August 1 - August 14, 2018 - 4 years 1 month

Gotta love dem O's!

We met up with Ama, Maya and a friend of theirs and went on a train ride to the Spencer Whistle Stop.  Then we boarded our rafts and got to explore and touch icebergs on the Spencer Glacier Lake.  And finally, we floated down the Placer River.  Kadin loved the class I and II rapids and kept yelling, "more waves, more waves".  At one point, I had to put him in the middle of the boat because he kept leaning too far over to touch the water.  Towards the end, he got a bit bored of the flat water and I had him jump up and down in the raft trying to make his own waves (with the guide's ok, of course).

Mama Ama with Maya.

After the trip, we went to a restaurant in Cooper Landing, where Kadin found a bunch of wild raspberry bushes and was happy to pick some for Maya.  He even offered some raspberries to a random man eating at the restaurant, saying, "They're really yummy… you should eat some."

We said good-bye to Ama and Maya the next day and Kadin was so sleepy, he slept as I got him out of his carseat, put him in the cart, did all my shopping, and then put him back in his carseat!

Instead of going straight home, we decided to camp another couple of nights and Kadin always looks forward to a campfire so he can roast his marshmallows and hotdogs!

The second campsite was by a lake and Kadin was fascinated (and maybe a bit scared) by the crazy energy that these four girls had.  He just stood and stared at them for about 5 minutes before one of them gently brought him into the action.

Conversation in an outhouse (original version in Spanish, mostly):

K: what that say?

J: "Nixon lives" Es un poco una bobada sobre un hombre que esta muerto pero alguien piensa que todavia viva.

K:  Hombre?  No have tetas?  No leche?

J: Sí, Dito.  Los hombres no tiened tetas y no pueden dar leche a los bebes; solo las mujeres.

K:  Tu give me leche?

J: No Kadito, no podia.  Mis tetas no hacian leche.

K: Why tu no leche?

J:  Para tener leche en las tetas, hay que tener el bebe en la barriga, el utero, antes y yo no te tenia en la barriga Kadito.  Otra mujer te llevaba en su utero y como ella no podia cuidarte y te querria mucho, asi que ella te dio a mi para cuidar y ser tu mama.  Eso quire decir que tu eres adoptado.

Conversation in an outhouse (English version):

K: what that say?

J: "Nixon lives" It's a bit silly, about a man who is dead but someone thinks he's still alive.

K:  A man?  So he no have boobs?  He no have milk?

J: Yes, Dito.  Men do not have boobs and they cannot give milk to their babies, only women can do that.

K:  You give me milk?

J: No Kadin, my boobs didn't have any milk.

K: Why you no have milk?

J: To have milk in your boobs, you have to have a baby in your belly, your uterus, beforehand and I didn't have you in my belly, Kadito.  Another woman carried you in her belly. She wasn't able to take care of you and since she loved you very much she gave you to me to care for and be your mommy.  That means you're adopted.

You never know when and where you'll be having these important conversations…. 

July 15 - July 31, 2018 - 4 years 2 weeks

Those bloody leeches! I can't remember if we kept the one that did this to Kadin as a pet or not.  At least they are kind enough to apply a topical anesthetic first.  Didn't hurt at all.

P.S.  The fun part of being so behind in my posts is that I can relive all our summer fun while it's cold and snowing outside!

July 12-16, 2018 - 4 years old ¡¡Feliz Cumpleaños!!

August 1 - 15, 2017 - 3 years 1 month

Kadin watches the other kids balance the plate on the stick after the Juggling Show.

And then he tries it himself!!!!   

Kadin, hanging out with his friend Alden, at the Juggle Whatever Show.

It's so fun to run into Kadin's friends around town… here Kadin is playing with Soleil at a sunny Live at Five show.

Kadin didn't want to get into the car when Live at Five ended, so he ran around the car several times, jumping into all of the mud puddles until his face was sufficiently splattered.

Fun on another sunny day at X Lake!  He would run and jump into the raft over and over again… see the video below.

Eventually, even Kadin tires out and he decided to chill in the raft for an adorable summer portrait.

Moose!  We pulled over so Kadin could get out of his carseat and actually see them.  Afterwards, everytime I put my brakes on or slowed down, he would ask, "Alce?" (Moose in Spanish)

I went into Conscious Coffee to order and thought Kadin was outside playing with the Tonka trucks.  Instead, I found him sitting on the couch, reading!  

We went out to the Talkeetna River on the other side of the trestle bridge and Kadin found a giant glacial melt pool to play in.  The water was icy but it didn't faze Dito… he played in it for an hour!

The best toy ever… a double roll of birch bark he found in the water… which became a boat zooming all around.  See video below.

A throwback to my days of artsy photos… Both Kadito and I love spirals, especially in nature. 

He saw so many boats cruise by when he was playing in the river the other day, that I booked us a tour up the Chulitna with Mahays.  Yay!!!

The boat tour included a stop at a recreated Athabaskan village where Dito could run around and play with moose antlers and fur.  (And scare the tourists when he'd eat the high bush cranberries without asking me first.)

What a busy couple of weeks!  It was Salmon Day today, and the Ranger Station and Susitna River Salmon Center put on events for kids of all ages.  

Kadin swimming and counting boats

Kadin jumping into the raft!

Kadin playing with his birchbark boat.

July 14 - 16, 2017 - 3 YEARS OLD!!!

Happy Birthday Kadito!
Abuela Baiba sent him this card, and he put all the stickers on it immediately, starting on the floor of the post office.  

My adorable sleeping baby is now a three year old sleeping child… and still adorable. 

Happy Birthday Kadin!

We spent his actual birthday hanging out at a lake, playing with water, rocks, and mud.  Defintely need to see the video below...

Laura and Kaiya graciously offered to help us make yummy blueberry muffins with cream cheese icing for the party.  Mr. Chef jumped right in with the flour sifter.

Feliz Cumpleaños Kadito!

Calvin and Soleil eagerly wait for Kadito to blow out his candles so they can have some yummy blueberry muffins!  Juniper was there too, watching from her mama's lap.  After we got them all sugared up, we went out in the raft and took turns jumping into the water.  So glad it was a warm sunny day!