Apples

We went apple picking today. It's a great thing to do with kids, evidently, because everyone there was doing it with their kids. Anyway, Jack was really into the idea, and the Rosenfelds go every year, so we got in our car and headed out, I guess in Fairfield or somewhere.

First we rode in a big cart being pulled by a tractor. That was kind of cool. Went out in the middle of this orchard where I had images of a Steinbeck novel. Whose title I've forgotten, but it had something to do with apples. I wore the Baby Bjorn with Kate in it. We picked an apple as we walked along. I took a bite. Put it in front of Kate so she could kind of take a bite. Then handed it to Jack.

As Jack took a bite, she started to protest. AAAAaaaaAAAAaaaaAAAAA! She said. I got the apple back from Jack (Emily got him another one) and gave it back to Kate. Who clutched it in both hands and gnawed it contentedly.

We spent about the next 45 minutes walking around the apple orchard. She did not let go of the apple. She was quiet, contentedly gnawing it, gumming it, biting it with her four total teeth. Still holding it as we walked along, finished picking, got back in the tractor cart, and rode down to the parking lot.

By the end it was a little, wet, lumpy, gummed-over apple core, that had been mashed and bitten and de-juiced.

And Kate was happy.

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We were getting ready for bed tonight, in Jack's room, and Kate crawled in. I've already forgotten if I was singing, or the Fun Fair was playing music. Anyway, Kate stood up, feet planted, and started dancing in place. Sort of swaying and grooving, feet not moving, body rocking side to side. Jack was also dancing, kind of running in circles, which he does sometimes.

I said to Emily, when she came in, "Kate was doing the twist."

Jack looked up from his running in circles, and said, "Mommy, I'm doing the round."