Well, Dylan didn’t get much of a chance to sleep in this morning and Cameron is still waking up at appalling hours (~6am!), but despite lack of sleep all around, we had another super fun day today. Gratefully, Dylan seemed to be feeling a bit better as well.
We started the morning by joining Griff’s 2nd bday celebration at Wilder Ranch.
Tom and I used to mountain bike and hike quite a bit up there and the Santa Cruz half runs through here as well, but we haven’t really taken the kids here.
It was clear that any experience Dylan had here was completely gone (he was 11 months old during his first visit here!)! He showed lots of interest in all of the buildings and the animals.
Guess we now have evidence that Dylan’s long-term memory does not extend back to when he was 2! Here he is with Taliana, a couple months shy of his 2nd birthday, sitting on the very same wagon he sat on for today’s group bday picture!
Here they are in today’s group picture. Cameron refused to climb on the wagon–she was married to her trike today! So, I had to just lift her up and hide behind her! I’m surprised she’s not scowling more, given that I yanked her off her trike!
Incidentally, here’s the bday boy with his mom and dad. He seemed to have a great time running through the crops, climbing a tractor and watching the roosters and hens (Griff, not Darrell!)….
He also really liked ringing Cameron’s trike bell. She is definitely getting a leg-up on those terrible two’s. She wasn’t interested in really letting anyone take turns ringing that thing…and she got super irate when he actually had the gall to sit in the seat. I was able to talk her down by setting her on the “mommy bench” (my ever widening thigh) and explaining to her that it was Griff’s special day, his bday, and it would be super nice if she let him take a turn.
She stopped crying and listened, but as soon as he climbed off, she climbed right back on! And there she sat, while a couple of Griff’s good buddies played their drum and harmonica for him (pictured behind her!).
I should add that the docents here are just the sweetest things on Earth. They came by the picnic area to make sure that the guests knew what activities were available, including letting us know that the kids could do big bubbles over by the barns.
Poor little Cameron just looks perplexed!
Dylan wanted to bring his bike, so we packed it up along with Cameron’s trike. After eating yummy cookies and strawberries that Griff and his daddy picked, we headed for the trails and let Dylan ride.
Uphill is still pretty challenging for him…and the sandy parts were, too. Then, he got completely freaked out when we encountered a dad and his daughter who relayed to us that we should avoid the grass because of ticks.
Dylan didn’t know what ticks are, so Tom explained it was kind of like a mosquito — bit you and ate blood — and, even though Dylan isn’t afraid of mosquitos, he was suddenly horribly afraid of ticks! He wouldn’t ride his bike after that for fear that a tick would jump right on him!
Nothing could persuade him he was safe! Not the fact that I’ve never ever gotten a tick the many, many, many times I’ve been here (nor has Tom), we weren’t going through any tall grass, the trails were wide, etc. We even resorted to telling him that he could out ride the ticks if he hopped on his bike! Nada colada!
After the party, we fed the kids, caffeinated, and then Dylan and I headed to Auntie Heather’s house while Tom stayed with Cameron (she fell asleep on the way home).
It was not that hot outside–temps didn’t even bust 80F–but you know how kids are….If it’s something fun, it doesn’t matter how uncomfy it is! Heather had filled up their inflatable pool and the kids just splashed right in!
When they got too cold, they warmed up on their towels in the sun. Dylan was extraordinarily gracious and shared his with Taliana.
Dylan had just gotten out of the water again when Cameron arrived. She tried to help cover Dylan up to keep him warm.
Then she tried playing tee-ball with a teeny tiny ball she found in the grass!
After a nice long dinner with Heather’s family (her mom, dad, and her younger bro David who is visiting from out of state), we packed up the kids and went home.
We thought the kids would sack immediately! Dylan did, but it took Cameron another hour to fall asleep! She just sat there and sang songs!
The first song she belted out was her own rendition of “5 little monkeys” where even she (“mei mei”), mommy, and Dylan fell off the bed! Then it was on to singing the counting song from a Leapster video (‘1,2,3,4,5,6,7…watch me climb…8,9,10,11, etc.–she even got the 1 is less than 2 bit!), talking about “crocodile cars” and, finally, singing Frère Jacques when she should have been sleeping! This last is my favorite; she does a pretty good rendition and it provides reassurance that Music Together does indeed encourage musical learning!
