laidback holiday

“Here’s a kiss and a hug for you / I love you mommy for all you do / Happy Mother’s Day!” Munchkin sang to D, ignoring S’s softly whispered exhortations to substitute “papa” into the Mother’s Day song he had learned at school. “Happy Mother’s Day, papa, and babushka, and dedushka, and mommy!” he concluded. At least the sentiment was right, and he did tenderly refer to D as “my little fuzzy papa” a little while later.

D’s parents came up from Connecticut for a three-day visit, and we enjoyed a languid Father’s Day weekend with them full of trips to the beach and our area’s many wooded spots to let Munchkin burn off his energy and let out the occasional tantrum. No matter how much we try to head off Munchkin’s outbursts, he always manages to push playtime to the point of either hunger or exhaustion, seamlessly transitioning from giggles to screams and tears. One moment he is squealing with delight, “Papa, be a big bad wolf!” “Oh no, babushka, run and hide! The big bad wolf is going to eat us!” And the next moment the Three Little Pigs-inspired make-belief game morphs into a whining fit.

The drive from Connecticut takes a good five hours, and rather than wait at home for babushka and dedushka to arrive, we spent the morning with Munchkin at nearby Runaround Pond, where the Rise & Shine Club had organized a boating outing. There were kayaks, canoes, and even a couple of paddleboards. Red is Munchkin’s favorite color, and he made a beeline for the red kayak before asking D to return to shore to give all of the other colors a try.

Thirty-eight weeks pregnant and all, S wasn’t about to let her boys have all the fun. She also took a kayak around the pond before transitioning to a paddleboard. Rowing standing up was a bit easier, but also proved a bit too precarious. A strong gust of wind threw S off-balance and she tumbled backwards off the board into the brackish water. The unintended dip in the pond was a minor nuisance when compared to the effort it took for S to regain the top of the board.

S had envisioned a tour of one of Portland’s many craft breweries to celebrate Father’s Day, but with the baby still not quite ready to come out of the womb, D suggested a rain check until S could also enjoy the outing. Instead, he spent the holiday relaxing with a good book, which, come to think of it, is not too different from how D hopes to spend the rest of his R&R.