Try to Keep Up, Will 'Ya

We took a trip to Maine during spring break, and we stopped at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art on the way. 

Jamie and I spent a day in Portland while Grandma and Grandpa babysat.

And Jamie, Duncan, and I spent a day at the Maine Maritime Museum. I loved this museum and recommend it highly. It kept Duncan entertained for a good part of the day. He was interested in the old boat exhibits, the workshop where small boats are built, and the sculpture designed to give visitors an idea of the size of ships that used to be built on site. There was a great exhibit about Maine in the Cold War, which I would have devoured if Duncan hadn't been pretty much done by that point.  We all want to go back for a tour of Bath Iron Works after eyeing the enormous iron ships being built down the street.

Independence Day

To surprise me last night, Duncan sent me out of the bathroom while he put on his pull up, his pajamas, and his socks and brushed his teeth "all by myself!" (I thought he was just buttoning his pajama top so I was truly surprised. There was a lot of grunting (which sounded like a preschool version of swearing) and self-affirmation ("I can DO this,") followed by sweet triumph. "I put these things on all by myself, AND I brushed my teeth." Sometimes it's so hard to take the time to let him do these things, but it's really important. Not only does he learn valuable self-care skills, but he also learns the feeling of success. I will remember these things when he needed to be in the car 10 minutes ago and insists on zipping his jacket...I swear I will...while I'm counting to 10 inside my head and practicing deep breathing.