Day 1, Part 1
Monday – April 21, 2008
Today our daughter-in-law woke up in a very brave mood and took us into New York City. We walked the few blocks from their house in town to the train station where we would catch the commuter train into the City.
My son has on occasion caught the commuter train, but most days he drives about thirty minutes, parks his car and catches the ferry which passes around the area connecting New Jersey and New York and right into his office area. After a short walk, he’s there in his office. This works for him most time maybe because of the time schedules of the train. He just finds it more convenient to catch the ferry than ride the train.
My daughter-in-law, my husband, Little Analyzer, Little Free Spirit, Beautiful Blue Eyes and a little twelve-year old neighbor girl and I arrived at the train station just a couple of minutes before the train came and left. We had to get our tickets on the train because the ticket office wasn’t open.
Anyway, the train had no intentions of waiting on us and we would have missed that train had we not moved a little faster. (Hmmm, now that I think about it, maybe daughter-in-law was planning for us to all board the plan and leave her behind. She was downstairs getting her morning cup of coffee. We weren't buying that plan to leave us behind. We would have been lost forever!)
We all piled onto the train, which was already pretty much filled when we got on. Two-year old Beautiful Blue Eyes claimed his own seat facing the other three kids, and they all occupied themselves chatting and playing games.
The conductor came around and checked the tickets, or in our case, took our money. He asked if we wanted a round-trip ticket or one way and my daughter hesitated a moment then said round trip. He took her money and then ours. We were lucky enough to get a senior citizens discount and ours was around $20. I don’t remember what hers was. It was a small mint because she had four kids and an adult (herself) to buy tickets for.) After we had paid, she remembered...we were supposed to return on the ferry with my son from his office later in the afternoon.
“Too late, lady, I can’t give you a refund.” It’s understandable how she could have made the mistake. She did have responsibility of two old folks and four little to middle sized ones. The conductor excused himself, then came back shortly and told her to check with a certain section when we arrived at Penn Station and they would give a refund. Fair enough.
Beautiful Blue Eyes finally settled down in a nest of jackets the four kids had piled over on his seat. It seemed he had just gotten comfortable when the train slowed to a screeching, noisy, ear-piercing stop. He immediately leapt to his feet, stood in the middle of his seat, turned to the sleepy passengers and loudly proclaimed in his best conductor style, “ALL DONE!”
Mommy quietly told him, “Not yet. We have a few more stops before we’re there.” This went on for maybe four or five more stops with the Little conductor jumping up from his seat and announcing each time, “ALL DONE!”
No one else seemed amused except his proud grandparents! What a darling child he was. So very cute! The rest of the sour pusses on board just appeared to fall back asleep. I’m sure they had thought they would be able to catch a few more snoozes before finally being shocked into work mode forty-five minutes or so down the road.
“ALL DONE!” “ALL DONE!” “ALL DONE!” over and over while each time Mommy patiently reminded him, “Not yet…We have a few more stops before we’re there,” and each time he would lie down and again after much wiggling and squirming, his pile of jacket pillows would fall to the nasty floor. Same routine. Grab jacket off floor, poke it back under his head, wait again for the slowing train.
Finally, he decided to join me in my seat after my fellow rider vacated his seat at one of the stops. He chattered away, asking “Dis da stop, Ganmomma?” “Dis it?” “Dare yet?” etc. until it really was finally time for him to make his real announcement. We waited patiently while those other people crowded off the train as though they couldn't wait to be the first into their office for the day, or were afraid they would be. Maybe they were headed to the nearest Starbucks.
Off the train at last, at Penn Station. Not the cleanest place in the world, but I guess it wasn’t the dirtiest, either. Our International Airport couldn't have been busier. There were so many people staggering around trying to avoid four kids and three adults who obviously didn't know where in the heck they were going. Up the stairs we went, trying to get our refund. Down the stairs to another location to get our refund which upstairs we had been told they couldn’t give it to us. After back and forth for a while we were told we couldn’t get a refund but could use the tickets later. Oh well.
Did I mention we had a stroller for Beautiful Blue Eyes and it had to be carried up and down those steps by my daughter-in-law. She made so many steps up and down carrying that stroller and each time it contained a 35 pound little boy loaded with diaper bags, sippy cups, jackets, etc. That was just at Penn Station. How she kept going, I don’t know! But she did, and didn’t complain one single bit.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Plotting the future…
April 21, 2008
Part II
During the forty-five minute train ride into New York City, Mommy watched her three little boys as they engaged in their antics to entertain themselves while aboard the train. The scuffling, the tussles, the giggles, the wiggles, just some of the things that make up three little boys as they grow up.
She plotted aloud finding ways to entice three unknown and unsuspecting young girls/women who , a few years from now, would be interested in somehow winning the hearts of each of these littlelittle demons , angelic little souls and take them away, continue to make them fine young men, so she can finally have a little peace and quiet. Hee hee …sob! sob!
This was her assessment of each child:
The oldest, Little Analyzer: “He just lucky he’s so smart! He took after his Daddy." Ah, just the words every proud Mother wants to hear her daughter-in-law say about the child she finally raised! Thank you daughter-in-law! "You can talk to him and everything just goes right over his head,” continues Mommy. Huh??? Ah yes, as in he didn’t hear you at all…because he’s not paying attention…now that I think about it...I remember his Daddy! That description of his father sounds about right to me.
Second child, Little Free Spirit: “He’s just lucky he’s so dog-gone cute. He has some pretty obnoxious habits, ” continues Mommy without elaborating. Umm hum, I see a resemblance again.
Third Child, Beautiful Blue Eyes: “I still haven’t got a handle on this one yet. There’s lots of work before I can get rid of him.” Oh yeah, I remember those same thoughts…But you have at least sixteen years to work on that one, Mommy, and if all else fails just like with their Daddy, those beautiful blue eyes and long, long lashes on all three of them will surely work on some dreamy young girl, probably at least three dreamy young girls, one a piece.
There’s hope, Mommy, there’s really hope. See, I see a resemblance, and I did finally got rid of my own little darling. Some poor unsuspecting young woman came along and took him right away! There’s a reason they’re so darn smart, cute and adorable. We couldn’t stand to live with them forever! Motherhood can only tolerate so much!
Part II
During the forty-five minute train ride into New York City, Mommy watched her three little boys as they engaged in their antics to entertain themselves while aboard the train. The scuffling, the tussles, the giggles, the wiggles, just some of the things that make up three little boys as they grow up.
She plotted aloud finding ways to entice three unknown and unsuspecting young girls/women who , a few years from now, would be interested in somehow winning the hearts of each of these little
This was her assessment of each child:
The oldest, Little Analyzer: “He just lucky he’s so smart! He took after his Daddy." Ah, just the words every proud Mother wants to hear her daughter-in-law say about the child she finally raised! Thank you daughter-in-law! "You can talk to him and everything just goes right over his head,” continues Mommy. Huh??? Ah yes, as in he didn’t hear you at all…because he’s not paying attention…now that I think about it...I remember his Daddy! That description of his father sounds about right to me.
Second child, Little Free Spirit: “He’s just lucky he’s so dog-gone cute. He has some pretty obnoxious habits, ” continues Mommy without elaborating. Umm hum, I see a resemblance again.
Third Child, Beautiful Blue Eyes: “I still haven’t got a handle on this one yet. There’s lots of work before I can get rid of him.” Oh yeah, I remember those same thoughts…But you have at least sixteen years to work on that one, Mommy, and if all else fails just like with their Daddy, those beautiful blue eyes and long, long lashes on all three of them will surely work on some dreamy young girl, probably at least three dreamy young girls, one a piece.
