A week with Nana and Boopa

The first week of March - for Northeastern's spring break - Mama and Dada went to Hawaii for a week to visit Auntie Sally, who is doing Teach for America on Oahu, and explore the Big Island. Although both Mama and Dada had been away from Caden, this was Caden's first time without either of us for even one night - and we were gone for 9 nights! Nana and Boopa - Dada's parents - flew in from Alaska to stay with Caden. They arrived 3 days before we left, giving them time to get to know their way around the North Shore and Caden's routines. Just over a day before we left, Caden came down with the stomach flu, and Nana and Boopa were nice enough to take over Caden-care early, as both Mama and Dada had busy days on Friday getting work in order before we left.

Over the first weekend, Nana and Boopa sequentially caught Caden's bug and, as Nana put it in an update email to us, "well, we wanted to share in Caden's routine - now we're even sharing germs"! And, the day after we left, there was a big snowstorm. So, pretty much everything we worried would deter future Caden-carers happened, but Nana and Boopa could not have been more wonderful. Their pictures show what a special week Caden got to have with his grandparents.

Back at school on Tuesday (Monday was a snow day, but he normally stays home on Mondays, anyways):

First trike ride of 2009:

Baking salmon quiche with Nana (mm, tasty!):

Quiche time! (Caden kept talking about salmon and quiche when we got back - and we've started eating fish at least once a week which he really likes)

The second weekend, the weather warmed up to almost 60oF! Nana and Boopa took Caden to explore Marblehead Neck (Mama and Dada have still not been out there) and to the playground at Devereux Beach.

Where Caden apparently insisted on throwing rocks:

And, in general, had a perfect day with Nana and Boopa:

Nana and Boopa also took Caden for his first swim in the new YMCA's pool!

Caden has been telling us how we need to learn how to be motorboats. I guess we're going to have to have Nana and Boopa leave us notes, just like we left for them!

And there were lots and lots of stories. Caden especially enjoyed the Lobsterman book that Boopa brought for him and is currently very intrigued by all professions that require wearing gloves (including lobstermen, doctors, and garbage collectors).

After a sunny and warm weekend, Mama and Dada returned on Monday the 9th to another snowstorm. Nana and Boopa left the next day for Nana's 60th birthday trip to Costa Rica. They will swing through Boston for a night this week, on their way back to Alaska.

The day Nana and Boopa left, Caden came down with another stomach flu, and was out of school Tuesday afternoon, Wednesday, Thursday, and then had to be picked up early again on Friday.

When he was still complaining of bad stomach pain on Friday, Caden's pediatrician convinced us to take him to the E.R. to do an x-ray to check for intusseseption (looped and blocked intestines). So, we packed up teddy and some snacks and headed over to North Shore Children's Hospital at Salem Hospital. The staff, nurse, and doctor all could not have been more efficient and friendly. Caden was in awe of all the medical equipment. The x-ray didn't show anything wrong, so the doctor didn't have much to suggest. Mama and Dada's theory is that Caden is both starting to experience physical manifestations of emotions (and is missing Nana and Boopa and trying to get settled back into a routine, with a stomach bug thrown in) and that Caden learned saying 'my tummy's owie' got him lots of attention.

After a bit of a tough week back, we've had some really nice weather over the last week. We have enjoyed a couple trips to the park and have our first crocus blooming out front. Spring is in the air. Caden is looking forward to next week's visit from Nana and Boopa and trip to Oregon to see Ama and Adad (and Uncle Jerry, Auntie Misty, Auntie Sally, and lots of good friends!).

Also in the last few weeks: on February 28, the day we left on our trip, we found out that Grammy Larrie had passed away in Anchorage, having been med-evac-ed from Petersburg where she and Grandpa have lived for the past year (before that, they were in Juneau for many years). We were lucky to be able to spend time with Grammy and Grandpa during our trip to Petersburg last August. During that trip, Caden was so affectionate with his great grandparents and liked to push Grammy in her wheelchair and make them laugh with their funny toys. We feel so lucky that Caden has had the chance to know many of his great-grandparents!

...and the rest of February

February was such a busy and fun month! For Valentine's Day, we printed out some kid-friendly recipes (eggless chocolate cake, snow ice cream, etc.), and Caden decorated the pages with stickers and pens. This project took place the same night the girls from the lab were 'getting crafty' in preparation for G's bachelorette party, so Caden got help from our friend Catherine.

On Valentine's Day, we invited Summer and Mae over so Sal and Liza could go on a date (a snowshoe race in VT!). The kids had a blast, as usual, playing, snacking, reading books, and painting. That night, Dada and Caden went over to Luke's to play guitar hero (there were extra instruments for Caden, so he could play the guitar and drums, too) while Mama joined the girls for dinner and a movie in Boston.

The next day, we took the T into Boston and then out to Cambridge

to go to the (residents free day at the) Harvard Natural History Museum. We had talked up the dinosaur bones, so Caden did a happy dance for about 30 seconds when he saw this complete skeleton! He also liked seeing the stuffed African mammals, insect collections, and space rocks. We made it to only a few exhibits, with there being so much to see and the place being pretty packed with kids, so we'll definitely return. We had lunch at b.good., a natural food burger place, before riding the trains back to the car.

The next weekend, Mama went to Foxwoods (in CT) for a night, then returned in time to celebrate her birthday at home with some of her favorites: taco salad and rhubarb cake (which Caden helped make).

Finally, a couple pictures of Caden playing...here he is practicing out his doctoring. He is wearing socks as gloves (he is very interested in the different gloves that are worn in different professions - has also asked about garbage collectors, lobstermen, and postal workers) and using his Slinky as a stethoscope to give his sea animals a check-up. Maybe we don't need to get him a doctor kit for his birthday after all!


And we couldn't resist taking a picture of this train. We like how he used his natural wood blocks, with the small sticks set sideways as wheels.

Next - photos of Caden's week with Nana and Boopa while Mama and Dada went to Hawaii for Spring Break!