I've wanted to change the heading to my blog for a while and couldn't get up the courage to do so, until now. I decided if I could make my mini-scrapbooking cards, I should be able to do something with it. So, since I was awake at 2:00 a.m. and couldn't go back to sleep I decided to attempt to tackle the job to see if indeed I could do it.
I was a bit nervous because I was afraid I would do something to erase the entire blog and I would be really hurting because I would miss my previous thoughts.
I get a kick seeing a cute 3 year old covering her little face with cake batter while licking the mixer spatula clean. And I managed to steal the most recent one I've seen of the new little two plus month old Little Princess #2 from her Mommy's blog. I found one of The Analyzer reading his book out in the park while they were on their six-week vacation to New York last summer to meet up with friends they made when they lived in Jersey a few years earlier. He's grown quite a bit, but I still love the picture of him. Little Free Spirit assumed the role of Harry Potter in the picture of him. This was made around Halloween this past year. Isn't he adorable in his glasses. He doesn't really wear them in real life, but he's still a cutie. And Beautiful Blue Eyes is simply cute as a bug in a rug while he tries to dig a hole to China when they were at the beach early part of summer last year. I could have chosen a few of this little mess because he is a clown, but I liked the beach pose best.
I have to revert to old pictures sometimes because I can never get their cute little faces if I really want to take one of them.
I am still being a bit conservative in what I add such as I haven't figured out how to add the papers along the side and I haven't figured out how to make my writings move on the paper below, but who knows, someday I may even tackle something like that.
Maybe, but I doubt it, I might just change the pictures before the kids reach high school or graduate from college. For now I've quite pleased with myself...Simple and all.
But it certainly took me long enough to get this much perfected to the point I was willing to post the header. I know it's not really perfect, but for me it is just fine. Many hours early this morning and all day today produced these results. Oh well.
I did leave out one of the girls...Sophie the doggy that belongs to the boys. Room was very scarce, so somebody had to go and it was Sophie the pup, not Sophia the baby girl.
Showing posts with label Little Analyzer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Little Analyzer. Show all posts
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
It's like herding cats...
I’ve heard that statement a good bit lately and pondered its meaning. Well, after tonight I can, with great authority, tell you what it means. Obviously it was a comment made by someone who has three little boys, probably ages 9, 7, and 3 they were responsible for keeping together in one big house.
It is highly likely that one or more of the three could be found in an entirely different part of the house in one of three levels that constitutes their home. You just have to make sure your one body can keep tabs on the three of them. Cats would be more easily herded, I’m sure. And anyone who knows anything about cats realizes that is virtually impossible. Cats have wills and minds of their own. So do kids.
Oh wait, did I say there were three of them to herd? Well, yeah, in my case there were three little boys, but I forgot to add the newest little baby girl in the family,
and she was right there with the three little boys. She was just about as devilish and as active as
they were.
We picked the boys up at the day care center afternoon just before 4:00. Surprise for us…Beautiful Blue Eyes (3) and child number 3 greeted us warmly and was ready to go home with us. His Dad said this morning when he reminded him we would be picking them up, he wanted to take one of his toys over to Grandmomma and Granddaddy’s house. (Though we were only going back to his house.)
When he first saw us he came over and what were the first words out of his mouth? “Where’s Annabelle?” She’s the baby in the whole family. I think he thinks she lives at my house. I have told him in the past that Granddaddy and I will arrange to pick him up sometimes and bring Annabelle with us. I guess he was hoping this would be the time.
Once we were all safely back at their house, the three of them decided to play a nice quiet (ha, ha) game of Nerf darts with their Nerf guns. They each took careful aim at each other as well as every window in the living area.
I was afraid one might pop the windows. Please, not on my watch. Wait until Daddy gets home.
They romped and ran and hid and screamed at each other as they fought their battles. They lost the darts and Sophie found them.
She would scamper away like the little thief she was,
leaving BBE, AKA James, the human baby in the family, very frustrated as he tried to catch her without luck. The Analyzer, AKA Carter the oldest brother, would finally intercede and take the dart away and return it to BBE, over and over and over.
Then Sophie found an over sized tennis shoe that probably fit the 9 year old. She chewed a while until I took it away from her.
She loves their stuffed dogs and other toys. She chews with those little sharp teeth and broke off a piece of what had just been the very favorite toy of the seven year old when his three-year old brother wanted to play with it. I had to throw that broken piece into the trash can. He forgave Sophie even after she broke his toy. Little Brother would never have been forgiven so easily. It’s amazing the working of a child’s mind.
At one point BBE, child #3, became very frustrated and wanted the fan turned off. Well, good luck! Finding out which light switch works which thing is very confusing. But, I did finally figure out how to stop the fan. And there stuck to one of the fan blades was his perfectly fired dart.
How he made such a perfect shot is beyond me. Then came the challenge of how to get it down without breaking the light bulbs. I think big brother was the best shot and got it down for him.
Thank goodness dinner time came, finally and we were off to Moe’s for dinner. The boys love eating at Moe’s. Not particularly our favorite but we ate there anyway. I won’t go into the evening there. The meal wasn’t that great, order got mixed up, at least one kid went home hungry or at least that’s what he says, but then he is a nearly pre-adolescent and what are you supposed to expect from that. The chicken was left off of three quesadillas and a sprinkling of cheese was all that graced the poor quesadillas. Ah, I won’t really to go there with the rest of the story. Guess it will be The Varsity next time. They all love their grease fix there, anyway.
Then it was time for bed. I didn’t really have a big problem with the two older boys. They got themselves ready for bed without much ado. But…that little one, who was supposed to be in bed by 8:00 sharp, kept dilly dallying around with more things to keep him from going to bed. It’s amazing how many things he can think up to stay out of bed! And he’s only been here on earth for three short years!
Of course the seven year old would have nothing to do with allowing the three year old share the shower/bathroom part. It is a shared bathroom, but not according to the seven year old so we moved on to find another bathroom.
I’m not sure the three year old wasn’t in on this little deal because he immediately told me his Mommy had told him he could take a shower in her bathroom so a bit reluctantly we took his towel into Mommy and Daddy’s bathroom for a shower. My doubts were well placed as soon as I saw the shower/bathtub. Mommy surely wouldn’t be foolish enough to allow a three year old to take a shower in that bathroom with hardwood floors. Then he said, Mommy wouldn’t let him take a shower in there, but he could take a bath. Check out the bath. It was a large oval tub with the faucets to the outer side of the tub, and it was deep, deep, deep. Hard for me to get the plug into the tub without practically getting into it from a very awkward position. But I did try. Just as I thought I had the plug almost arranged like I needed it, I felt a very cold sensation running down my right arm.
BBE says, “I help you Grandmudder!” And he had. He turned on the cold water just as my arm reached across. My sweater was completely soaked. “What are you doing, James?” I asked. “I helping you, Grandmudder!” “But James, now Grandmother has a very wet sweater, and I don’t have any dry clothes! Now I’m all wet!”
He reaches over and feels my arm. “Oh,” says he. He tried to help me dry it with his towel, but it was still soaked! I reached over again to put the plug in place and caught sight of him once again trying to help me.”No, James, don’t do that again!” He really was trying to help, I just didn’t trust him after an arm full of water running down my arm.
We finally finished the bath and moved on to finishing up for bed. Daddy had said the younger two needed to be in bed by 8:00. The other one could stay up. He likes to read before he finally settles in usually by 8:30 or 9:00.
“Where are your pajamas, James?” “I don’t know.” (He also didn’t know where his tennis shoes were when we got ready to go eat. We had to grab a pair of Velcro type ones to wear. And I still don’t know where his other shoes are.) So remembering some clothes that had been washed and sorted but, thank heavens, hadn’t yet made it to their proper place, I searched to find a pair that looked like they belonged to him. Size 5 Toddler. Looks about right. I grabbed them and headed upstairs. “Are these yours, James.” "I think so, I think they the ones from Grammy’s house.” Good. I stood behind him while he tried to shove his little feet and legs and arms into them. All went well…until I noticed one ribbing around the arm didn’t seem to match the ribbing around the other side. We had managed to put an arm into a leg hole and visa versa, but they almost fit…until I tried to zip the pajamas. Then they didn’t fit so well. He began to get hysterical because Grandmomma didn’t get his pajamas on right. I laid him on the bed and we started over again, my way. This time we finally got him into them the right way.