There’s hope, Mommy, there’s really hope. See, I see a resemblance, and I did finally got rid of my own little darling. Some poor unsuspecting young woman came along and took him right away! There’s a reason they’re so darn smart, cute and adorable. We couldn’t stand to live with them forever! Motherhood can only tolerate so much!
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Nearer our Destination...
Another morning of being lazy and relaxing before getting out and on the road for the final leg of the trip. We decided just to let the kids know we weren’t going to be there in time for lunch, but would just take our time and get there somewhere around 2:00 or 2:30 instead of 11:00, as previously planned.
Of course, I had picked up a couple of coupons from Michaels for 50% off and decided since I hadn’t been there lately (except for yesterday when I picked up the coupons)I needed to stop for my Michaels fix. We located another Michaels along the way and plugged the address into the GPS and she took us straight there. We were sure we would have to pay some tolls along the way but she routed us around them.
As we were leaving that Michaels I spotted a Costco. Think low gas prices. In just a couple of days time prices have sky-rocketed to prices we never thought we would ever see in our lifetime. We have been seeing some ridiculous prices along the way, but these were really setting records. We lucked up and got the best price for our gas there. Lucky thing we stopped there and saved at Michaels and Costco.
When we crossed the New Jersey State line we were excited at the thoughts of stopping to get a road map at a rest area or welcome station just as we have in every state so far. Imagine our surprise when we realized the only welcome station/rest area INTO New Jersey had no facilities. It was just a pull off. I don’t know what you were supposed to do when you pulled off. I guess just stretch your legs, but no facilities.
Even AAA doesn’t have a separate map for New Jersey. It is included as a small section of the upper states. Not even the AAA office closer to New Jersey. They only have the smaller version.
My advice to the State of New Jersey: Fix your roads…they’re just awful. Every state up there has cold, snowy weather and their roads were much better. Get decent welcome stations/rest areas throughout your state. Provide a map, for goodness sakes. I would like to know where I’m going or where I’ve been. Your taxes are unbelievable, and I won’t forget all those tolls we paid to travel in your state, your food prices are outrageous, your schools definitely need up-dating, the housing in your state is through the roof, just for added emphasis, your roads are worse than lousy, your drivers are absolutely, without a doubt very, very aggressive and obnoxious, you don’t even trust people to pump their own gas, you have no Cracker Barrels in your state and you don’t even have the good taste to serve grits or even sell them in your grocery stores. What’s up with you people? The only good things you have there are my kids! And I want them back! You don’t deserve them!
Now that I have that off my chest, let me finish my story…we pulled into the kid’s driveway around 2:40 PM, not much off schedule after we had stopped for a leisurely breakfast/lunch at Cracker Barrel along the way. Cracker Barrel seems to stop in Pennsylvania. At least our first trip up in October taught us to look for those Cracker Barrels before we left Pennsylvania!
The kids were waiting for us so we could join them on their outing of the week. A trip to Costco to buy groceries. It was interesting, I must say. Not just because we had three little boys in tow, but it was a fabulous Costco. Maybe twice as big as any we have here, and ten times as busy. Every check-out line was opened and there were lines of people snaking around the store in each line. But to their credit they did move fast.
There are some things we can’t find here they have there. One of my favorite is the Joey’s Black and White Cookies. They are a New York thing not really New Jersey, but they are the best cookies.
A neighbor, who had lived in New York State and had catered to banks, etc., introduced them to me a number of years ago when she and her husband moved down the street. She even invited me to watched her make them. I wrote down the complete instructions even down to the brand ingredients she used and I just knew I was on the road to eating scrumptious cookies for the rest of my life…only to find when I tried them, I would fail miserably. I blamed it on the fact that I had used an electric oven and she had used a gas one. After getting a gas oven I immediately tried my luck. It wasn’t a good thing at all. There is just something in the way I hold my mouth that changes the taste of those cookies. Not everyone can follow the recipe and get the same result, much to my chagrin.
Let me mention now, before we left New Jersey we ate one box and carried away two more of them, I think. But some of them were used for a picnic we went on, so I/we didn’t eat them all by ourselves. Just most of them. And I enjoyed every.single.one of them that I ate!
These goodies remind me so much of my Mama’s Old Fashioned Tea Cakes and they are cake-like, not crunchy. I never perfected those either. I wish I could because I would love to share them with my grandkids.
Someday when I have less to write about I may post the recipe I have for those Black and Whites. Maybe you will have better luck with them.
Upon our return home from Costco, our daughter-in-law had a crock pot filled with an absolutely to-die-for delicious lasagna-spinach-chicken casserole prepared and waiting for all of us when we returned from the shopping. (We took her with us shopping, of course. She had done all the prep work earlier in the day.) She added a few yummy vegetables and some fruit and we had an amazingly easy (for me, since I didn’t have to prepare it) and scrumptious meal.
Tomorrow also promises to be an eventful day.
Of course, I had picked up a couple of coupons from Michaels for 50% off and decided since I hadn’t been there lately (except for yesterday when I picked up the coupons)I needed to stop for my Michaels fix. We located another Michaels along the way and plugged the address into the GPS and she took us straight there. We were sure we would have to pay some tolls along the way but she routed us around them.
As we were leaving that Michaels I spotted a Costco. Think low gas prices. In just a couple of days time prices have sky-rocketed to prices we never thought we would ever see in our lifetime. We have been seeing some ridiculous prices along the way, but these were really setting records. We lucked up and got the best price for our gas there. Lucky thing we stopped there and saved at Michaels and Costco.
When we crossed the New Jersey State line we were excited at the thoughts of stopping to get a road map at a rest area or welcome station just as we have in every state so far. Imagine our surprise when we realized the only welcome station/rest area INTO New Jersey had no facilities. It was just a pull off. I don’t know what you were supposed to do when you pulled off. I guess just stretch your legs, but no facilities.
Even AAA doesn’t have a separate map for New Jersey. It is included as a small section of the upper states. Not even the AAA office closer to New Jersey. They only have the smaller version.
My advice to the State of New Jersey: Fix your roads…they’re just awful. Every state up there has cold, snowy weather and their roads were much better. Get decent welcome stations/rest areas throughout your state. Provide a map, for goodness sakes. I would like to know where I’m going or where I’ve been. Your taxes are unbelievable, and I won’t forget all those tolls we paid to travel in your state, your food prices are outrageous, your schools definitely need up-dating, the housing in your state is through the roof, just for added emphasis, your roads are worse than lousy, your drivers are absolutely, without a doubt very, very aggressive and obnoxious, you don’t even trust people to pump their own gas, you have no Cracker Barrels in your state and you don’t even have the good taste to serve grits or even sell them in your grocery stores. What’s up with you people? The only good things you have there are my kids! And I want them back! You don’t deserve them!
Now that I have that off my chest, let me finish my story…we pulled into the kid’s driveway around 2:40 PM, not much off schedule after we had stopped for a leisurely breakfast/lunch at Cracker Barrel along the way. Cracker Barrel seems to stop in Pennsylvania. At least our first trip up in October taught us to look for those Cracker Barrels before we left Pennsylvania!
