Happy Birthday Miss Madeleine!

 Madie is now officially five years old. This morning I told her "Happy birthday to my big five year old!" She replied, "Dad, I won't turn five until I blow out the candles on my cake." That's a Madie response, straight from the book. Factual, informative, and firm. She and Finn woke up at about 5:45 am this morning, ready to seize the day. Mal and I were both very tired, especially Mal who basically stayed up all night finishing up Madie's birthday present. I woke up a few times just due to noises or lights on during the night, but I at least got more sleep than Mal. 

For her birthday, Madie had some very specific requests that we tried our best to honor. For breakfast, I made German pancakes with bacon (number one request, fulfilled). For dinner, I made French toast (number two request, fulfilled). For cake and ice cream, Mal made a blackberry cake with purple frosting and homemade mint chocolate chip ice cream (number three request, fulfilled). She likes her berries black, and has been growing chocolate mint in her garden all summer long for this very moment. She also asked to play miniature golf at Pirates Cove, which we have on schedule for tomorrow (number four request, almost fulfilled). 

I decided to take the day off. Two to three times per week on my way out the door to work, Madie will ask "Dad, why do you have to go to work?". Well today, I decided not to go. And she has been wanting to go on a boat ride for quite some time, so we got tickets to a whale watch tour. One cool thing about working and living on Mount Desert Island is we get free standby tickets to all harbor cruises and tours. Finn and I thought it was really cool, but Madie was pretty disappointed that the whales didn't jump out of the water. Therefore, it wasn't cool. I think she would go again though. We saw four whales breach, and the weather was absolutely perfect! We could see miles away. It was a 3.5 hour tour, so the kids fell asleep the last 45 minutes, heading back to the harbor. 

When we docked, we met up with Mal for lunch at Geddy's, walked around town a bit, and headed home for much needed nap/quiet time. Glad we could video chat with our parents today as well. Even though we live literally thousands of miles away from immediate family, we still feel close with Facetime.

Madie's facial expressions are priceless. Getting ready to leave the harbor.

Found some comfortable chairs, next to this man that made me feel uncomfortable (kept looking my way, but had sunglasses on). Luckily he left a few minutes after we sat.

We kept moving around the boat to get a taste of the different views.

Obviously, looking at the wake.

Best photo I managed to take.

Mount Desert Rock. This is ran for research purposes, and is surrounded by Grey Seals and Harbor Seals.

The white sweater that Mal made for Madie. She was so excited to wear it.

Look at that face!

Card from Nana & Papa.

Clothes from Nana and Papa. Madie wasn't took keen on the camo, but she was excited for the new clothes.

A big tiger from Grammy & Grampy. Mal's sister Kaitlyn had a tiger that Madie loved. She loves big cats, and was glad to have a soft thing to cling to in bed.

Check out that blackberry cake! Mal did a wonderful job. The frosting was colored purple with blueberries. Flowers, from the garden.

Happy Birthday, Madie! So happy to have you in our family.

Rabbi! Rabbi!

Finn has been our biggest raspberry fan this summer, constantly raiding our bushes every time he goes outside, or helps himself to those we have collected in the fridge. He calls them 'rabbi', and is often pleading 'Rabbi!? Rabbi?!' when we go outside. He is a funny little guy that will literally eat almost anything you give him. Thankful for a boy that has a healthy appetite.

Independence Day

Better late than never. I love the 4th of July in Bar Harbor. It's festivities remind me of the town I grew up in, which featured a morning parade, festivities in town, and evening fireworks. I always remember doing swim parties and bbq's with friends for lunch as well. We went swimming at the Dalton's camp, at Donnell's Pond. Afterward, we headed to the Casey's for more food! Here are the highlights: 

 

Fruit parfait's for breakfast.

Madie looks so thrilled.

At the parade. We found the perfect spot, right in the shade.

Finn loved all the trucks.

I swear, his face is always dirty.

And Madie found some candy.

At Donnell Pond, scoping out the fish.

Madie was pretty scared of the fish.

Finn wasn't a huge fan of the life vest.

It started sprinkling leading up to the fireworks, so I decided to stay home with Finn while Mal and Madie headed to the show. They enjoyed it, but right before the finale Madie decided she was done watching. It was pretty late, and after a long day, I'm sure she was tired.

Soccer Camp!