“Almost 8:00, James, we must be in bed by 8:00. Daddy says so…” I’m really trying, and I’m completely ignoring the older two. They are big boys and don’t need me breathing down their neck. Then James picks out two good, long books that don’t look at all interesting to me (a book about pirates and another about trains and how they work.) Mommy reads those books to him, says he. And I had promised him I would read a couple of books, so I was committed.
Granddaddy’s main job was to make sure Sophie didn’t come upstairs while I was working with James. That was a very simple task anybody should be able to handle, right? Well, why did James and I suddenly find a bouncing, biting, sharp toothed little white Bison puppy flouncing around in the middle of the two of us as one of us tried to read bedtime stories and the other tried to rescue treasures from the deep, deep sea with his Rescue Heroes anchor guy, whatever his name is.(I’m really not that good with this boy stuff once they pass the trucks and tractors stage!) How did Sophie manage to escape Granddaddy’s sharp eye?
It took a while before Granddaddy realized we were being charged and eaten alive by Sophie. He finally did come up, but long after he was needed. Finally story time came to an abrupt end after I accidently flipped through a few pages that happened to get stuck together, and I realized I could get away with it, hee, hee, hee, hee. But at the end of each story he had to read the book in condensed version to me.
Finally, at around 8:15 after much insistence that we just HAD to be in bed by 8:00, he settled down. And then after he remembered he hadn’t brushed his teeth, and after he had to search for his toothpaste in the drawer, and after he had to stop to sip water through the toothbrush a hundred times, and after he had to return his toothbrush to his drawer…but wait, that wasn’t where he had found his toothbrush. It was in his glass on the counter. No, No, No, he wanted it in the drawer. Who cares? Not me. Just get to bed, please, please, please. I am responsible for you right now, and if you are grumpy tomorrow at school, I don’t want to be blamed!
So we moved to the bed…again. But not before he had to show me his tractor blanket Mommy had made for him and not before we had to remove the stuffed green dinosaur he wraps around his little neck and has for the past couple of years. He seems to be a bit spooked out with this dinosaur in his room and asked me to put him in Charlie’s room. He didn’t feel comfortable with sleeping in the same room with that dinosaur. Charlie didn’t want the dinosaur in his room either, so I put him just inside the bathroom door, out of sight and out of James’ mind. Whatever brings happiness to him makes me happy.
After the final tuck in of the night he looks at me and this is his basic revelation:
“Grandmudder, my teacher says, ‘How did you get that bruise on your four-head, James?’ and I said, No, free, my free-head! (3) and she said, ‘your four-head’, and I said no, not my four-head, I free. And she said, ‘yes, you are three.’” Somehow she made him understand she was talking about the bruise on his head. I think she finally rephrased it by asking how he got that bruise on his head, no four head, no free head, and he went on to explain it got there when his older brother and he were playing with the Legos and bumped heads or something, I’m really not sure. I really only heard something about Legos...I was too busy convulsing.
I have to tell you I really was almost popping, trying so hard to hold back the giggles. How could anybody not follow the logic of that sweet little boy. His teacher knows he’s ‘free, not four’. What was wrong with her, it was not his four-head! You just have to love a little "free-year old" guy with his practical reasoning. It certainly made sense to me.
And it was just one of those sweet moments I was able to hear him tell himself, and not having it retold by a parent, who would probably have forgotten to tell me. I got it first hand! I felt myself to be quite privileged. He shared the moment with me.
This is one of those times I wish I had taken my little digital tape recorder along with me. It was a Christmas present so I could record these precious children and their straight-forward statements. So innocent, so sweet, so real, he was just like a typical three year old, only smarter. Of course I would think so. But I had forgotten to take it along. Sophie probably would have chewed it up, anyway. Sigh. Really must get into the habit of making sure it’s with me at all times.
What really amazed me was that when I shared the story with Granddaddy he just stared out into space trying to figure out the logic. His Daddy reacted in the same way. What’s the matter with you people? Again, he’s not old enough to have a four-head! Not when he’s only free! Really, now.
The night with the sweet boys ended after I kissed that sweet little face good night and promised him he could leave his bathroom light on and the door cracked. Because Mommy lets him. After saying our good nights and giving kisses to the other two, and just as I had gone down the stairs and into the living room his Daddy called and said he was ten minutes away. He missed so much fun tonight! But he almost didn’t!
Attempting to herd the cats, oh, I meant the kids, can be fun when you see the funny little twists and turns that can take place while you’re herding them, in a four or five hour span. What a blessing they are. It's all in the little moments.
It is highly likely that one or more of the three could be found in an entirely different part of the house in one of three levels that constitutes their home. You just have to make sure your one body can keep tabs on the three of them. Cats would be more easily herded, I’m sure. And anyone who knows anything about cats realizes that is virtually impossible. Cats have wills and minds of their own. So do kids.
Oh wait, did I say there were three of them to herd? Well, yeah, in my case there were three little boys, but I forgot to add the newest little baby girl in the family,
and she was right there with the three little boys. She was just about as devilish and as active as
they were.
We picked the boys up at the day care center afternoon just before 4:00. Surprise for us…Beautiful Blue Eyes (3) and child number 3 greeted us warmly and was ready to go home with us. His Dad said this morning when he reminded him we would be picking them up, he wanted to take one of his toys over to Grandmomma and Granddaddy’s house. (Though we were only going back to his house.)
When he first saw us he came over and what were the first words out of his mouth? “Where’s Annabelle?” She’s the baby in the whole family. I think he thinks she lives at my house. I have told him in the past that Granddaddy and I will arrange to pick him up sometimes and bring Annabelle with us. I guess he was hoping this would be the time.
Once we were all safely back at their house, the three of them decided to play a nice quiet (ha, ha) game of Nerf darts with their Nerf guns. They each took careful aim at each other as well as every window in the living area.
I was afraid one might pop the windows. Please, not on my watch. Wait until Daddy gets home.
They romped and ran and hid and screamed at each other as they fought their battles. They lost the darts and Sophie found them.
She would scamper away like the little thief she was,
leaving BBE, AKA James, the human baby in the family, very frustrated as he tried to catch her without luck. The Analyzer, AKA Carter the oldest brother, would finally intercede and take the dart away and return it to BBE, over and over and over.
Then Sophie found an over sized tennis shoe that probably fit the 9 year old. She chewed a while until I took it away from her.
She loves their stuffed dogs and other toys. She chews with those little sharp teeth and broke off a piece of what had just been the very favorite toy of the seven year old when his three-year old brother wanted to play with it. I had to throw that broken piece into the trash can. He forgave Sophie even after she broke his toy. Little Brother would never have been forgiven so easily. It’s amazing the working of a child’s mind.At one point BBE, child #3, became very frustrated and wanted the fan turned off. Well, good luck! Finding out which light switch works which thing is very confusing. But, I did finally figure out how to stop the fan. And there stuck to one of the fan blades was his perfectly fired dart.
How he made such a perfect shot is beyond me. Then came the challenge of how to get it down without breaking the light bulbs. I think big brother was the best shot and got it down for him.
Thank goodness dinner time came, finally and we were off to Moe’s for dinner. The boys love eating at Moe’s. Not particularly our favorite but we ate there anyway. I won’t go into the evening there. The meal wasn’t that great, order got mixed up, at least one kid went home hungry or at least that’s what he says, but then he is a nearly pre-adolescent and what are you supposed to expect from that. The chicken was left off of three quesadillas and a sprinkling of cheese was all that graced the poor quesadillas. Ah, I won’t really to go there with the rest of the story. Guess it will be The Varsity next time. They all love their grease fix there, anyway.