The kids were waiting for us so we could join them on their outing of the week. A trip to Costco to buy groceries. It was interesting, I must say. Not just because we had three little boys in tow, but it was a fabulous Costco. Maybe twice as big as any we have here, and ten times as busy. Every check-out line was opened and there were lines of people snaking around the store in each line. But to their credit they did move fast.
There are some things we can’t find here they have there. One of my favorite is the Joey’s Black and White Cookies. They are a New York thing not really New Jersey, but they are the best cookies.
A neighbor, who had lived in New York State and had catered to banks, etc., introduced them to me a number of years ago when she and her husband moved down the street. She even invited me to watched her make them. I wrote down the complete instructions even down to the brand ingredients she used and I just knew I was on the road to eating scrumptious cookies for the rest of my life…only to find when I tried them, I would fail miserably. I blamed it on the fact that I had used an electric oven and she had used a gas one. After getting a gas oven I immediately tried my luck. It wasn’t a good thing at all. There is just something in the way I hold my mouth that changes the taste of those cookies. Not everyone can follow the recipe and get the same result, much to my chagrin.
Let me mention now, before we left New Jersey we ate one box and carried away two more of them, I think. But some of them were used for a picnic we went on, so I/we didn’t eat them all by ourselves. Just most of them. And I enjoyed every.single.one of them that I ate!
These goodies remind me so much of my Mama’s Old Fashioned Tea Cakes and they are cake-like, not crunchy. I never perfected those either. I wish I could because I would love to share them with my grandkids.
Someday when I have less to write about I may post the recipe I have for those Black and Whites. Maybe you will have better luck with them.
Upon our return home from Costco, our daughter-in-law had a crock pot filled with an absolutely to-die-for delicious lasagna-spinach-chicken casserole prepared and waiting for all of us when we returned from the shopping. (We took her with us shopping, of course. She had done all the prep work earlier in the day.) She added a few yummy vegetables and some fruit and we had an amazingly easy (for me, since I didn’t have to prepare it) and scrumptious meal.
Tomorrow also promises to be an eventful day.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
A strange woman is leading us...
We were in no hurry to get on the road this morning. Our GPS system (that strange woman, indeed) did lead us on a little wild goose chase and sent us up another interstate and then have us return to what we could have gone up the block to get onto, but she still got us where we needed to go. I guess she just doesn’t know there’s a gas problem out there, but we followed her anyway, just to make sure we could trust her before we threw her out the window.
Have I mentioned I still feel more comfortable with my AAA maps that have been highlighted just in case she goes a little coo-coo? Well, I do. There is so much security in a map to show me the big picture until I am more familiar with the little screen.
We only saw one accident along the way today. It involved an automobile pulling a U-Haul trailer. We were coming up on a work area and perhaps he didn’t realize it, applied the brakes and swerved at the last minute to avoid hitting the car in front of him. He left the road, causing the U-Haul to overturn. He hit one of those wire fences that don’t look very secure when you see them. They worked in this instance. It kept him from crossing the medium and hitting on-coming traffic, which was pretty heavy at the time. There didn’t appear to be any injury to his body or anyone else for that matter. Very lucky indeed.
We got as far as Carlisle, PA before the day ended. Another early stop. These were the same stops we made on our earlier trip, so we felt a little more familiar with the areas. We knew where the eating places were, the fun shopping places were, etc.
We decided after eating just to enjoy our night without doing a lot of outside stuff. It felt good just to let down for the night early.
Have I mentioned I still feel more comfortable with my AAA maps that have been highlighted just in case she goes a little coo-coo? Well, I do. There is so much security in a map to show me the big picture until I am more familiar with the little screen.
We only saw one accident along the way today. It involved an automobile pulling a U-Haul trailer. We were coming up on a work area and perhaps he didn’t realize it, applied the brakes and swerved at the last minute to avoid hitting the car in front of him. He left the road, causing the U-Haul to overturn. He hit one of those wire fences that don’t look very secure when you see them. They worked in this instance. It kept him from crossing the medium and hitting on-coming traffic, which was pretty heavy at the time. There didn’t appear to be any injury to his body or anyone else for that matter. Very lucky indeed.
We got as far as Carlisle, PA before the day ended. Another early stop. These were the same stops we made on our earlier trip, so we felt a little more familiar with the areas. We knew where the eating places were, the fun shopping places were, etc.
We decided after eating just to enjoy our night without doing a lot of outside stuff. It felt good just to let down for the night early.
Friday, April 18, 2008
A Movin' and a Shakin'
Several weeks earlier when the Northern Five were in town for spring break of at least one of the wee ones, we were invited to come visit them for the spring break for the remaining wee one. Actually it was for the bigger one and his Mommy who had spring break during this time. If we decided to go up, Mommy was going to allow Little Free Spirit to miss a couple of days from school while we had a fun day , a day of home schooling, by making a tour of The City.
After a few minutes of thought, actually it was more like a few days or a couple of weeks before we called them and accepted their invitation.
We finally had all the bags packed and loaded into the car for our trip to see the Northern Five relatives on Friday, April 18, 2008. With clothes laid out for Friday, our plans were to go to bed, get a good nights’ rest, get up at a decent hour and get on our way.
My husband, who can never pull himself out of bed when we have an important appointment, decided he could wait no longer and roused me out of bed somewhere between 5:00 and 5:30 a.m. It’s funny, but I find myself unable to sleep most mornings much later than 5:00, but this morning I was really yearning a few more snoozes before hitting the road.
I had put my one and only survivinggreen brown plant into the bathtub and watered it thoroughly, hoping it would once again pull through the neglect of another upcoming two weeks without a drink. Hubby made his usual rounds of going to the basement to cut off the hot water heater, cut off water and other little routine things we have on our list. This, all while I was trying hard to shake the cobwebs from my head.
He came back upstairs,checking to make sure I had indeed moved my weary body from the bed to the bathroom, and after seeing I had, he headed back up to the front part of the house. It was at this point that I noticed the little plants leaves quivering in the bathtub. A constant quivering and shivering. Did it know we were going to leave it alone and without water so long, again? How strange, I thought, because I had never noticed any quivering before when he walked. Was he suddenly a heavy walker? Was it an attitude he had developed because I hadn’t gotten out of bed when he wanted me to? It continued on for a few more minutes or maybe it was just long, long seconds, but it seemed quite a long time.
I pushed it to the back of my mind. It’s a little hard to concentrate when you’ve been dragged out of bed when you’ve just gotten to sleep.
Finally, we were on the road and up to Costco to fill up because we knew this would be our best price on gas. What a surprise when we had to pay $3.38 a gallon. It has been creeping up and now leaping up a bit in the last few weeks, but this was a total shock especially since prices at Costco are always quite a few pennies cheaper than the normal stations.
We were listening to the radio checking on current traffic news, etc. when they announced there had been an earthquake around 5:45 this morning. An earthquake? An earthquake? So that was what made my poor little flower tremble in the bathtub and not my hubby’s heavy foot?
This is the second earthquake I have felt. An earthquake is very unusual considering where we live. The first one was years ago when we still had a little dog. I was awakened by a noise and a shaking that I thought was the dog running into the dresser or bed in the bedroom. She was getting older and sometimes was a bit uncoordinated and I was sure that was what had awakened me. But it wasn’t. After turning on the radio I found out it was an earthquake.
When I told my daughter about the latest one, her reaction was, “What? I missed another earthquake?” Yeah, it seems you did, sweetie and I’m not sure I don’t hope I’ll miss a few more of them myself.