Mike and I wanted Madie to do something new this summer, preferably something active. She took some ballet lessons last fall thanks to Nana and Papa, and she was really enjoying it until she had a sub ONE DAY and then never wanted to go back. The sub was perfectly nice, and she had even met her before (the regular teacher had two assistants who would switch off, so Madie knew her), but when Madie decides something like that, there's no point in trying to convince her otherwise. I made her go again and she sat in a chair the entire time. After that I pulled her out.

This year we thought, instead of a long-term thing, we'd just sign her up for a sports camp through the YMCA. Luckily, Challenger Sports offers an excellent soccer camp through the local Y. All the coaches are British or Brazilian and have usually been playing since they were kids and coaching for years. We're even hosting a coach, which means we get a BIG discount on the camp, and Madie gets to know someone from another country a little better. (His Manchester accent is quite thick, so it'll be good for her.) 

Madie and the other kids (including Finn) meet Coach Matthew.

She was wicked apprehensive in the car, so I promised to stay and watch--I was planning on taking Finn to the playground across the street. At first she wouldn't talk to her coach, and would only dribble (very, very slowly) if I was walking next to her. But then they started playing some games, and I eventually just sat down and watched from the side--and made sure Finn didn't go too far away with the ball he was kicking.

Madie was caught by Coach Matthew so now they both have to be "killer crabs" and catch the other kids. 

Madie and Finn dribble around with the other kids.

Madie ended up loving her first day. There were other kids who were too shy to participate through pretty much the whole thing, and I was worried Madie would be the same way, but she even told me it was so much fun and can't wait to go back tomorrow. Every day for a week will be perfect too--she won't have time in between each day to get nervous about it.

As for Finn, he also loved it! Haha! He really is one of the most coordinated children I've ever met. He even drop-kicked the ball a couple of times! I mean, really! On his own! I was amazed!

A Doe and Two Fawns

You startled me this morning.
Or was it I startled you?
A mutuality then. Certainly though,
It was you who left the lasting impression--
Like a trio of ghosts:
Witnessed with the eye,
But soundless, still, and
Staring.

Leaving me to wonder,
Did I really see you?

The Village Green

The kids love the Green. It's right in the middle of town, and it is also the main hub of the Island Explorer buses, which we ride as often as possible in the summer. This works out perfectly because then the kids get to play while we wait for our next bus or the bus that will take us home.

Madie has learned to climb trees using the ones in the park.  These particular ones are fairly low and have many crotches, so they're perfect for learning on!

Finn does his best to follow, but the only tree he can "climb" is one in our back yard. He loves to hang from that low branch to his right though!

Before the snow even finished melting Madie was asking when we could have a picnic at the Green. "Madie, it's freezing cold. And the ground still has snow on it!" 

"But not ALL of it."

"True, but what isn't covered in snow is wet and gross. We'll have a picnic there when it warms up." 

We did go and play there some in the winter--the snow was so high this year that it was hard for the kids--and even Elvis--to get around the park very easily, and we were the only ones there, but it was nice to get outside and spend some time romping before heading to the library to warm up and listen to story time.

Another perk of the Green is it's location in relation to the fire station. Finn loves to look at the trucks. Madie is always annoyed when I make her come with us across the street to get a close-up. I'm often reminding her she can survive anything for three minutes. The only downside of the fire station is the tradition of blaring the noon-time horn. I mean, it's nice to know what time it is, but I much prefer the church bells down the street. And when you're at the park (or anywhere in the vicinity) it's very startling! We can hear the horn from our house 5 miles away.

Finn gets a ride on Dad's bike.

And of course the Green makes the perfect after-work meeting spot if we happen to be heading that way the same time Dad gets out of work.

Wakeful

It's 4:25. I've been up since Finn called out around 3:30. Mike actually got up and covered him up, but I just couldn't fall back asleep. It seems neither could Finn. By the time I got up to close his door and ours, he was apparently still awake.

"Nooo," he whined weakly from behind the door. I opened it up again and he said, "No, Mumma. On ba [bed]," and patted his trundle bed beside him. I sat down and rubbed his hair some. Then I just sat there for probably 10 or 15 minutes. Finally, when he seemed asleep, I got up and came out. I started some toast and sat down to study some French (a new "family" goal, set by none other than Mike, and carried out, so far, solely by me). Sure enough, right as the toast finished, Mr. Finnegan came toddling out of his room. Needless to say, that piece went to him. He's sitting here in a chair next to me crunching away on honey toast and shaking his head when I tell him I love him.

Even for the sake of toast, it's a little too early.