Then it was time for bed. I didn’t really have a big problem with the two older boys. They got themselves ready for bed without much ado. But…that little one, who was supposed to be in bed by 8:00 sharp, kept dilly dallying around with more things to keep him from going to bed. It’s amazing how many things he can think up to stay out of bed! And he’s only been here on earth for three short years!
Of course the seven year old would have nothing to do with allowing the three year old share the shower/bathroom part. It is a shared bathroom, but not according to the seven year old so we moved on to find another bathroom.
I’m not sure the three year old wasn’t in on this little deal because he immediately told me his Mommy had told him he could take a shower in her bathroom so a bit reluctantly we took his towel into Mommy and Daddy’s bathroom for a shower. My doubts were well placed as soon as I saw the shower/bathtub. Mommy surely wouldn’t be foolish enough to allow a three year old to take a shower in that bathroom with hardwood floors. Then he said, Mommy wouldn’t let him take a shower in there, but he could take a bath. Check out the bath. It was a large oval tub with the faucets to the outer side of the tub, and it was deep, deep, deep. Hard for me to get the plug into the tub without practically getting into it from a very awkward position. But I did try. Just as I thought I had the plug almost arranged like I needed it, I felt a very cold sensation running down my right arm.
BBE says, “I help you Grandmudder!” And he had. He turned on the cold water just as my arm reached across. My sweater was completely soaked. “What are you doing, James?” I asked. “I helping you, Grandmudder!” “But James, now Grandmother has a very wet sweater, and I don’t have any dry clothes! Now I’m all wet!”
He reaches over and feels my arm. “Oh,” says he. He tried to help me dry it with his towel, but it was still soaked! I reached over again to put the plug in place and caught sight of him once again trying to help me.”No, James, don’t do that again!” He really was trying to help, I just didn’t trust him after an arm full of water running down my arm.
We finally finished the bath and moved on to finishing up for bed. Daddy had said the younger two needed to be in bed by 8:00. The other one could stay up. He likes to read before he finally settles in usually by 8:30 or 9:00.
“Where are your pajamas, James?” “I don’t know.” (He also didn’t know where his tennis shoes were when we got ready to go eat. We had to grab a pair of Velcro type ones to wear. And I still don’t know where his other shoes are.) So remembering some clothes that had been washed and sorted but, thank heavens, hadn’t yet made it to their proper place, I searched to find a pair that looked like they belonged to him. Size 5 Toddler. Looks about right. I grabbed them and headed upstairs. “Are these yours, James.” "I think so, I think they the ones from Grammy’s house.” Good. I stood behind him while he tried to shove his little feet and legs and arms into them. All went well…until I noticed one ribbing around the arm didn’t seem to match the ribbing around the other side. We had managed to put an arm into a leg hole and visa versa, but they almost fit…until I tried to zip the pajamas. Then they didn’t fit so well. He began to get hysterical because Grandmomma didn’t get his pajamas on right. I laid him on the bed and we started over again, my way. This time we finally got him into them the right way.
“Almost 8:00, James, we must be in bed by 8:00. Daddy says so…” I’m really trying, and I’m completely ignoring the older two. They are big boys and don’t need me breathing down their neck. Then James picks out two good, long books that don’t look at all interesting to me (a book about pirates and another about trains and how they work.) Mommy reads those books to him, says he. And I had promised him I would read a couple of books, so I was committed.
Granddaddy’s main job was to make sure Sophie didn’t come upstairs while I was working with James. That was a very simple task anybody should be able to handle, right? Well, why did James and I suddenly find a bouncing, biting, sharp toothed little white Bison puppy flouncing around in the middle of the two of us as one of us tried to read bedtime stories and the other tried to rescue treasures from the deep, deep sea with his Rescue Heroes anchor guy, whatever his name is.(I’m really not that good with this boy stuff once they pass the trucks and tractors stage!) How did Sophie manage to escape Granddaddy’s sharp eye?
It took a while before Granddaddy realized we were being charged and eaten alive by Sophie. He finally did come up, but long after he was needed. Finally story time came to an abrupt end after I accidently flipped through a few pages that happened to get stuck together, and I realized I could get away with it, hee, hee, hee, hee. But at the end of each story he had to read the book in condensed version to me.
Finally, at around 8:15 after much insistence that we just HAD to be in bed by 8:00, he settled down. And then after he remembered he hadn’t brushed his teeth, and after he had to search for his toothpaste in the drawer, and after he had to stop to sip water through the toothbrush a hundred times, and after he had to return his toothbrush to his drawer…but wait, that wasn’t where he had found his toothbrush. It was in his glass on the counter. No, No, No, he wanted it in the drawer. Who cares? Not me. Just get to bed, please, please, please. I am responsible for you right now, and if you are grumpy tomorrow at school, I don’t want to be blamed!
So we moved to the bed…again. But not before he had to show me his tractor blanket Mommy had made for him and not before we had to remove the stuffed green dinosaur he wraps around his little neck and has for the past couple of years. He seems to be a bit spooked out with this dinosaur in his room and asked me to put him in Charlie’s room. He didn’t feel comfortable with sleeping in the same room with that dinosaur. Charlie didn’t want the dinosaur in his room either, so I put him just inside the bathroom door, out of sight and out of James’ mind. Whatever brings happiness to him makes me happy.
After the final tuck in of the night he looks at me and this is his basic revelation:
“Grandmudder, my teacher says, ‘How did you get that bruise on your four-head, James?’ and I said, No, free, my free-head! (3) and she said, ‘your four-head’, and I said no, not my four-head, I free. And she said, ‘yes, you are three.’” Somehow she made him understand she was talking about the bruise on his head. I think she finally rephrased it by asking how he got that bruise on his head, no four head, no free head, and he went on to explain it got there when his older brother and he were playing with the Legos and bumped heads or something, I’m really not sure. I really only heard something about Legos...I was too busy convulsing.
I have to tell you I really was almost popping, trying so hard to hold back the giggles. How could anybody not follow the logic of that sweet little boy. His teacher knows he’s ‘free, not four’. What was wrong with her, it was not his four-head! You just have to love a little "free-year old" guy with his practical reasoning. It certainly made sense to me.
And it was just one of those sweet moments I was able to hear him tell himself, and not having it retold by a parent, who would probably have forgotten to tell me. I got it first hand! I felt myself to be quite privileged. He shared the moment with me.
This is one of those times I wish I had taken my little digital tape recorder along with me. It was a Christmas present so I could record these precious children and their straight-forward statements. So innocent, so sweet, so real, he was just like a typical three year old, only smarter. Of course I would think so. But I had forgotten to take it along. Sophie probably would have chewed it up, anyway. Sigh. Really must get into the habit of making sure it’s with me at all times.
What really amazed me was that when I shared the story with Granddaddy he just stared out into space trying to figure out the logic. His Daddy reacted in the same way. What’s the matter with you people? Again, he’s not old enough to have a four-head! Not when he’s only free! Really, now.
The night with the sweet boys ended after I kissed that sweet little face good night and promised him he could leave his bathroom light on and the door cracked. Because Mommy lets him. After saying our good nights and giving kisses to the other two, and just as I had gone down the stairs and into the living room his Daddy called and said he was ten minutes away. He missed so much fun tonight! But he almost didn’t!
Attempting to herd the cats, oh, I meant the kids, can be fun when you see the funny little twists and turns that can take place while you’re herding them, in a four or five hour span. What a blessing they are. It's all in the little moments.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Happy Birthday, Little Princess
We say it all the time...how did the time fly by so fast? We watch first one little one add another year to their life span and then another add one until we finally end up with a bunch of little kids who've grown into big 8-year olds, or six-year olds, or almost three-year olds and then the baby of the family turns into a two-year old! And we really can't imagine where the time went.
Today Annabelle, the baby, the favorite granddaughter in the family turned two! Two! It was only yesterday we held her for the very first time, finally, after being isolated from her during her hospital stay because of problems at birth. Some memories(the isolation) are best replaced by happier memories (finally holding her and just watching her as she slept and breathed, worried about those ugly bruises that were left on her tiny little head and hands and feet from all the IV's that were necessary to bring her to full recovery.)