Anyway, that was the most excitement we had in our day. We continued our drive on up into Lexington, VA before stopping for the night. We made a fairly early stop. We aren’t expected at the other relative’s house until Sunday around 11:00. No need to overdo. The scenery along the way has been its usual fabulous view. Some of the trees are coming out with reddish leaves and it makes the scenery appear to be almost fall-like. Beautiful, beautiful view. I loved every minute of it even though it’s a long, long drive between here and there.
After a few minutes of thought, actually it was more like a few days or a couple of weeks before we called them and accepted their invitation.
We finally had all the bags packed and loaded into the car for our trip to see the Northern Five relatives on Friday, April 18, 2008. With clothes laid out for Friday, our plans were to go to bed, get a good nights’ rest, get up at a decent hour and get on our way.
My husband, who can never pull himself out of bed when we have an important appointment, decided he could wait no longer and roused me out of bed somewhere between 5:00 and 5:30 a.m. It’s funny, but I find myself unable to sleep most mornings much later than 5:00, but this morning I was really yearning a few more snoozes before hitting the road.
I had put my one and only surviving
He came back upstairs,checking to make sure I had indeed moved my weary body from the bed to the bathroom, and after seeing I had, he headed back up to the front part of the house. It was at this point that I noticed the little plants leaves quivering in the bathtub. A constant quivering and shivering. Did it know we were going to leave it alone and without water so long, again? How strange, I thought, because I had never noticed any quivering before when he walked. Was he suddenly a heavy walker? Was it an attitude he had developed because I hadn’t gotten out of bed when he wanted me to? It continued on for a few more minutes or maybe it was just long, long seconds, but it seemed quite a long time.
I pushed it to the back of my mind. It’s a little hard to concentrate when you’ve been dragged out of bed when you’ve just gotten to sleep.
Finally, we were on the road and up to Costco to fill up because we knew this would be our best price on gas. What a surprise when we had to pay $3.38 a gallon. It has been creeping up and now leaping up a bit in the last few weeks, but this was a total shock especially since prices at Costco are always quite a few pennies cheaper than the normal stations.
We were listening to the radio checking on current traffic news, etc. when they announced there had been an earthquake around 5:45 this morning. An earthquake? An earthquake? So that was what made my poor little flower tremble in the bathtub and not my hubby’s heavy foot?
This is the second earthquake I have felt. An earthquake is very unusual considering where we live. The first one was years ago when we still had a little dog. I was awakened by a noise and a shaking that I thought was the dog running into the dresser or bed in the bedroom. She was getting older and sometimes was a bit uncoordinated and I was sure that was what had awakened me. But it wasn’t. After turning on the radio I found out it was an earthquake.
When I told my daughter about the latest one, her reaction was, “What? I missed another earthquake?” Yeah, it seems you did, sweetie and I’m not sure I don’t hope I’ll miss a few more of them myself.
Anyway, that was the most excitement we had in our day. We continued our drive on up into Lexington, VA before stopping for the night. We made a fairly early stop. We aren’t expected at the other relative’s house until Sunday around 11:00. No need to overdo. The scenery along the way has been its usual fabulous view. Some of the trees are coming out with reddish leaves and it makes the scenery appear to be almost fall-like. Beautiful, beautiful view. I loved every minute of it even though it’s a long, long drive between here and there.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Poor Mimsy's dead, poor little Mimsy's dead...
We heard from the five northern kiddos tonight, two adults and three little ones. Their little hermit crab named Mimsy met her maker earlier today.
She was survived by her three siblings, Little Analzyer, Little Free Spirit and Beautiful Blue Eyes in addition to her main keeper, their Mommy and her out-of-town father, spouse of her main keeper.
Since Little Free Spirit, just barely turned six, was the one most upset over her demise he assumed the responsibility for administering the last rites, etc. He decided Mimsy needed a proper remembrance, and casting aside his now Methodist/previous Presbyterian upbringing and relying upon his new found experience learned from attending his current all-day Catholic kindergarten program in school, (don't ask, it's too complicated!) he decided she needed the last rites performed and all the usual crossings of the heart, prayers and whatever else, he considered her properly sanctified, sainted or whatever it's called.
If Mimsy wasn't already dead before the funeral, she was by the time it was over. This was no soft sand pile she could dig out from under as in previous days. This was the real thing. Lots of heavy, hard dirt.
It fell upon the tiny shoulders of Beautiful Blue Eyes, age 2, in one of his self-appointed jobs of Undertaker(body preparer and overseer of said body); Coroner (exhumer and examiner, just keep reading!);and in his final role of Grave Digger, to dig the grave and shovel the dirt over her body which had been encased in a beautiful jewelry box. He performed his job in the manner as expected...He stood, manned with his shovel, first practicing by filling the freshly dug hole before the body was added, re-digging the hole again and again until perfection was obtained, and just as any curious little two-year old, once she was committed to the ground, he kept wanting to dig her up again. "Wanna see her! Wanna see her! She's dead...Wanna see her again, Wanna see Mimsy!"
Little Free Spirit, serving in his role as the miniature priest, tried hard to maintain order in the congregation, but Little Analyzer, age 8, was ready to get it over with. He has seen his share of pet funerals over the years. Many goldfish have come and gone in his lifetime. This was really no biggie. It was just a Hermit Crab after all, and all of his impatience was relayed by the rolling of his pretty blue eyes..."Hurry up, Little Free Spirit, I want to go shoot hoops with Michael!"
Then Little Analyzer interjected his real thoughts during this most reverent of moments. His dreams included a bigger pet. "Mom, can we get a dog next time?" An argument ensues, more tears flow from the little priest, and a fight is about to take place...Little Free Spirit just wants another Hermit Crab, Little Analyzer just wants to go shoot hoops. And Beautiful Blue Eyes just wants to dig a deeper hole.
Mommy was trying very hard to hold it together behind hands clinched over her mouth. She didn't want the little priest to see her laughter...I mean her tears of mourning, as she watched the hysterical...I mean, loving, caring, tender scene unfold from beside her boys.
The new little priest was becoming a bit annoyed with the rest of the family. "Brother, stop, we've got to bury her right!" He finally gained control over himself and the attendees long enough to finish the ceremony.
The service was over; Mimsy was properly committed to her final resting place, at last! Tomorrow may find her and her casket strewn across the backyard after Beautiful Blue Eyes once again exhumes her, but for the night she's resting in peace. Amen.
Mommy said it would have made for some good video if only Mom hadn't misplaced the cord for the camera. There'll be no re-makes...just memories. So don't dig her up again, Beautiful Blue Eyes!
She was survived by her three siblings, Little Analzyer, Little Free Spirit and Beautiful Blue Eyes in addition to her main keeper, their Mommy and her out-of-town father, spouse of her main keeper.
Since Little Free Spirit, just barely turned six, was the one most upset over her demise he assumed the responsibility for administering the last rites, etc. He decided Mimsy needed a proper remembrance, and casting aside his now Methodist/previous Presbyterian upbringing and relying upon his new found experience learned from attending his current all-day Catholic kindergarten program in school, (don't ask, it's too complicated!) he decided she needed the last rites performed and all the usual crossings of the heart, prayers and whatever else, he considered her properly sanctified, sainted or whatever it's called.
If Mimsy wasn't already dead before the funeral, she was by the time it was over. This was no soft sand pile she could dig out from under as in previous days. This was the real thing. Lots of heavy, hard dirt.
