Cottage Hopping: Part 1

Last week we spent some time in the Kawartha Lakes area with ChouChou and Fizey after cousin, Betsy's wedding. I think we are becoming a little addicted to cottage life.  There isn't much to not love about it--getting away from everyday life, reading in the sun, snoozing on the dock, swimming in fresh, crisp lake water, paddling around the canal in the little dingy or kayak, visiting with nearby family, the relaxed pace of it all.

At the cottage we spent nearly every morning filling up buckets full of rocks big and small and then throwing them off the dock into the water.  Gabriel's phrase of the week was "Trow da rocks in da wawa.  Big splash, mom."  He literally spent hours and hours every morning launching rocks for Abe, who would whimper with excitement.  Gabriel seems to be picking up on all of these little cues and telling me, "Doggy sad" or "Doggy Happy."  And working toward making the dog happy.   He does this with Maggie too.  While Maggie sits on the floor cooing, Gabriel grabs her hand and swings it, declaring, "Maggie happy!" or "Maggie crying.  Maggie sad" and then tries to tickle her to make her laugh.  But having a baby who cries really upsets him and sometimes doesn't know what to do.

But Magdalene was a happy girl the past couple of weeks now that she is really eating a lot of food!  Wow, this girl can pack it in.  Just like I did when I was little--two hollow legs. Not only is she sitting and rolling over, but she recently starting standing and holding onto furniture.  Let me tell you, it won't be long before she is crawling and walking and getting into everything.   In fact, she already is so mischievous, pulling on eyeglasses, grabbing bowls and knocking over cups and mugs.  Magdalene has this incredible magnetism to her long arms.  Somehow she can manage to reach out those arms out longer than her entire body length to get an object of interest, far beyond any distance you would expect. 

She is becoming quite the little playmate for her brother, who likes to teach her to crawl and wants to tickle her all the time.  He's taken to reading a little book to her before naps, "That's not my tractor" and singing a couple of little songs at naptime.  Most recently at the cottage, Gabriel performed a little rendition of "You are my Sunshine" for Magdalene (and us) much to our delight.  I've attached a little clip below.

You are my Sunshine.

You might also like:

• The Muskokas.
• More favorite cottage moments.
• Cottage Life Part 2 :)
• Cottage Life Part 1 :)
• Cottage Life: Denman Island.