunny sound-- the sort of lip smacking sound that precedes What's up, doc? One day I turn the page to Rabbit and he starts making a smacking sound while sticking out his tongue, a little like he's eating an delicious, invisible ice cream cone. And now the noise has transformed into a silent licking motion, which is weird but hilarious.

I was telling Nana about this at the playground while we were pushing him on the swing. I wouldn't have thought he was even paying attention, much less participating in the conversation, but at the word "rabbit," he starts flapping his tongue like he knows what's up. Awesome.

Sasha learns to drive

With this kind of enthusiasm behind the wheel, I think he'll get his license before me!

more bathtime fun

The latest craze in bathtub games is standing up, yanking off the multi-colored fish that is covering the faucet (purchased by moms who want to protect their kid's precious head), throwing it into the water and then using it as a bath toy.

Don't Mess with the Purple Hoodies

Spiderweb

We went to the small zoo in the park this weekend. They have a great kid-size spiderweb for tots to play on. Definitely a physical challenge for a crawler due to the loose ropes, but Sasha thought it was very cool. After the web, we took him to another plaything, kid-size hatched eggshells. That one was a disaster, however, and ended our trip to the zoo. He fell with his head between two halves of an eggshell, bouncing his head on both sides. I thought he was going to have a full-blown black eye, but thankfully he recovered quickly and with no lasting damage. True grit.

I'm...Still...Not...Tired...

While walking home from the playground, I was waiting for the play- and swim-exhausted Bub to fall asleep in the stroller. Fifteen minutes later, I was surprised that he still had energy to continue playing with his toes. Then I realized he wasn't actually moving. I walked around to the front to get a good look at his face, and yes, he was sleeping just like this.

Good-bye, Beloved Reindeer

The little devil has worn out his first pair of shoes. And he doesn't even walk yet!

Post-nap

Activities for Fall

Since my last post (yes it's been a while), I have fallen in and then out of love with Sasha's new-found aggressive curiosity. The first time he emptied the kitchen cabinet, it was cute and allowed me the space to cook. When he emptied the TV armoire, it was cute and allowed me the space to check my email and read the NY Times. I took a long and luxurious shower while he emptied the bathroom vanity of all its contents.

Enough already! He's now emptied the cabinets so many times that he's developed a fierce efficiency. Instead of taking out items one by one, he now grabs a whole shelf and yanks it out, and if it's removable, he'll grab it with both hands and shake shake shake 'til he's sitting in a pile of things. This has happened enough times that I have no idea where to find a ziploc bag or a bandaid or a DVD of The Wire when the need arises. Needless to say, I've lost my ambivalence about installing cupboard locks.

You may notice in the first picture that The Mister has a scab resembling a Hitler mustache-- from flinging himself out of the stroller headfirst because he didn't want to leave the playground. (Who makes a playground surface from sandpaper? Thanks, NY Parks & Rec Dept.)