Fire Bagels and Card Games

It is always such a blessing to me when a memory has made it's way into a child's head and stuck there. Yesterday Isis announced to me, "I love Pop-Pop. He takes me on backpack rides and that is special." She is recalling a favorite activity from our recent cabin vacation. Every morning, just after breakfast, she would begin to enlist someone to take her on a backpack ride. One time it was Mommy, until I realized that I was too pregnant to carry a 36 pound child back up the hill. Several times it was Daddy who would strap her on and take her fishing around the pond. A few times it was Pop-Pop who toted her all the way to the gate entrance just to stop and climb the fence and have a snack. She does not take these times for granted, she knows what special means. I know because of the way she says it..."it's speeeecial" she whispers, waving her hand in my face.

Isis had many firsts on this trip. Trying her hand at fishing seemed very intriguing for all of about 3 seconds. She really wanted to hold the pole by herself. The end. That is fishing to a three year old. When Chris actually helped her bring in a tiny fish, she was already running back to the sand pile. Perhaps a few more years and a longer attention span will help that interest, or lack thereof, along.

Another highlight was a campfire down by the pond one evening. We celebrated Grammy's birthday with cupcakes made by Pop-Pop, s'mores, and sparklers. Isis was a bit timid at first but we reassured her that running around with a stick on fire is a great idea. Soon turned to mastery...

I've expressed before that my memories of childhood vacations consisted of sugar cereal. It was something speeecial that we didn't get on a daily basis. As my father likes to say, it's playing the vacation card. In other words, it's vacation and there doesn't need to be a reason and you don't have to justify your actions to anyone. Which is why nobody was allowed to say anything if some one's breakfast consisted of pie and ice cream.

About midweek Isis discovered a new favorite activity. Mornings consisted of Pop-Pop waking up and walking directly outside to get the daily campfire going. Isis would wander outside with him and throw sticks on the fire. Occasionally she would send Mommy or Daddy back to the cabin because she wanted to be alone with Pop-Pop. We ran like mad and played our own vacation card called Eating my Captain Crunch By Myself. One morning I suggested to Isis that we toast her bagel on the fire instead of using a toaster. She thought this was a magnificent idea and spent the rest of the week dining on "fire bagels."

We have been back home now for two weeks. Every once in a while something will trigger a memory in her and she will begin to talk about the cabin. I am amazed at what she recalls and what she has chosen to remember. At home, I cannot start her day with fire bagels. I cannot offer her sparklers or backpacks rides daily. I will not hand out marshmallows and fruit snacks all day long. Occasionally she will wake up in the morning and ask for a popsicle for breakfast. She understands the whole vacation card thing, but has yet to learn that you cannot lay the card after the trick has been taken.