Happenings

I haven't reported about the syrup experiment because it was largely a failure. I'm really not sure what went wrong. We knew we wouldn't get much sap because it was late in the season. I was hoping it would be a good practice run for next year.

We had a little less than a gallon to boil and figured from research that it would produce about half a cup of real syrup. When it boiled down to that amount, I tested the syrup. It was sweet and starting to turn brown (a definite improvement over the sap itself which Ethan declared "tastes like watery tree") but still quite watery so I let it boil a little longer. Too long, in fact. It became impossibly thick.

The real tragedy is that, thick or thin, the syrup had a strange aftertaste and just didn't taste very maple-y. Sweet but strange. Maybe we have the wrong kind of trees or maybe they are diseased? I don't know. Disappointing.

In other news, we have started the process of getting Sadie evaluated for early intervention services. If she qualifies, she will receive services for free in the home, so, in spite of all the red tape, it's worth a try. Since my initial call to the program a couple weeks ago, she is rolling over and becoming slowly more mobile. We've been working hard with her.

Next Friday is her evaluation and really I'm not sure whether I want her to qualify or not.

Yesterday, Sadie clapped for the first time. For Ethan. She was sitting on the kitchen floor and Ethan was playing with her as I raced around throwing food together for dinner. Ethan called out, "She's doing it! She's clapping!" Drew and Adam came running and we all surrounded her, clapping along and exclaiming. Sadie screamed and gurgled with delight. One of those moments that makes you happy to be right where you are.