Week 32

Dear Zayde,

...continuing the tale about our journey up North...

On Sunday, as you well know, I went for my first ride on the boat.  You can imagine my surprise when I looked out the window and saw that our surroundings were all floating away.  At least, that's what I thought was happening until it dawned on me that we were floating away.  Now that I think about it, this must be how you got the boat all the way to Maine.  That must have been a long trip.  It's a good thing you had Bubbi with you to keep you company.  I learned during my first foray into the open waters that boats sway just like Mommy does when she rocks me to sleep.  I tried so hard to stay awake during our boat ride, but my eyes refused to stay open.  It was a smooth and uneventful trip.  I recall something about seals and more lobster, but like I said, I was asleep for most of it.  I do recall the return to the marina and was impressed by the pilot's expertise at docking our vessel among so many others.  Whoever was at the helm should give my parents a few tips about parallel parking.

Later that day, I learned that a barbeque is a meal that's cooked outside.  Auntie Linda gave me a bright pink baseball cap that says "Penn."  You and Mommy thought that was an excellent gift, and I agree.  When the sun set, my Philadelphia cousins and some of the other guests stuck white fluffy things on the ends of sticks and held them over a campfire.  Mommy said they were making "s'mores" but explained that those aren't for babies.  I'm getting sick and tired of that line.  "It's not for babies," eh?  Then I don't want to be a baby anymore.  I want to eat things on sticks and crack open lobsters and dance until the party is over.  I'm beginning to understand that being a baby isn't all it's cracked up to be.  All the excitement at the barbeque made me super sleepy, so I passed out in Mommy's arms.  I have a vague memory of being placed in a big bed made out of tree trunks.  You know I'm a huge fan of trees, so I was in slumbering heaven that night.  Unfortunately, Mommy moved me from that awesome location and returned me to my travel crib on the boat.  A few hours later, I voiced my disapproval and wound up back in bed with my parents.

Monday was the third and final day of parties in Maine.  That was the day we celebrated your 75th
birthday party.  I gave you your present a day early because I couldn't wait any longer.  You said you loved the book that Mommy helped me design.  I wanted to make sure you had a non-digital copy of these letters - as well as some of my favorite pictures of our family - that you could share with people who come to visit.  On your birthday, we went to my Great Grandparents' home.  I thought all my grandparents were great, but it turns out that Grammy Jo and Grampy Don are the only "officially" great ones.  That day I learned that my father and many other family members are capable of eating lobster multiple times a day for many consecutive days.  I suppose I understand how they can do it; after all, I've been drinking the same milk for almost eight months.  I wonder if lobster is as good as milk.  Maybe next year I'll find out.  At the party, I learned that people in Maine don't let a little rain spoil a good time.  That's when tents and umbrellas and covered porches come in handy.  I learned that Mommy wrote the lyrics to a song about our family, and it's not that bad.  The most amazing thing I learned that day is that you are halfway through your eighth decade, and I am halfway through my eighth month.  I think about all the things I've learned in the last eight months, and I am boggled by the enormity of what you must have learned in all those years.

Maine was fun and informative, but on Tuesday it was time to pack up and head South.  I was sad to say good-bye to you and Bubbi, but I know that we will see each other soon.  Feel free to use my high chair and crib in the interim.

I stayed awake during most of the return road trip to Boston, and on the way I learned that there are a lot of Dunkin Donuts in Massachusetts.  When we arrived at the airport, I was surprised to see Grandma walking out to greet us and even more surprised when Daddy said good-bye and walked into the airport without Mommy and me.  It made me cry a little, but then Grandma climbed into the backseat and played with me until I calmed down.  For the next two days, I got to spend some time in Massachusetts with Grandma's sister and even more cousins.  I met Kylie, who is 10 months old and prefers spinning like a whirling dervish rather than the traditional method of crawling.  Her older brother, Wyatt, was kind enough to return toys to me after Kyle stole them right out of my hands.  (Sure, they were "her" toys, but I think I heard someone say that possession is nine tenths of the law, which makes me think that if a toy is in my hands, it must be mine.  ALL MINE.)  That first night we had dinner with a bunch of grown up cousins.  Everyone wanted to hold me and tell me how much I look like Mommy.  By that point, I'd lost count of the number of cousins I met in one week - not to mention all the cousins I'd encountered in Florida.  Seriously, how big is my family?  Am I related to everyone in New England?

The next day, I learned about all sorts of interesting phenomena at a science museum.  I observed
amphibians, reptiles, mammals, insects, and birds, as well as a strange species known as "tourists."  They're large and emit an unpleasant odor.  I learned how a wave is formed and stared at some optical illusions.  Mommy fed me in a peaceful library filled with science texts; she said that eating in such an intellectual atmosphere was good for my development.

On Thursday, Mommy, Grandma, and I returned to the airport.  I wasn't thrilled about sitting still for that long once again, but I learned that on an airplane, a Grandma is an excellent asset.  She reclined her seat to give us some extra room, and then she held me and rocked me for over an hour.  I learned that just like my first ride on an airplane, this one concluded with a "descent," which gave me a strange feeling in my stomach and my ears.  Mommy attempted to feed me and kept telling me that the swallowing motion would help my ears, but who can relax and enjoy a meal at a time like that?

All in all, I found the entire week's vacation to be a series of adventures in learning.  I couldn't possibly write about all the things I saw and heard and smelled and tasted in just a few letters, so I tried to mention the most important aspects of our trip.  I learned that I like to travel and see new places and meet new people, and I hope that my parents learned that I am capable of going with them to distant destinations.  Life is one epic journey, and it's good to know that like you, I can spend the years learning about our world and its many inhabitants.

Your traveling tot,
Zelda