It fell upon the tiny shoulders of Beautiful Blue Eyes, age 2, in one of his self-appointed jobs of Undertaker(body preparer and overseer of said body); Coroner (exhumer and examiner, just keep reading!);and in his final role of Grave Digger, to dig the grave and shovel the dirt over her body which had been encased in a beautiful jewelry box. He performed his job in the manner as expected...He stood, manned with his shovel, first practicing by filling the freshly dug hole before the body was added, re-digging the hole again and again until perfection was obtained, and just as any curious little two-year old, once she was committed to the ground, he kept wanting to dig her up again. "Wanna see her! Wanna see her! She's dead...Wanna see her again, Wanna see Mimsy!"
Little Free Spirit, serving in his role as the miniature priest, tried hard to maintain order in the congregation, but Little Analyzer, age 8, was ready to get it over with. He has seen his share of pet funerals over the years. Many goldfish have come and gone in his lifetime. This was really no biggie. It was just a Hermit Crab after all, and all of his impatience was relayed by the rolling of his pretty blue eyes..."Hurry up, Little Free Spirit, I want to go shoot hoops with Michael!"
Then Little Analyzer interjected his real thoughts during this most reverent of moments. His dreams included a bigger pet. "Mom, can we get a dog next time?" An argument ensues, more tears flow from the little priest, and a fight is about to take place...Little Free Spirit just wants another Hermit Crab, Little Analyzer just wants to go shoot hoops. And Beautiful Blue Eyes just wants to dig a deeper hole.
Mommy was trying very hard to hold it together behind hands clinched over her mouth. She didn't want the little priest to see her laughter...I mean her tears of mourning, as she watched the hysterical...I mean, loving, caring, tender scene unfold from beside her boys.
The new little priest was becoming a bit annoyed with the rest of the family. "Brother, stop, we've got to bury her right!" He finally gained control over himself and the attendees long enough to finish the ceremony.
The service was over; Mimsy was properly committed to her final resting place, at last! Tomorrow may find her and her casket strewn across the backyard after Beautiful Blue Eyes once again exhumes her, but for the night she's resting in peace. Amen.
Mommy said it would have made for some good video if only Mom hadn't misplaced the cord for the camera. There'll be no re-makes...just memories. So don't dig her up again, Beautiful Blue Eyes!
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Fun day with Little Princess
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
We began our day with The Little Princess by taking her out on a little trip. We changed into "going out, dress up clothes". We were forced to use the floor to dress her because Shadow, her black kitty cat has decided she wants to use The Little Princesses' changing table and after a confrontation between Shadow and Granddaddy one day recently, I decided it wasn't worth engaging in a fight with the black she-devil when I could use the floor just as easily. (Granddaddy had removed her from the changing table and Shadow took exception to an outsider enforcing the rules in her house. As soon as Granddaddy put Shadow down and turned away from her, she immediately slapped at him and loudly made her unhappiness known.) Since she attacked me one day because I was using the vacuum cleaner, apparently too close to the baby to suit her, I don't mess with her. Cats definitely know they rule their household and unless it's very necessary, I'm inclined to let sleeping cats lie. I don't want to come out looking like I've been in a cat fight. I know who will win.
She's a pretty mellow and loving kitty except when she wants to establish the rules. I respect her rules and leave her alone. She takes an awful lot off The Little Princess and figures she doesn't have to take it off of the grandparents as well.
It's a good thing she's good with The Little Princess. She would find herself thrown out of her house to become coyote food if she overstepped the boundaries. And justly so.
Back to the story...Little Princess was very cooperative most of the time and she let me do a make-shift, but pitiful job of combing her hair and making her look pretty while she was standing, watching the transformation in the mirror. I'll admit one side was flat and the other was up. I guess I'll have to make a sign to put on her back saying, "My Grandmomma dressed me and fixed my hair, today." Maybe that will save her Mommy a little embarassment. (I've noticed her Mommy tries to stay away from her in public once I've dressed her...I guess it can be a little embarassing. I just pretend she's been very busy at play and just ended up that way.) At least her Mommy gave me a pair of pants that had pockets in the front and back so I could chose which way they went and still be right!
Let me insert here a funny story my son's in-laws told about my daughter-in-laws daddy after days of trying to dress his two little girls while their mother worked. It was his job to get the girls ready for school and out the door each morning. They said the teachers and people at the school would always relay stories to their mother about knowing when he had dressed the kids. The girls had gone to school with their clothes on backwards and hair done wrong. The teachers and staff would try to grab the girls in the mornings and make sure their clothes were on right, etc.
Now, they may have just been telling me that so I wouldn't feel so bad when I related all those tales of Poor Little Princess having to wear her clothes backwards, tops and bottoms, topsy turvy hair days, etc. At least I get the shoes on the right foot...most days. But, if I can't catch her on the run and in the right mood she may be in for a little discomfort until Mommy steps in.
It's been a long time since I've had to chase a little girl down to put her clothes on. She's lucky she has any on at all! And she's lucky she has hair. I think I'm jerking her bald headed when she suddenly heads off in a different direction with me hanging on for dear life.
Again, back to the story...Our first destination was to run by the AAA office to pick up some information, maps, etc. (The travel bug has hit again.) Little Princess and I walked around outside while we waited for Granddaddy. She was a sweet little girl for us. We went inside later and her personality came alive. She saw Mickey Mouse sitting on one of the desks. Oh, she loved him. She saw another desk with other fun kid-attracting things and "talked" about them.
We made another stop at another store and she and Granddaddy stayed in the car while Grandmomma did a really quick run-through and then we headed over to the park near her house. As soon as we pulled into the park she could see the playground and started pointing and chatting again. The pollen was awful and covered everything. I tried to get it off the playground equipment with some towels but it just moved around without coming up. (I had hoped the little kids coming out of the park before us had cleaned the swings and slides, but obviously they hadn't.)
We walked across the little wooden bridge and she stooped to get a good look at the water. Down on those little knees she went trying to get a better look through the rails. Before I realized she was down on her pretty little pale pink pants, collecting tons of yellow-green pollen,combined with gross-looking, yucky, different colored green mildew. Oops! I knew I was going to be in b-i-g trouble when we got back home. I'm accused frequently of taking the child back messy. Hey, she is a child and she has a good time when we go out together. Mommy can teach her some of the finer arts of staying clean later. Right now, it's all about having fun.
After leaving the park we went to the cafeteria to see if we could grind in a little more stuff for Mommy to remove with her super-duper cleaning products! Don't waste too much time on cleaning those things, Mommy, she'll outgrow them before you know it and your problem will be solved. Besides she has more than enough clothes. You'll never miss ten or twenty outfits.
After her nap, and mine and Granddaddy's too, she was ready to go again. Notice I said "she".
Her Mommy says she won't let her change her diaper without a big fuss, but when I suggested she might need a diaper change she immediately went into her room, laid down on the floor and let me change her. (Yep, Shadow loves to climb up there when I go into the room and did just that when she thought I wanted to use the changing table.) She's such a little angel! The Little Princess, not the cat!
We played some more and entertained each other for a while. She is now saying "Mama" instead of just "Dada". I personally think she just did that to push Mommy's buttons. She and I were reading one of her books that had a Mommy in it and she clearly said it was Mama.
Another time she and I were playing with one of her talking electronic dogs that says all kinds of things and he said, "I need a hug". I gave him a hug. A minute later she stood in front of me, and said, "Hug" and kinda leaned in for her hug. I hugged her and she was happy. Mommy constantly tells her "I need a hug" so she knew what she wanted. Mommy doesn't believe it happened, but it did.
