After a quick breakfast in our hotel room, we headed downtown to take the ferry to Centre Island. The forecast had been for rain, but the sun was shining and puffy white clouds dotted a beautiful blue sky. We boarded the ferry and found a bench where Mr. 0 and could stand and bang on the window while looking out over the harbor. There aren't a lot of great things for babies to do on vacation, but he seemed very pleased with this.
The ferry docked and we headed out to explore the island. The boys ran off into a field and disappeared under a huge tree with branches all the way to the ground. "It's Totoro's tree," we were told when one came out of their new secret place. Last week we watched My Neighbor Totoro and it may be the best kids movie of all time. The boys loved it and it's clear that the film makers have actually been around kids. Real kids who interact with each other in the way I want my boys to interact with each other. And it was the inspiration for one of my favorite vacation moments.
We decided we couldn't leave the Totoro tree so we bought pizza and pulled out our provisions and ate at a nearby picnic table, with the boys taking turns chasing the gulls away. A job taken quite seriously by Mr. 3 and Mr. 7. Mr. 0 happily chased a little red spider with his chubby fist. Perfect.
After lunch we continued our ramblings with a trip to the beach, wandering through the Franklin Childrens Garden (I need to look up Franklin the Turtle - a series of childrens books I don't know), and finally racing the rain back to the ferry.
After hot chocolate (and coffee) by the water, we went to the top of the CN Tower and watched the storm that had blown in. Lightning flashes and big black clouds that moved through and away. Again Mr. 0 happily stood against the window. Mr. 7 saw the airport and watched planes land. And as we walked back to the car, we saw old train cars (Mr. 3 insisted one was Salty) and the old roundhouse
We finished our day by getting take away from Fresh, a vegetarian restaurant the woman at the coffeshop recommended. It looked much too hip for our crowd, but the food was great (although it took almost an hour to get it). A late dinner in our room watching jousting on the History Channel and we were all exhausted.
David has made an agreement with the older boys that if they will quietly stay in their beds until 7am then they can get up and play on the tablets (we brought many) quietly until the smaller brothers wake up. This has been the perfect way for 6 people to share one room and for everyone to get enough sleep. Have I mentioned what a super dad he is? For that reason, and so very many more.
On the ferry
The Totoro tree
A beautiful morning
Clouds rolling in
A storm approaches
The Franklin Childrens Garden
The CN Tower
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