The first pictures we made of her at home showed those ugly marks splotching that sweet, beautiful little face. Granddaddy suggested he could remove them with our photo program. He meant well, he really did, but I guess I took issue a little more than I should have. How dare he suggest removing her battle scars! She had earned them; she had fought through them, and neither we nor she should ignore or admit those struggles she had gone through those first hours and days of her life. She will, of course, never remember them. God mercifully made sure her little memory won't retain that pain. We will probably never forget them, but she did endure them and they are nothing short of being her true battle scars she earned at her birth. It shows her she's a real trooper. She's a fighter. She's a winner. Maybe someday when she looks back on those thousands of pictures we made of her those pictures will remind her that she was a winner, a fighter, a survivor and if she has something else even more traumatic to face in her future,those bruises will remind her of her beginnings and that she can do anything she has to endure in the life ahead of her because she had those survivor instincts very early on in her lie. Yes, those bruises had to remain in her pictures. They couldn't and wouldn't be photo-shopped out.
This morning I didn't wake up until about 6:30. That's right,I slept right through the moment of the anniversary of her birth at 6:12 a.m. It wasn't that way two years ago. Earlier that day two years ago, we were all gathered together, Granddaddy, Nonnie, Uncle Matt, waiting for news of her arrival. The time passed by much too slowly until her Daddy finally, finally came off the elevator (we were watching the doors to the back of the maternity ward, but I think he had just come down from visiting his new little girl, so he surprised us/me.)
It was a while after that 6:12 a.m.arrival before we got to see her because she did have her breathing problems, etc. but thank goodness we didn't know she was already here for all that time. You don't worry when you don't know. Well, that's not true, because when it's your daughter going through that pain and misery, you do worry. You can't help it. It's inborn..
It was the happiest of times when her daddy told us all the details and we were on our way to focus our eyes on the most beautiful little girl ever born, with the exception of her mother.
Fast forward, and I do mean fast forward, two years and we are still looking at the most beautiful little girl ever born, equal with her mommy.
She has grown so much in so many ways during that time. This year she's a sure-footed little angel who flies around from place to place as opposed to the wobbly little legs that propelled her forward in an uncertain manner last year. She's finally using her language skills to express herself. She's much like her mommy years earlier. Annabelle's Granddaddy would ask her mommy when she was going to talk. She would sit silently, watching, listening, observing while Annabelle's Granddaddy, Grandmomma and her Uncle monopolized all conversations. Her Mommy finally let all those stored-up words go and we haven't been able to stop her since. I have no doubts Annabelle has followed her footsteps. Now she's really expressing those emotions, saying her thoughts and exerting her independence. Watch out, Mommy and Daddy, you're about to enter a world you have never dreamed of before. But it's a good world and you'll enjoy every second. You'll be so amazed at each new little phase she goes through. Enjoy it.
A lot of my blogs in the past have covered the little things she's accomplished except for the times I've been too lazy so I won't go back and cover too much of the past. Today, however, was a wonderful day of watching our little one as she moves forward.
I know her mommy will cover this in a future blog, so I won't go into too much detail about her cake she shared with us today. I will just tell you it was a chocolate chip cookie cake with a horse on it. Mom can tell the rest.
We all met at the local small, but very active airport, for her birthday party. Daddy had already gone earlier and set up the tables under the pavillion. Mommy and Annabelle met him there earlier. Granddaddy and I had met my sister and brother-in-law so they could follow us to the party. We'd been there at least once or twice before so we were not exactly sure how to get there, but we made it without any false turns. Mommy called just as we were getting out of the car. She had parked in another lot, which was closer, but we did get there without any problems. They still were later than we were getting over to the picnic pavillion!
The first words I heard Annabelle say were, "Pay, Mommy. I wanna pay!) And she did. She loved playing on that playground with her cousins and friends for quite a while until it was time for opening her presents and eating her cookie cake. (I hope I got enough pictures!) She didn't get a single present that wasn't a very favorite with her. She got a piano (I think I heard her daddy say he was glad he wasn't going to be in town next week), a baby doll, a tube of Little People, which she loves her Little People, some books, another dolly, a pink pig flashlight(for those camping out trips she loves with Mommy and Daddy) with a cute pair of pants with candy corn on them and a top, a dolly stroller, and something else I'm not sure of because I didn't see it close up, and I'm sure I've left something out, but she loved every single thing she got!
It was back to the playground for the little ones while we visited. Then it was time to end the party and to go find something to eat. Granddaddy, Uncle Ken, Aunt Kate, Carter, Charlie, James, Mommy, Daddy and I headed over to the local Methodist Church which was having their annual bar-b-que. It's been a tradition for us to eat there most years when we remember it, though since Granddaddy has retired it's easier to forget unless Mommy and Daddy remind us or we see signs advertising it when we're down that way. Granddaddy used to get annual tickets every year from a couple of his patrons, but once he retired that stopped. Now tickets are $8.00 each this year. Up from last year and the year before. But they still have quite a bit of business. It was delicious and surprisingly, thanks to Aunt Kate and the boys, we were all able to sit together even with such a crowd. That was truly a miracle.
We now have something to help us remember when the bar-b-ques are because they are usually held on Annabelle's birthday week end. Now that's a tradition.
After eating and fellowship the kids all played on the church playground. Annabelle and James played on the younger aged one because the bigger one was over-crowded. As soon as she hit the playground she lined up all the riding toys in a semi-circle and followed another kid around waiting until he jumped off the one he was riding. He didn't, so she didn't recover that vehicle. She's such a good little organizer. That will come in handy someday...maybe.
It was good to finally be able to spend some more time with our son and his family. We've known their plans to return to the area since they left two years ago for the great cold northern state. It was a time to gain experience he could never get without making the move. It was great business experience for him, the kids, and for Kate. They all enjoyed their time there, but it is also good to know he's home again. There are few things that trouble a mother, or mother-in-law for that matter than worrying about a child who is away from home, on airplane flights, etc. especially in this day and age of so much terror. We try not to think about those things. For now, it's one down. One to go.
Anyway, Happy Birthday little Angel. In this world with all its' instability you have made our world more stable and much happier beginning at the first moment we knew you were on the way. Even before your birth, when your Uncle called and broke the news to us they would be leaving and (how dare they?) take your cousins with them, you were planned to help us survive the rough times. Looking forward to you coming made it a little easier to accept their move. We've had a good time and enjoy every minute of your life with us.
We love you.
Grandmomma and Granddaddy
Today Annabelle, the baby, the favorite granddaughter in the family turned two! Two! It was only yesterday we held her for the very first time, finally, after being isolated from her during her hospital stay because of problems at birth. Some memories(the isolation) are best replaced by happier memories (finally holding her and just watching her as she slept and breathed, worried about those ugly bruises that were left on her tiny little head and hands and feet from all the IV's that were necessary to bring her to full recovery.)
The first pictures we made of her at home showed those ugly marks splotching that sweet, beautiful little face. Granddaddy suggested he could remove them with our photo program. He meant well, he really did, but I guess I took issue a little more than I should have. How dare he suggest removing her battle scars! She had earned them; she had fought through them, and neither we nor she should ignore or admit those struggles she had gone through those first hours and days of her life. She will, of course, never remember them. God mercifully made sure her little memory won't retain that pain. We will probably never forget them, but she did endure them and they are nothing short of being her true battle scars she earned at her birth. It shows her she's a real trooper. She's a fighter. She's a winner. Maybe someday when she looks back on those thousands of pictures we made of her those pictures will remind her that she was a winner, a fighter, a survivor and if she has something else even more traumatic to face in her future,those bruises will remind her of her beginnings and that she can do anything she has to endure in the life ahead of her because she had those survivor instincts very early on in her lie. Yes, those bruises had to remain in her pictures. They couldn't and wouldn't be photo-shopped out.