Later she wanted to go outside and Mommy didn't really want to go out. Said she felt like she was getting a migraine. This threw Little Princess into a practicing- to-be-two-year-old temper tantrum. Her heart was broken. Finally, I volunteered Granddaddy and I would take her outside so Mommy and Daddy could spend a little free-time alone.
Little Princess was happy watching Granddaddy and me throw her ball back and forth to each other, then she had to explore the yard. We found an Easter egg the Easter bunny must have left after she had found the others, and then we trompled down the new, tender but fragile, hosta sprouts that are trying to come out for the Spring. We smelled a few of the pretty pink azaleas, picked up a few limbs from the ground, played with a new sprig growing from the tree, examined the top of a left-over acorn a squirrel had hidden during the Winter and had recently reclaimed (a fairies hat), examined a few of the holes the squirrels had dug in the lawn, crumpled and felt a few leaves on a nearby bush, joined in a little more ball play, and then she cleaned the steps of pollen with a different pair of pants, poked her little fingers onto a little bug and brought it to Grandmomma to clean it off, sat down again and found some more gross stuff to put on her little hands and fingers, including a little pile of bird poop. (Oh, I forgot to tell you about that, didn't I, Mommy?)
The fun was wearing off and she was ready to go back into the house. I was so shocked. Some days I have to take her back in screaming, kicking and hollering, but she made it easy for us this time.
I followed her into the house. She immediately went to the kitchen looking for something. Then barely into the office and back into the kitchen only this time she went further into the kitchen. I asked her what she was looking for. She said, "Mama, my Mama." Then she spotted Mommy coming out of the bathroom and she was happy. And yes, Mommy, even though you didn't hear her say it, that's exatly what she said.
She's added quite a few words to her vocabulary. So many I can't remember them all, but one time she was with us and we saw some geese in the parking lot and I told her what they were. She kept saying "geese, geese". She also says "leaves" and as I said I can't remember all she says. Mommy is slacking up on keeping track of her words and I don't always remember to write about them.
We've got to do better. Someday. She's just changing way too fast.
We began our day with The Little Princess by taking her out on a little trip. We changed into "going out, dress up clothes". We were forced to use the floor to dress her because Shadow, her black kitty cat has decided she wants to use The Little Princesses' changing table and after a confrontation between Shadow and Granddaddy one day recently, I decided it wasn't worth engaging in a fight with the black she-devil when I could use the floor just as easily. (Granddaddy had removed her from the changing table and Shadow took exception to an outsider enforcing the rules in her house. As soon as Granddaddy put Shadow down and turned away from her, she immediately slapped at him and loudly made her unhappiness known.) Since she attacked me one day because I was using the vacuum cleaner, apparently too close to the baby to suit her, I don't mess with her. Cats definitely know they rule their household and unless it's very necessary, I'm inclined to let sleeping cats lie. I don't want to come out looking like I've been in a cat fight. I know who will win.
She's a pretty mellow and loving kitty except when she wants to establish the rules. I respect her rules and leave her alone. She takes an awful lot off The Little Princess and figures she doesn't have to take it off of the grandparents as well.
It's a good thing she's good with The Little Princess. She would find herself thrown out of her house to become coyote food if she overstepped the boundaries. And justly so.
Back to the story...Little Princess was very cooperative most of the time and she let me do a make-shift, but pitiful job of combing her hair and making her look pretty while she was standing, watching the transformation in the mirror. I'll admit one side was flat and the other was up. I guess I'll have to make a sign to put on her back saying, "My Grandmomma dressed me and fixed my hair, today." Maybe that will save her Mommy a little embarassment. (I've noticed her Mommy tries to stay away from her in public once I've dressed her...I guess it can be a little embarassing. I just pretend she's been very busy at play and just ended up that way.) At least her Mommy gave me a pair of pants that had pockets in the front and back so I could chose which way they went and still be right!
Let me insert here a funny story my son's in-laws told about my daughter-in-laws daddy after days of trying to dress his two little girls while their mother worked. It was his job to get the girls ready for school and out the door each morning. They said the teachers and people at the school would always relay stories to their mother about knowing when he had dressed the kids. The girls had gone to school with their clothes on backwards and hair done wrong. The teachers and staff would try to grab the girls in the mornings and make sure their clothes were on right, etc.
Now, they may have just been telling me that so I wouldn't feel so bad when I related all those tales of Poor Little Princess having to wear her clothes backwards, tops and bottoms, topsy turvy hair days, etc. At least I get the shoes on the right foot...most days. But, if I can't catch her on the run and in the right mood she may be in for a little discomfort until Mommy steps in.
It's been a long time since I've had to chase a little girl down to put her clothes on. She's lucky she has any on at all! And she's lucky she has hair. I think I'm jerking her bald headed when she suddenly heads off in a different direction with me hanging on for dear life.
Again, back to the story...Our first destination was to run by the AAA office to pick up some information, maps, etc. (The travel bug has hit again.) Little Princess and I walked around outside while we waited for Granddaddy. She was a sweet little girl for us. We went inside later and her personality came alive. She saw Mickey Mouse sitting on one of the desks. Oh, she loved him. She saw another desk with other fun kid-attracting things and "talked" about them.
We made another stop at another store and she and Granddaddy stayed in the car while Grandmomma did a really quick run-through and then we headed over to the park near her house. As soon as we pulled into the park she could see the playground and started pointing and chatting again. The pollen was awful and covered everything. I tried to get it off the playground equipment with some towels but it just moved around without coming up. (I had hoped the little kids coming out of the park before us had cleaned the swings and slides, but obviously they hadn't.)
We walked across the little wooden bridge and she stooped to get a good look at the water. Down on those little knees she went trying to get a better look through the rails. Before I realized she was down on her pretty little pale pink pants, collecting tons of yellow-green pollen,combined with gross-looking, yucky, different colored green mildew. Oops! I knew I was going to be in b-i-g trouble when we got back home. I'm accused frequently of taking the child back messy. Hey, she is a child and she has a good time when we go out together. Mommy can teach her some of the finer arts of staying clean later. Right now, it's all about having fun.
After leaving the park we went to the cafeteria to see if we could grind in a little more stuff for Mommy to remove with her super-duper cleaning products! Don't waste too much time on cleaning those things, Mommy, she'll outgrow them before you know it and your problem will be solved. Besides she has more than enough clothes. You'll never miss ten or twenty outfits.
After her nap, and mine and Granddaddy's too, she was ready to go again. Notice I said "she".
Her Mommy says she won't let her change her diaper without a big fuss, but when I suggested she might need a diaper change she immediately went into her room, laid down on the floor and let me change her. (Yep, Shadow loves to climb up there when I go into the room and did just that when she thought I wanted to use the changing table.) She's such a little angel! The Little Princess, not the cat!
We played some more and entertained each other for a while. She is now saying "Mama" instead of just "Dada". I personally think she just did that to push Mommy's buttons. She and I were reading one of her books that had a Mommy in it and she clearly said it was Mama.
Another time she and I were playing with one of her talking electronic dogs that says all kinds of things and he said, "I need a hug". I gave him a hug. A minute later she stood in front of me, and said, "Hug" and kinda leaned in for her hug. I hugged her and she was happy. Mommy constantly tells her "I need a hug" so she knew what she wanted. Mommy doesn't believe it happened, but it did.
