Act Three

This afternoon we took a drive up into the Berkshires and visited a local sugarshack. Every spring we have seen the maze of sap lines running through the woods, now we decided to see the next stage of making maple syrup.

The sugarshack was full of steam. From 40 gallons of sap, 39 gallons are boiled off leaving 1 gallon of maple syrup. L kept pinching his nose and saying there was a funny smell. It did smell like maple syrup which wasn’t unpleasant, I think he was actually commenting on the sight of the steam and the humidity in the shack.

It’s spring break this week. For undergraduates, spring break is a week off that is best spent lounging on a Florida beach. For graduate students, spring break is a week free of teaching responsibilities that is best spent working on one’s dissertation.

Well, I decided that I should take at least one day off this week, so today Pam, L, and I took a little drive into Vermont. We had lunch at a cute little diner near White River Junction.

L tried the lemons.

Later, we went to the VINS Nature Center where they care for and rehabilitate injured birds.

On the way home, we stopped to look out over the Quechee Gorge.

L’s imagination is growing by leaps and bounds. We often find him chattering away while he plays with his trucks, tractors, farm animals, and other toys. Here are some pictures of his most recent farmyard. Of course, he had help building his barn…

…and he didn’t supply the round bales himself.

Today when I came home, L was sitting on the couch “reading” a story to his frog.

These days L can put all sorts of sentences together, even ones a parent doesn’t want to hear. L informed us of his long suspected dislike for green beans the other day at the supper table. I was reading the comics at work and came across this Baby Blues strip and even though it is not exactly the same I found it funny.

Instead my comment to L had been something like “Something may not always be your favourite but you have to have a bite.”

Two weeks since we blogged; I am surprised that no one has been dropping not so subtle hints. Life here has been uneventful which right now is really nice. Lowell is either watching L at home or working at the university. Right now he is in search of a dissertation topic and preping for his course. L and I spend Wednesday mornings at the library and the rest of our time is spent having “superduper fun” (he must have picked that up in the church nursery).

L and Daddy often pull out the Dominos or “Matching Game” out when I am working. It starts out as matching but ends up being used as a train track.

Has L discovered a solution for the American economic crisis? Oatmeal boots!

This past Sunday L did not want to leave the church nursery, first time ever that he sent me away. He continued to play “church” when we got home. Here he is leading his choir.

L’s naps in the afternoon are few and far between. I still make him have rest time in the afternoon so that I can have a nap. Tuesday when I went to get him out of the crib after his hour he was chatting non stop. He and his two friends Mr Lion and Gee were sitting at the back of the crib watching the game. L was calling the play by play action and even bounced across the crib like a basketball and cheered “score”. Apparently we have a budding basketball fan after watching the Spurs and the Celtics play Sunday afternoon.

With so much energy to burn we went outside to play in the snow. It is melting outside so L was tossing snowballs into the puddles.

Until now I have enjoyed L, but always looked forward to what he would do next. Lately I have found myself wishing he could stay 2 years old, he won’t be this cute at 14.

Licking the batter off of the beater and sneaking some chocolate chips.

Discovering a helium balloon from the grocery store for the first time.

Nothing is quite as cozy as sleeping in Mom and Dad’s bed.