This morning I didn't wake up until about 6:30. That's right,I slept right through the moment of the anniversary of her birth at 6:12 a.m. It wasn't that way two years ago. Earlier that day two years ago, we were all gathered together, Granddaddy, Nonnie, Uncle Matt, waiting for news of her arrival. The time passed by much too slowly until her Daddy finally, finally came off the elevator (we were watching the doors to the back of the maternity ward, but I think he had just come down from visiting his new little girl, so he surprised us/me.)
It was a while after that 6:12 a.m.arrival before we got to see her because she did have her breathing problems, etc. but thank goodness we didn't know she was already here for all that time. You don't worry when you don't know. Well, that's not true, because when it's your daughter going through that pain and misery, you do worry. You can't help it. It's inborn..
It was the happiest of times when her daddy told us all the details and we were on our way to focus our eyes on the most beautiful little girl ever born, with the exception of her mother.
Fast forward, and I do mean fast forward, two years and we are still looking at the most beautiful little girl ever born, equal with her mommy.
She has grown so much in so many ways during that time. This year she's a sure-footed little angel who flies around from place to place as opposed to the wobbly little legs that propelled her forward in an uncertain manner last year. She's finally using her language skills to express herself. She's much like her mommy years earlier. Annabelle's Granddaddy would ask her mommy when she was going to talk. She would sit silently, watching, listening, observing while Annabelle's Granddaddy, Grandmomma and her Uncle monopolized all conversations. Her Mommy finally let all those stored-up words go and we haven't been able to stop her since. I have no doubts Annabelle has followed her footsteps. Now she's really expressing those emotions, saying her thoughts and exerting her independence. Watch out, Mommy and Daddy, you're about to enter a world you have never dreamed of before. But it's a good world and you'll enjoy every second. You'll be so amazed at each new little phase she goes through. Enjoy it.
A lot of my blogs in the past have covered the little things she's accomplished except for the times I've been too lazy so I won't go back and cover too much of the past. Today, however, was a wonderful day of watching our little one as she moves forward.
I know her mommy will cover this in a future blog, so I won't go into too much detail about her cake she shared with us today. I will just tell you it was a chocolate chip cookie cake with a horse on it. Mom can tell the rest.
We all met at the local small, but very active airport, for her birthday party. Daddy had already gone earlier and set up the tables under the pavillion. Mommy and Annabelle met him there earlier. Granddaddy and I had met my sister and brother-in-law so they could follow us to the party. We'd been there at least once or twice before so we were not exactly sure how to get there, but we made it without any false turns. Mommy called just as we were getting out of the car. She had parked in another lot, which was closer, but we did get there without any problems. They still were later than we were getting over to the picnic pavillion!
The first words I heard Annabelle say were, "Pay, Mommy. I wanna pay!) And she did. She loved playing on that playground with her cousins and friends for quite a while until it was time for opening her presents and eating her cookie cake. (I hope I got enough pictures!) She didn't get a single present that wasn't a very favorite with her. She got a piano (I think I heard her daddy say he was glad he wasn't going to be in town next week), a baby doll, a tube of Little People, which she loves her Little People, some books, another dolly, a pink pig flashlight(for those camping out trips she loves with Mommy and Daddy) with a cute pair of pants with candy corn on them and a top, a dolly stroller, and something else I'm not sure of because I didn't see it close up, and I'm sure I've left something out, but she loved every single thing she got!
It was back to the playground for the little ones while we visited. Then it was time to end the party and to go find something to eat. Granddaddy, Uncle Ken, Aunt Kate, Carter, Charlie, James, Mommy, Daddy and I headed over to the local Methodist Church which was having their annual bar-b-que. It's been a tradition for us to eat there most years when we remember it, though since Granddaddy has retired it's easier to forget unless Mommy and Daddy remind us or we see signs advertising it when we're down that way. Granddaddy used to get annual tickets every year from a couple of his patrons, but once he retired that stopped. Now tickets are $8.00 each this year. Up from last year and the year before. But they still have quite a bit of business. It was delicious and surprisingly, thanks to Aunt Kate and the boys, we were all able to sit together even with such a crowd. That was truly a miracle.
We now have something to help us remember when the bar-b-ques are because they are usually held on Annabelle's birthday week end. Now that's a tradition.
After eating and fellowship the kids all played on the church playground. Annabelle and James played on the younger aged one because the bigger one was over-crowded. As soon as she hit the playground she lined up all the riding toys in a semi-circle and followed another kid around waiting until he jumped off the one he was riding. He didn't, so she didn't recover that vehicle. She's such a good little organizer. That will come in handy someday...maybe.
It was good to finally be able to spend some more time with our son and his family. We've known their plans to return to the area since they left two years ago for the great cold northern state. It was a time to gain experience he could never get without making the move. It was great business experience for him, the kids, and for Kate. They all enjoyed their time there, but it is also good to know he's home again. There are few things that trouble a mother, or mother-in-law for that matter than worrying about a child who is away from home, on airplane flights, etc. especially in this day and age of so much terror. We try not to think about those things. For now, it's one down. One to go.
Anyway, Happy Birthday little Angel. In this world with all its' instability you have made our world more stable and much happier beginning at the first moment we knew you were on the way. Even before your birth, when your Uncle called and broke the news to us they would be leaving and (how dare they?) take your cousins with them, you were planned to help us survive the rough times. Looking forward to you coming made it a little easier to accept their move. We've had a good time and enjoy every minute of your life with us.
We love you.
Grandmomma and Granddaddy
Saturday, September 13, 2008
It'll only be a very short time before they're gone
Arrangements were made earlier in the week by the three boys' mommy for us to pick them up at the day care center of the smallest grandson, which is the same place the two older boys go and wait for mommy after their normal school day.
No problem, though we've never been there before, we have the old reliable GPS, right? All we needed was the address and we were all set to go.
We left Little Princess and her mommy at the house so she could get a nap and maybe a chance to at least see the boys before they had to leave to pick up Little Princesses' daddy from the train.
It's never easy to make the short 11-15 mile trip over to their area without spending at least 45 minutes on the road. Traffic, lights and just general roads and schools create problems along the way. We allowed an hour to be able to get there in time to pick them up by 3:30. This would assure the two older boys had a chance to get from their school, by bus, to the day care center and also allow the youngest one to have plenty of time to get his afternoon nap in.
We followed the directions of Delores, our GPS lady, and took a slight right onto an only lane and she dinged to give us the thumbs up...until she realized we had done something to blow her little computer mind. She didn't mean that slight right, now she would have to recalculate to see how and why we have veered off course. Before she had a chance to jump in with her usual robotic, but now exhausted voice, "Make.an.illegal.u-turn.at.the.next.possible.road." OK, she really says at the next legal u-turn but she always sounds like she's saying make an illegal u-turn. Anyway, we beat her to the draw and turned around,thereby confusing her once again. By the time we got back to the main road she was still whirling here little miniature computer parts desperately searching outer space for her satellites, trying to once gain her balance,we were already back on track without her help. It was obvious some human being had to take over control of this situation.
By the time the discombobulated Miss Delores had time to recover, we had managed to get into a left-turn only lane because Delores kept telling us we had reached our destination, (I'm sure her little computer parts were steaming hot at this point and she was just hoping we really had actually reached our destination,) but we couldn't see our destination, so we landed up in the wrong lane and had to turn around. Another brain problem for poor Delores. You learn you reach a point where you have to turn her off in more ways than one when you don't follow her directions...continually. She's very persistent.
We could see the day care so we thought we could attack it from the rear. Not possible,so we had to get back onto the road once again, turn around and try once more. Then it was turn left so we could turn left again and get back to a light that would get us on the main road in the right direction. Look ahead. There's a major amount of traffic in between where we are and where we want to turn left, so we decide to turn right and approach from that direction.
