a boy’s life…

Me: Should he have his own kayak now?

Jamie: Maybe… we could borrow a ducky this summer and take him to Silver Lake with it, see how he does.

Me: Well it’s something that we know we’re going to get a lot of use out of and it’s probably not going to get any cheaper.   It would be an inflatable right, so he wouldn’t tip as easily as in a kayak?

Jamie: Oh yeah – by next summer he’d be able to self-rescue. 

I can not believe we had this conversation today…seriously considering getting a kayak, well ducky, for our TWO AND A HALF YEAR OLD!  Ha! The kid is a natural.  Ever since kayaking with him last summer and watching him practice paddling around the house, acting out various roll-rescue scenarios in the bathtub, literally paddling around his wading pool in a blow-up giraffe…let’s just say I’m bracing myself for a kid who may very well grow up to take on waterfalls and rather than try to stop him, we’d better make sure he is prepared and ready to face the challenge.

Even if he grows up to be an accountant who lives in (heaven help us) the city, I couldn’t feel more blessed that he is growing up with a great big wild backyard perfect for camping with daddy and listening for ‘beefoot!’ and fast, crystal clear water to fish and paddle.

…I did have to set a new house rule…no kayaking for Lakelyn until she can hold her own head up!

Mosquito Season Summertime is in full swing in the North Country and with it brings campfires, tents, boating and long days at the beach…Porter’s world just got a whole lot bigger now that the cold, muddy days of spring are behind us.

'dad needs my help'

first camping trip...in the backyard

first time in a tent

a lucky local going out for an afternoon float

spending the morning with dad

training wheels off!

Note to the Grandmas – I cropped Jamie out of the last picture ;)