Time for Art

While at the cabin, we took a little time for watercolors.

Five and a Half

An update on Aine is long overdue, so a mid-year update is needed. Today Aine is five and a half. She has been talking about her birthday for several weeks. She wanted the traditional half cake, however she is making due with brownies due to our week at the cottage.

Aine is fast becoming a big girl. She runs, jumps and twirls everywhere. She enjoys gymnastics and has decided she wants to take a break from her dance combo class and concentrate solely on gymnastics. She works often on her handstands and has mastered the hand over hand bars. Aine is strong and loves to climb. While at the cottage, she and her older brother climbed much higher than her mother’s comfort level in a pine tree. She is fearless and will try to conquer most play structures as well as her environment.

Aine is also becoming a strong swimmer. She participated on swim team this summer and impressed her teammates and coaches with her positive attitude. Aine earned the title of swimmer of the week for these attributes. Although the youngest member of the team, she never gave up and swam hard every day and at every meet.

Aine is a lover. She takes care of her family, and worries when they are separated. She loves deeply and will still cry about our dog Ava. She also talks continually about her cousins and how much she misses them. Aine makes sure we all know about our family and how important everyone is. She takes care of her little brother, and she is the first person he usually asks for upon waking. She is also the one who can frustrate him like no other, and he can often be heard telling her “NO!” or “Space, Aine.” She plays well with all children and finds new friends wherever she is. Aine loves babies and will mother her dolls endlessly. She always wants to know about the mothers and babies when we encounter wildlife and even other families.

Aine’s favorite names for her dolls are Sarah. Alissa, Talisa, and Maggie. Sarah is by far her favorite and will be used for more than one baby. She loves pretending she is the mother, and her brothers are either dads or the baby’s siblings. Her parents take on the role of grandparents. She creates elaborate role-plays and loves if you will join in her play.

Aine developed a preference for wearing dresses only. This fashion trend was started by her cousin and dear friend, Rachel. She prefers twirly dresses, but loves them all. She has a favorite skirt also. It is tiered and made from smooth synthetic material. The skirt is purple, pink, and green. She loves it and will wear it everyday. Aine also has opinions about her hair. She wants it either down or in ONE ponytail. She does not prefer piggies or braids. She also likes it in a bun.

Aine adds a gentle kindness to our lives and reminds us of the importance of family and one another. She continues to brighten our lives and we cherish her dearly.

The Lake Beach

After visiting Assateague Island, the kiddos have wanted to visit a calm beach. We have talked about finding a spot on the ocean with quieter waves, tide pools and a plethora of shells. The primary wish for a calm beach was met when we visited Ludington, MI and swam in Lake Michigan. It was great fun to walk, run and swim in the lake. It is massive and felt like an ocean to the children. They were able to wade out away from shore and swim around the water. The sand was perfect for building castles. Benton enjoyed digging in the sand while Eamon and Aine explored the water. Benton was a bit more reserved when it came to the water. He was acclimated by the time we left and would hold onto Heather’s hand and swing through the water. We were all covered in sand and a desire to return the next day when we left.

Blocks

While on a daytrip to Ludington from Pap and Gram’s cottage, we stopped at Goodwill. We hoped to find a quilt to use at the beach and cottage. We did not find a blanket, but we did find a large bag of handmade blocks. They have been a hit. The blocks have been used to build a moose, battle stations, doll beds, castles, lighthouses and many more inventions. Everyone wants to use them and build something. The creativity and delight found in simple wooden blocks continues to impress me.

Eamon's Moose