Finally there. Out of the car only to realize you can't gain access to the inside of the building until you've punched in the "secret code". Um, Mommy failed to share that bit of information and the code with us. Try looking nice and grandparenty looking so some nice man picking his little rugrats up will have sympathy on us. It worked. He didnt share the code, but he did punch it in and let us follow him. Then to find someone to find our boys. Ah, there she is over in the corner. She gets us to the location of all three of them. Find child #1, child #2 and then spot child
#3. Then he bursts out into a fit of tears as though he is being kidnapped by a bunch of wild people he would rather die than go with them. He didn't want us. He wanted his mommy. Should we run while we still have a chance?
This is the second time he's done this. Only since he's been back in town. When he would come for a visit for six weeks at a time he was glad to go with us, but not now!
Then, of course, all the teachers were looking at us as though they, themselves, were convinced that we had been beating him mercilessly everytime we saw him because why else would such a sweet little angelic boy like him protest so loudly if we were really such good grandparents? I half expected them to call Child Protective Services to keep that poor little sweet boy from being carried off into the great blue yonder by such awful, awful grandparents.
Talk about embarassing! Maybe we could just leave him and one of those suspicious teachers could just carry him home with them to spend the night, huh? We could just sneak out with the other two...well, he finally settled down after he stopped yelling, long enough for me to convince him that his big brother was going, too. He didn't really care if the second one went. Just take the older brother. They're big buddies.
Of course Child #2 never can make it anywhere without having to stop by the gas station for refreshments. We missed the first one because we were in the center lane and the gas station was on the right. But he didn't. He protested until we finally found a McDonald's which was satisfactory with him.
In the meantime, someone had found a package of freshly opened straws I kept in the back of my seat so we could have flexible straws for Little Princess when she was with us.
Those straws multiplied like a bunch of bunnies. I didn't know one pack could hold so many straws and each child had to have his fair share. OK, that would keep them quiet and entertained for a little while, I reasoned. After all that's pretty cheap pleasure for a dollar. And I even volunteered to help Child #3 expand his straw size and turn it into a triangle by squeezing the ends together and poking them into the ends of each straw. Pretty neat, huh? Right. Then the fun began as their extended play pretties began to poke each others eyes, and all the howling coming forth from the back seat, you can't even imagine.
And,did I mention, Granddaddy and I had carefully determined the best way to place the car seat in the car to most effectively keep the two older boys apart. They love to intrude on the other's personal space, and it always leads to havoc, so Child #3's seat would go into the middle of the car. That sounded like a good idea until the two older boys decided to attack him from both sides. Poor little fellow, he didn't get a minutes rest and he's a very vocal child. He takes after his grandparents side of the family in that he can't utter a sound without it being in the loudest possible voice. It's very hard to ignore it and almost an hours drive is a l.o.n.g way to hear screaming. I know. I've lived through it at least two different days. From the same little body.
Some of the conversations that went on in the back seat of the car, not necessarily just on the way home from the day care, but at some point: Child #2, "Shush up! You're hurting my ears!" Child #3, "DON'T TELL ME TO SHUSH UP! I WILL NOT SHUSH UP! DON'T TELL ME TO SHUSH UP!" Fist fight ensues. Loud voices break out. Crying comes from the middle of the seat.
At another time Child #2 says to Grandmomma, in a very whiny voice,"I don't know why I have to sit in a booster seat. I'm not a five-year old. I'm not a three-year old. I'm not a baby. I'm be seven before long. I don't know why I have to sit in this stupid old booster seat." To which child #3 chimes in, "NO, YOU'RE NOT A THREE YEAR OLD! (that's child #3's age, so he won't share it with Child #2) and Child #1 responds, "Oh, you're being such a baby. You're so whiny. You're acting like a three-year old!" Back and forth, bickering, bickering, bickering. In a very small closed-in car, which is shrinking by the second.
But there were fun things I heard, too. I listened as one child would tease the other with, "I see a smile on that face!" And it brought back memories of me at times trying to coax their father into a good mood when he was a little boy. He grew older and learned to perfect the most solemn face before he could hold it no long and burst out with laughter. Most times it worked and would put him in a much better mood. Apparently their father had engaged them in the same child play and they were loving it. Child #1 said he needed practice so Daddy couldn't make him laugh and practice they did.
Then another time, after hearing Grandmomma go through not one, but two names before finally getting it right on the third try, Child #1 remarked he wished his name was not so unusual, that he had a simple name like his brothers because he thought we were having a hard time remembering his name, I guess. It's hard to explain to a child that for some reason parents and grandparents must go through the entire list of children/grandchildren before they can finally address the child with his/her given name. It's not that you've forgotten his real name at all. Sometimes it even comes down to saying, "Child #1, Child #2, I mean Child #3, blah, blah, blah" or maybe even you find yourself adding, "or whatever your name is".
It isn't anything personal indicating you don't acknowledge them as a real person with a real name, it's just that you have to go through the list sometimes to make sure you've got the right kid. Someday he'll understand. It doesn't matter how simple or different the name is, it will always be the same.
Back to the straw incident,earlier when threatened by Grandmomma to remove every single straw from their clutches and when asked why did Child #2 find it necessary to pull all those straws out in the first place, Child #2 replies, "I didn't pull them out, they just jumped out." Child #1: "You did, too, pull them out, I saw you do it!" Child #2: "Well, I put them back into the back of the seat and THEN they just jumped out! Besides, I'm just curious!" Amen to that statement! You are indeed, "just curious." Child #2 has always been my grandchild who can figure out ways of putting his words into some really cute sayings.
And let's give credit where credit is due: When asked of Child #2, why he chose to do whatever he's managed to find to do, his favorite line and with all sincerity he will blurt out, "But my big brother made me do it!" Most times I'm sure that's very true, but sometimes I think it's just an excuse for him. However, Big brothers do have a tendency to lead you places then just dump you. It's fun to see how much trouble they can lead the other child into without getting blamed themselves. So, I have to snicker and hope he learns his lesson before he follows the big brother he adores into major, major bad deeds.
When we arrived at the house, they were warned to stay outside until Little Princess woke up from her nap. They didn't want to stay outside. It was hot! Three little bodies quickly disengaged their seat belts and into the house they went, voices first. It wasn't long before Little Princess woke up in a not so good mood.
Now the last time she saw them they were at their house and she immediately took up with them and ran with the wildest, but this time she hung back. They were much too wild for her to participate in their wild antics this time. Also, she wasn't too sure how these little animals had invaded her Grandmomma and Granddaddy's house without her knowing it and, she never really found them too entertaining.
When their aunt showed them a couple of scrapbook pages she had done when the oldest two of them, little Princess and she and we grandparents had gone blueberry picking, they laughed while child #2 says, "Little Miss Attitude". He kept referring to Little Princess as "Little Miss Attitude". Wonder where that came from? Did it just shine through? Maybe.
After they had spent what seemed like forever running around inside the house, hiding from the other, screaming at being found, screeching into the newly discovered baby monitor which was blaring away in our ears in the family room, etc., Granddaddy came in and asked Grandmomma, "Can't we just cut the television on and let them watch something?" He was desperate, I could tell! And I was getting there. Sounded like an excellent idea to me, except Little Princess isn't allowed to watch television, and it was a bit of distraction to her as she stretched her little head and twisted her little body in order to get a better glimpse of "that thing she never gets to see" as she was trying to eat and Mommy was trying to get her out the door to pick up her Daddy.
But the boys settled down. And that made it worth it. Until we got into the car to go eat. For some reason television programs don't end at exactly the same spot they should. But we finally convinced them to leave to go eat. At Granddaddy's favorite place...The Varsity. Fight, fuss, act like little boys, all over again.
Don't let me mislead you to believe I don't think these are good little boys. They are great little boys, they're just little boys, all three of them. I only had one little boy. My experience is limited to that one little boy, not multiplied by three!
On the way we waited in line at Costco for about 15-20 minutes for gasoline (because of the expected shortage of gasoline because of Hurricane Ike, we had these lines,) but we needed gas because we would be making another trip back over to meet their mom tomorrow, so we needed gas. Twenty minutes is an unrealistic amount of time to expect three little boys to remain half way civil. So, it got kinda noisy in the back seat.
