I have to give Hunter a high-five for this one. As much as it embarrasses me to tell you what happened, I will.
It was pretty nice a couple of Saturdays ago. We woke up that morning, asked Toddler if there was anything she was itching to do and she, being Toddler, replied, "go out on the boat to the beach to tickle barnacles."
Tickling barnacles is her new thing - I taught her to gently tickle the big thatched barnacles found on the beach and watch them move in their shells. I admit, I made up giggle sounds for each of the barnacles she tickled and it got to be a little game between us.
So, she wanted to go to the beach. Problem is Little Hunter. He's still a narcoleptic feeder. The mere sight of a boob will send that kid to sleep in record speed. Yes, I tried taking his clothes off, tickling his feet, blowing on him, jiggling things I'd rather not admit to jiggling, talking, pleading, begging... you name it, no dice. So that means lucky me is strapped to a pump every four hours to keep his little self fed the liquid gold guilt-free.
What is a mom to do when her displaced, upset Toddler who still hasn't forgiven her for bringing a new baby home wants to do her special thing? Make it work. You make it work.
In comes Hunter who asked for my pump & told me to leave it to him. An hour later, he called from the boat harbour, sounding victorious. "I've got this!" he said. The man wired my pump into the boat's electrical system so that I could bob about Kachemak Bay for as long as I wanted without the tell-tale signs that I needed to go home & pump.
Worked like a charm. We packed a lunch, bundled up the kids & got on our way. It was a great day at the beach. Barnacles got tickled. rocks were climbed, shells were collected, sand castles were built. Little Hunter was happily fed on command & there was no going home until Toddler said so... Magic!
So I have a question for the Coast Guard. Do they make a flag that says: Approach Vessel with Caution, You might encounter more than you bargained for? I need to get one of those.