Later she wanted to go outside and Mommy didn't really want to go out. Said she felt like she was getting a migraine. This threw Little Princess into a practicing- to-be-two-year-old temper tantrum. Her heart was broken. Finally, I volunteered Granddaddy and I would take her outside so Mommy and Daddy could spend a little free-time alone.
Little Princess was happy watching Granddaddy and me throw her ball back and forth to each other, then she had to explore the yard. We found an Easter egg the Easter bunny must have left after she had found the others, and then we trompled down the new, tender but fragile, hosta sprouts that are trying to come out for the Spring. We smelled a few of the pretty pink azaleas, picked up a few limbs from the ground, played with a new sprig growing from the tree, examined the top of a left-over acorn a squirrel had hidden during the Winter and had recently reclaimed (a fairies hat), examined a few of the holes the squirrels had dug in the lawn, crumpled and felt a few leaves on a nearby bush, joined in a little more ball play, and then she cleaned the steps of pollen with a different pair of pants, poked her little fingers onto a little bug and brought it to Grandmomma to clean it off, sat down again and found some more gross stuff to put on her little hands and fingers, including a little pile of bird poop. (Oh, I forgot to tell you about that, didn't I, Mommy?)
The fun was wearing off and she was ready to go back into the house. I was so shocked. Some days I have to take her back in screaming, kicking and hollering, but she made it easy for us this time.
I followed her into the house. She immediately went to the kitchen looking for something. Then barely into the office and back into the kitchen only this time she went further into the kitchen. I asked her what she was looking for. She said, "Mama, my Mama." Then she spotted Mommy coming out of the bathroom and she was happy. And yes, Mommy, even though you didn't hear her say it, that's exatly what she said.
She's added quite a few words to her vocabulary. So many I can't remember them all, but one time she was with us and we saw some geese in the parking lot and I told her what they were. She kept saying "geese, geese". She also says "leaves" and as I said I can't remember all she says. Mommy is slacking up on keeping track of her words and I don't always remember to write about them.
We've got to do better. Someday. She's just changing way too fast.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Our budding ballerina...
Saturday, April 5, 2008
We finally saw The Little Princess yesterday after a week or more of missing her. She and Mommy have been a bit under the weather, though you would never know it from all the things that baby gets into.
Her newest fun thing is to climb onto the arm of the recliner, stand tall, and then fall straight backward into the chair, and then dissolve into a bundle of laughing little mass of a sweetie pie. She knows nothing about how harmful this can be. She just knows it's fun. I don't know if she loves the shocked look on our face, or the sheer thrill of the fall, but she sure enjoys something about it. Poor Mommy. She has a handful of energy to chase after constantly to keep her out of harms way in addition to her normal routine.
Little Princess just yesterday discovered my glasses and wanted to pull them off. Finally I decided to take them off so she could see what I looked like without them on. The expression on her precious little face was priceless. She looked at her Mommy as though she was totally embarassed that she had gotten me to take them off. She couldn't quite figure it out. I wasn't the same person I was before and she didn't know how to react to that new-found knowledge. It deterred her for a very short time, but not indefinitely from pulling my glasses off. It was a battle trying to keep little hands away from my face. I recall a few years ago when Little Free Spirit was maybe around her age and was fascinated with my glasses and once when I took them off to scratch my eye, he promptly reached over and poked me in the eyeball causing severe pain, both to my eye and my pocket book! It required a doctor's visit or two to have it checked out and medicine to prevent an eye infection. I didn't want a repeat with this grandchild.
Mommy had to replace her vacuum cleaner and decided to give it a whirl yesterday while we were there. It required some assembly so Granddaddy got out the trusty screwdrivers and they went to work putting it together. It was a very short time before they were joined by The Little Princess. She went straight over to Granddaddy's tools, chose a couple of screwdrivers her size and took them over to the vacuum and helped him put it together. She had watched very closely. She knew she was supposed to put that screwdriver into the holes and do something. She is so very smart and observant! She doesn't miss a beat.
I have to give her mommy lots of credit. If it isn't harmful, she doesn't try to stop her from exporing her world and doing what she needs to do to progress in her little life. It would be so easy and a lot less work for Mommy, if she took things away from her and kept her from doing things, but lucky for Little Princess, Mommy is selective about saying she can't do something. You do a wonderful job, Mommy, and I'm proud of the way you handle The Little Princess, although I still contend she will get kicked out of day care if you ever chose to put her there. They would have to hire several other workers just to keep her out of things! So, don't even think about it!
While Mommy was using her new vacuum, I suggested to Little Princess that I put her into her crib so we could watch Mommy from a safe distance. She agreed. She watched her for a while and then she decided she was ready to get out. She didn't cry or fuss, she just figured it out by herself.
Straight out and up to the top of the crib she went with that leg! I didn't know her little leg was that long! She hiked it over that crib ready to escape, until Mommy saw little Houdini. It won't be a long time before she will retire that crib for something her Mommy won't be able to keep her in at naptime or bedtime! Ohh, I'm feeling so sorry for poor Mommy.
I could not believe how flexible that little stinker is, although I shouldn't be surprised because she is constantly climbing onto everything, everywhere. No, really, she is not your usual climbing child. This kid is very unusual. I know everybody believes their baby is the exception, but this one really is. She is a boundless energy of climbing, one place to the other. Up, down and all around. If you don't believe it, spend a few hours with her.
It's not bad for her to be so adventuresome to one unless you are having to follow her around all day. Then you wish for a little more normalcy in the child. Or a nice long nap. For you or her! Or spending a few hours away from her. Maybe a root canal would be less stressful. But it's impossible not to just love her to pieces when she breaks into her silly giggles and laughter because of her antics. Oh, she is such a challenge and that is putting it mildly. We would never change a thing about her...most days. She's perfect, just absolutely perfect...most days.
Maybe her profession will be a ballerina. She's certainly getting plenty of practice these days. She's already limbered up, and she's stretching those legs to their limit. She has stamina and determination and she's constantly practicing. Not to mention,she has a wonderful charm and grace about her...especially when she's asleep.
I love you, sweet girl, and it felt like forever since I'd seen you.
We finally saw The Little Princess yesterday after a week or more of missing her. She and Mommy have been a bit under the weather, though you would never know it from all the things that baby gets into.
Her newest fun thing is to climb onto the arm of the recliner, stand tall, and then fall straight backward into the chair, and then dissolve into a bundle of laughing little mass of a sweetie pie. She knows nothing about how harmful this can be. She just knows it's fun. I don't know if she loves the shocked look on our face, or the sheer thrill of the fall, but she sure enjoys something about it. Poor Mommy. She has a handful of energy to chase after constantly to keep her out of harms way in addition to her normal routine.
Little Princess just yesterday discovered my glasses and wanted to pull them off. Finally I decided to take them off so she could see what I looked like without them on. The expression on her precious little face was priceless. She looked at her Mommy as though she was totally embarassed that she had gotten me to take them off. She couldn't quite figure it out. I wasn't the same person I was before and she didn't know how to react to that new-found knowledge. It deterred her for a very short time, but not indefinitely from pulling my glasses off. It was a battle trying to keep little hands away from my face. I recall a few years ago when Little Free Spirit was maybe around her age and was fascinated with my glasses and once when I took them off to scratch my eye, he promptly reached over and poked me in the eyeball causing severe pain, both to my eye and my pocket book! It required a doctor's visit or two to have it checked out and medicine to prevent an eye infection. I didn't want a repeat with this grandchild.