We finally got to The Varsity and the boys decided they wanted to eat outside. Probably a good idea so the inside people could eat their meals in peace. They stayed in their places like good little kids almost the entire meal with the exception of a few moments of forgotten rules when they would slip off their seats, but they were pretty good during the meal.
Then they decided to run and romp. Granddaddy didn't want them to because he was afraid one would fall and get hurt. That was a good possiblity, but I thought they needed to get all that excess energy before getting home. Then they grabbed their straws and attacked each other and cast spells on each other and tromped through the poor flower bed before I could stop them, but they had a great time. Just being little boys.
Finally home. It was bathtime and time for teeth brushing, and other odds and ends so we could put down the "blow up" bed the two older boys had been begging to sleep on since we started out on the trip home. They love to lay out on the uninflated bed while Granddaddy "blows" it up.
They needed to be in bed on time because there was a 9:00 football game for Child #2 followed by a 10:30 soccer game for child #1. Finally they were bathed and in bed, but not before Child #1 and Child #2 found a little round water holder normally used as a spare for a toy water gun. They made their own concoction of water, a couple of blends of toothpaste, some of Aunt's cleansing cream, some liquid soap for sudsing and who knows what else, and they wrongfully suspected they would get it past Grandmomma to play with it in the bed when they were supposed to be sleeping.
How did they mix all that together before you found them, Grandmomma, you ask? Well, while Grandmomma was trying to wash a few clothes and help get Child #3 settled in, it just happened. Granddaddy was good about getting Child #3 bathed and getting him to bed, so I can't take a lot of credit for taking care of him. But, in all fairness, I had to supervise. So I was pre-occcupied.
Anyway, they did settle down fairly fast and Child #3 was sleeping on the big bed in the extra bedroom. Granddaddy was going to stay with Child #3 until he went to sleep, then we were going to catch up on watching some television,but Child #3 couldn't get to sleep, so about an hour later, Granddaddy got up and left him. He never cried or complained a bit like he did with me when he stayed before and begged me "Will you seep with me, Grandmutter?"
I never sleep well when they spend the night. I'm always afraid one or two, well in their case, both of them might escape through the kithen door or one will need me during the night and I might not hear him, even with the baby monitor on in Child #3's room, I worry. But apparently no one needed me after all. At least they didn't complain. Or I didn't hear them.
This morning when I got up Child #3 sweetly announced he was ready to get up. He ran into the front of the house and pounced on his two sleeping brothers and war was declared once more and another day began. Just like the previous one ended.
Granddaddy fixed waffles and bacon for the boys while I gathered things from the dryer and herded them into their bags for an early trip back to Mommy. Check list made to make sure all lovies are in the back, all clothes are there, all paci's are in place, all...Mommy called around 7:15 and said she was on her way and could we meet her. "No, not yet. We're still having breakfast but I'll call and let you know when we're on the way." About 45 minutes later they were reunited with their mother and we went our separate ways. Grandmomma and Granddaddy really needed their rest. Maybe next time we'll watch their football games and soccer games, but this time we just needed our rest. And that's exactly what we did all day long today. And they all lived happily ever after!
They really are three of the sweetest little guys around. There is such a sweet and gentle side of them as one reaches over and comforts the other, with hugs and kisses before they engage in another bout of whatever creative creatures they've invented, which will inevitably lead to another war, both real and imagined.
And all those sweet lovings they give to us just because "they're themselves". The hand holdings, the sweet conversations, everything nice about them.
We all know our grandkids have us pegged as suckers. We'll fall for anything and everything when they're around, and they know it. It's just a matter of surviving while they're testing.
Someday they'll settle down and have their own little families, and I can read this back to them and remind them just what they were like when they were 3, 6 and 8. I love you guys, now and forever. And before we know it, they'll be gone. In such a very short time! Gone as the little boys we enjoy so much now, on to another phase of their lives. But for now we'll love them. Just the way they are.
No problem, though we've never been there before, we have the old reliable GPS, right? All we needed was the address and we were all set to go.
We left Little Princess and her mommy at the house so she could get a nap and maybe a chance to at least see the boys before they had to leave to pick up Little Princesses' daddy from the train.
It's never easy to make the short 11-15 mile trip over to their area without spending at least 45 minutes on the road. Traffic, lights and just general roads and schools create problems along the way. We allowed an hour to be able to get there in time to pick them up by 3:30. This would assure the two older boys had a chance to get from their school, by bus, to the day care center and also allow the youngest one to have plenty of time to get his afternoon nap in.
We followed the directions of Delores, our GPS lady, and took a slight right onto an only lane and she dinged to give us the thumbs up...until she realized we had done something to blow her little computer mind. She didn't mean that slight right, now she would have to recalculate to see how and why we have veered off course. Before she had a chance to jump in with her usual robotic, but now exhausted voice, "Make.an.illegal.u-turn.at.the.next.possible.road." OK, she really says at the next legal u-turn but she always sounds like she's saying make an illegal u-turn. Anyway, we beat her to the draw and turned around,thereby confusing her once again. By the time we got back to the main road she was still whirling here little miniature computer parts desperately searching outer space for her satellites, trying to once gain her balance,we were already back on track without her help. It was obvious some human being had to take over control of this situation.
By the time the discombobulated Miss Delores had time to recover, we had managed to get into a left-turn only lane because Delores kept telling us we had reached our destination, (I'm sure her little computer parts were steaming hot at this point and she was just hoping we really had actually reached our destination,) but we couldn't see our destination, so we landed up in the wrong lane and had to turn around. Another brain problem for poor Delores. You learn you reach a point where you have to turn her off in more ways than one when you don't follow her directions...continually. She's very persistent.
We could see the day care so we thought we could attack it from the rear. Not possible,so we had to get back onto the road once again, turn around and try once more. Then it was turn left so we could turn left again and get back to a light that would get us on the main road in the right direction. Look ahead. There's a major amount of traffic in between where we are and where we want to turn left, so we decide to turn right and approach from that direction.
Finally there. Out of the car only to realize you can't gain access to the inside of the building until you've punched in the "secret code". Um, Mommy failed to share that bit of information and the code with us. Try looking nice and grandparenty looking so some nice man picking his little rugrats up will have sympathy on us. It worked. He didnt share the code, but he did punch it in and let us follow him. Then to find someone to find our boys. Ah, there she is over in the corner. She gets us to the location of all three of them. Find child #1, child #2 and then spot child
#3. Then he bursts out into a fit of tears as though he is being kidnapped by a bunch of wild people he would rather die than go with them. He didn't want us. He wanted his mommy. Should we run while we still have a chance?
This is the second time he's done this. Only since he's been back in town. When he would come for a visit for six weeks at a time he was glad to go with us, but not now!
Then, of course, all the teachers were looking at us as though they, themselves, were convinced that we had been beating him mercilessly everytime we saw him because why else would such a sweet little angelic boy like him protest so loudly if we were really such good grandparents? I half expected them to call Child Protective Services to keep that poor little sweet boy from being carried off into the great blue yonder by such awful, awful grandparents.
Talk about embarassing! Maybe we could just leave him and one of those suspicious teachers could just carry him home with them to spend the night, huh? We could just sneak out with the other two...well, he finally settled down after he stopped yelling, long enough for me to convince him that his big brother was going, too. He didn't really care if the second one went. Just take the older brother. They're big buddies.
Of course Child #2 never can make it anywhere without having to stop by the gas station for refreshments. We missed the first one because we were in the center lane and the gas station was on the right. But he didn't. He protested until we finally found a McDonald's which was satisfactory with him.
In the meantime, someone had found a package of freshly opened straws I kept in the back of my seat so we could have flexible straws for Little Princess when she was with us.
Those straws multiplied like a bunch of bunnies. I didn't know one pack could hold so many straws and each child had to have his fair share. OK, that would keep them quiet and entertained for a little while, I reasoned. After all that's pretty cheap pleasure for a dollar. And I even volunteered to help Child #3 expand his straw size and turn it into a triangle by squeezing the ends together and poking them into the ends of each straw. Pretty neat, huh? Right. Then the fun began as their extended play pretties began to poke each others eyes, and all the howling coming forth from the back seat, you can't even imagine.