Mommy had to replace her vacuum cleaner and decided to give it a whirl yesterday while we were there. It required some assembly so Granddaddy got out the trusty screwdrivers and they went to work putting it together. It was a very short time before they were joined by The Little Princess. She went straight over to Granddaddy's tools, chose a couple of screwdrivers her size and took them over to the vacuum and helped him put it together. She had watched very closely. She knew she was supposed to put that screwdriver into the holes and do something. She is so very smart and observant! She doesn't miss a beat.
I have to give her mommy lots of credit. If it isn't harmful, she doesn't try to stop her from exporing her world and doing what she needs to do to progress in her little life. It would be so easy and a lot less work for Mommy, if she took things away from her and kept her from doing things, but lucky for Little Princess, Mommy is selective about saying she can't do something. You do a wonderful job, Mommy, and I'm proud of the way you handle The Little Princess, although I still contend she will get kicked out of day care if you ever chose to put her there. They would have to hire several other workers just to keep her out of things! So, don't even think about it!
While Mommy was using her new vacuum, I suggested to Little Princess that I put her into her crib so we could watch Mommy from a safe distance. She agreed. She watched her for a while and then she decided she was ready to get out. She didn't cry or fuss, she just figured it out by herself.
Straight out and up to the top of the crib she went with that leg! I didn't know her little leg was that long! She hiked it over that crib ready to escape, until Mommy saw little Houdini. It won't be a long time before she will retire that crib for something her Mommy won't be able to keep her in at naptime or bedtime! Ohh, I'm feeling so sorry for poor Mommy.
I could not believe how flexible that little stinker is, although I shouldn't be surprised because she is constantly climbing onto everything, everywhere. No, really, she is not your usual climbing child. This kid is very unusual. I know everybody believes their baby is the exception, but this one really is. She is a boundless energy of climbing, one place to the other. Up, down and all around. If you don't believe it, spend a few hours with her.
It's not bad for her to be so adventuresome to one unless you are having to follow her around all day. Then you wish for a little more normalcy in the child. Or a nice long nap. For you or her! Or spending a few hours away from her. Maybe a root canal would be less stressful. But it's impossible not to just love her to pieces when she breaks into her silly giggles and laughter because of her antics. Oh, she is such a challenge and that is putting it mildly. We would never change a thing about her...most days. She's perfect, just absolutely perfect...most days.
Maybe her profession will be a ballerina. She's certainly getting plenty of practice these days. She's already limbered up, and she's stretching those legs to their limit. She has stamina and determination and she's constantly practicing. Not to mention,she has a wonderful charm and grace about her...especially when she's asleep.
I love you, sweet girl, and it felt like forever since I'd seen you.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Trouble at the park...
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Just as we were beginning a fun day with the three little denims in our lives, I found myself in the middle of another run-in with excitement. Beautiful Blue Eyes fell asleep just as they arrived at the park near our house so Granddaddy volunteered to stay in the car while the other two boys hit the playground before moving on to a picnicking at the park. It's a nice park with a playground centered around an area for both smaller kids and the bigger kids.
I was chasing after the boys when a couple or three larger sized young women were blocking the walk way. I had to go off the walk way to get around them. Then I realized they were in a verbal combat with a woman who had just gone before me.
I had noticed the woman earlier because she had pulled a quilt out of her car and carried it along with an armful of other things and headed toward the playground area.
The young women were beginning to get quite a attitude with someone as I came up to them and made a few nasty remarks to someone, which I noticed was that woman. Apparently they were blocking her way as she attempted to go past them. She made the comment to them that she needed to keep up with her child, who appeared to be around 2.
I have to admit, I was a bit disturbed since I managed to find myself between the group of upset women and the other woman. I wasn't too sure we wouldn't have a gang-related shooting there in the middle of the playground area! That's putting it mildly. How have things changed so much right here in our own area? It is such a nice park, but I guess it just shows no matter how nice areas are, they can still attract the unattractive at times.
Later I asked the targeted woman if she knew those girls and she assured me they had just pulled that completely out of nowhere. She didn't know them. At first I had thought maybe they were acquaintances who were just jabbing each other, but that wasn't true at all.
Anyway, it was a bit of excitement...It ended without problems, but it sure made me think...I was beginning to worry that I had chosen that park for my little denims to play in.
Another interesting thing...this park was filled with childen. Most of them were pre-school aged children brought to the park by either their parent or their sitter/nanny/grandparent. My older two little denims were the oldest ones there, but they didn't let that stop them. They are used to playing with younger brother, so they found fun things to do that included some of the older kids.
Beautiful Blue Eyes didn't wake up from his nap until it was time to eat our picnic, but he did get to play later in the afternoon.
Later we moved on to Chick-a-lay for ice creams and milk shakes and more fun on the outside play area.
And Beautiful Blue Eyes is potty trained. For the most part.
When I get a chance to go through all the pictures we made for the day, I'll see if I can pick out some good ones and post. And I still have a job finishing up the pictures of Little Princess during the Easter season. My, what a job I have in store for me.
And, Little Princesses' Mommy needs to add some blogs to her site now, too!
Just as we were beginning a fun day with the three little denims in our lives, I found myself in the middle of another run-in with excitement. Beautiful Blue Eyes fell asleep just as they arrived at the park near our house so Granddaddy volunteered to stay in the car while the other two boys hit the playground before moving on to a picnicking at the park. It's a nice park with a playground centered around an area for both smaller kids and the bigger kids.
I was chasing after the boys when a couple or three larger sized young women were blocking the walk way. I had to go off the walk way to get around them. Then I realized they were in a verbal combat with a woman who had just gone before me.
I had noticed the woman earlier because she had pulled a quilt out of her car and carried it along with an armful of other things and headed toward the playground area.
The young women were beginning to get quite a attitude with someone as I came up to them and made a few nasty remarks to someone, which I noticed was that woman. Apparently they were blocking her way as she attempted to go past them. She made the comment to them that she needed to keep up with her child, who appeared to be around 2.
I have to admit, I was a bit disturbed since I managed to find myself between the group of upset women and the other woman. I wasn't too sure we wouldn't have a gang-related shooting there in the middle of the playground area! That's putting it mildly. How have things changed so much right here in our own area? It is such a nice park, but I guess it just shows no matter how nice areas are, they can still attract the unattractive at times.
Later I asked the targeted woman if she knew those girls and she assured me they had just pulled that completely out of nowhere. She didn't know them. At first I had thought maybe they were acquaintances who were just jabbing each other, but that wasn't true at all.
Anyway, it was a bit of excitement...It ended without problems, but it sure made me think...I was beginning to worry that I had chosen that park for my little denims to play in.
Another interesting thing...this park was filled with childen. Most of them were pre-school aged children brought to the park by either their parent or their sitter/nanny/grandparent. My older two little denims were the oldest ones there, but they didn't let that stop them. They are used to playing with younger brother, so they found fun things to do that included some of the older kids.
Beautiful Blue Eyes didn't wake up from his nap until it was time to eat our picnic, but he did get to play later in the afternoon.
Later we moved on to Chick-a-lay for ice creams and milk shakes and more fun on the outside play area.
And Beautiful Blue Eyes is potty trained. For the most part.
When I get a chance to go through all the pictures we made for the day, I'll see if I can pick out some good ones and post. And I still have a job finishing up the pictures of Little Princess during the Easter season. My, what a job I have in store for me.
And, Little Princesses' Mommy needs to add some blogs to her site now, too!
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