And,did I mention, Granddaddy and I had carefully determined the best way to place the car seat in the car to most effectively keep the two older boys apart. They love to intrude on the other's personal space, and it always leads to havoc, so Child #3's seat would go into the middle of the car. That sounded like a good idea until the two older boys decided to attack him from both sides. Poor little fellow, he didn't get a minutes rest and he's a very vocal child. He takes after his grandparents side of the family in that he can't utter a sound without it being in the loudest possible voice. It's very hard to ignore it and almost an hours drive is a l.o.n.g way to hear screaming. I know. I've lived through it at least two different days. From the same little body.
Some of the conversations that went on in the back seat of the car, not necessarily just on the way home from the day care, but at some point: Child #2, "Shush up! You're hurting my ears!" Child #3, "DON'T TELL ME TO SHUSH UP! I WILL NOT SHUSH UP! DON'T TELL ME TO SHUSH UP!" Fist fight ensues. Loud voices break out. Crying comes from the middle of the seat.
At another time Child #2 says to Grandmomma, in a very whiny voice,"I don't know why I have to sit in a booster seat. I'm not a five-year old. I'm not a three-year old. I'm not a baby. I'm be seven before long. I don't know why I have to sit in this stupid old booster seat." To which child #3 chimes in, "NO, YOU'RE NOT A THREE YEAR OLD! (that's child #3's age, so he won't share it with Child #2) and Child #1 responds, "Oh, you're being such a baby. You're so whiny. You're acting like a three-year old!" Back and forth, bickering, bickering, bickering. In a very small closed-in car, which is shrinking by the second.
But there were fun things I heard, too. I listened as one child would tease the other with, "I see a smile on that face!" And it brought back memories of me at times trying to coax their father into a good mood when he was a little boy. He grew older and learned to perfect the most solemn face before he could hold it no long and burst out with laughter. Most times it worked and would put him in a much better mood. Apparently their father had engaged them in the same child play and they were loving it. Child #1 said he needed practice so Daddy couldn't make him laugh and practice they did.
Then another time, after hearing Grandmomma go through not one, but two names before finally getting it right on the third try, Child #1 remarked he wished his name was not so unusual, that he had a simple name like his brothers because he thought we were having a hard time remembering his name, I guess. It's hard to explain to a child that for some reason parents and grandparents must go through the entire list of children/grandchildren before they can finally address the child with his/her given name. It's not that you've forgotten his real name at all. Sometimes it even comes down to saying, "Child #1, Child #2, I mean Child #3, blah, blah, blah" or maybe even you find yourself adding, "or whatever your name is".
It isn't anything personal indicating you don't acknowledge them as a real person with a real name, it's just that you have to go through the list sometimes to make sure you've got the right kid. Someday he'll understand. It doesn't matter how simple or different the name is, it will always be the same.
Back to the straw incident,earlier when threatened by Grandmomma to remove every single straw from their clutches and when asked why did Child #2 find it necessary to pull all those straws out in the first place, Child #2 replies, "I didn't pull them out, they just jumped out." Child #1: "You did, too, pull them out, I saw you do it!" Child #2: "Well, I put them back into the back of the seat and THEN they just jumped out! Besides, I'm just curious!" Amen to that statement! You are indeed, "just curious." Child #2 has always been my grandchild who can figure out ways of putting his words into some really cute sayings.
And let's give credit where credit is due: When asked of Child #2, why he chose to do whatever he's managed to find to do, his favorite line and with all sincerity he will blurt out, "But my big brother made me do it!" Most times I'm sure that's very true, but sometimes I think it's just an excuse for him. However, Big brothers do have a tendency to lead you places then just dump you. It's fun to see how much trouble they can lead the other child into without getting blamed themselves. So, I have to snicker and hope he learns his lesson before he follows the big brother he adores into major, major bad deeds.
When we arrived at the house, they were warned to stay outside until Little Princess woke up from her nap. They didn't want to stay outside. It was hot! Three little bodies quickly disengaged their seat belts and into the house they went, voices first. It wasn't long before Little Princess woke up in a not so good mood.
Now the last time she saw them they were at their house and she immediately took up with them and ran with the wildest, but this time she hung back. They were much too wild for her to participate in their wild antics this time. Also, she wasn't too sure how these little animals had invaded her Grandmomma and Granddaddy's house without her knowing it and, she never really found them too entertaining.
When their aunt showed them a couple of scrapbook pages she had done when the oldest two of them, little Princess and she and we grandparents had gone blueberry picking, they laughed while child #2 says, "Little Miss Attitude". He kept referring to Little Princess as "Little Miss Attitude". Wonder where that came from? Did it just shine through? Maybe.
After they had spent what seemed like forever running around inside the house, hiding from the other, screaming at being found, screeching into the newly discovered baby monitor which was blaring away in our ears in the family room, etc., Granddaddy came in and asked Grandmomma, "Can't we just cut the television on and let them watch something?" He was desperate, I could tell! And I was getting there. Sounded like an excellent idea to me, except Little Princess isn't allowed to watch television, and it was a bit of distraction to her as she stretched her little head and twisted her little body in order to get a better glimpse of "that thing she never gets to see" as she was trying to eat and Mommy was trying to get her out the door to pick up her Daddy.
But the boys settled down. And that made it worth it. Until we got into the car to go eat. For some reason television programs don't end at exactly the same spot they should. But we finally convinced them to leave to go eat. At Granddaddy's favorite place...The Varsity. Fight, fuss, act like little boys, all over again.
Don't let me mislead you to believe I don't think these are good little boys. They are great little boys, they're just little boys, all three of them. I only had one little boy. My experience is limited to that one little boy, not multiplied by three!
On the way we waited in line at Costco for about 15-20 minutes for gasoline (because of the expected shortage of gasoline because of Hurricane Ike, we had these lines,) but we needed gas because we would be making another trip back over to meet their mom tomorrow, so we needed gas. Twenty minutes is an unrealistic amount of time to expect three little boys to remain half way civil. So, it got kinda noisy in the back seat.
We finally got to The Varsity and the boys decided they wanted to eat outside. Probably a good idea so the inside people could eat their meals in peace. They stayed in their places like good little kids almost the entire meal with the exception of a few moments of forgotten rules when they would slip off their seats, but they were pretty good during the meal.
Then they decided to run and romp. Granddaddy didn't want them to because he was afraid one would fall and get hurt. That was a good possiblity, but I thought they needed to get all that excess energy before getting home. Then they grabbed their straws and attacked each other and cast spells on each other and tromped through the poor flower bed before I could stop them, but they had a great time. Just being little boys.
Finally home. It was bathtime and time for teeth brushing, and other odds and ends so we could put down the "blow up" bed the two older boys had been begging to sleep on since we started out on the trip home. They love to lay out on the uninflated bed while Granddaddy "blows" it up.
They needed to be in bed on time because there was a 9:00 football game for Child #2 followed by a 10:30 soccer game for child #1. Finally they were bathed and in bed, but not before Child #1 and Child #2 found a little round water holder normally used as a spare for a toy water gun. They made their own concoction of water, a couple of blends of toothpaste, some of Aunt's cleansing cream, some liquid soap for sudsing and who knows what else, and they wrongfully suspected they would get it past Grandmomma to play with it in the bed when they were supposed to be sleeping.
How did they mix all that together before you found them, Grandmomma, you ask? Well, while Grandmomma was trying to wash a few clothes and help get Child #3 settled in, it just happened. Granddaddy was good about getting Child #3 bathed and getting him to bed, so I can't take a lot of credit for taking care of him. But, in all fairness, I had to supervise. So I was pre-occcupied.
Anyway, they did settle down fairly fast and Child #3 was sleeping on the big bed in the extra bedroom. Granddaddy was going to stay with Child #3 until he went to sleep, then we were going to catch up on watching some television,but Child #3 couldn't get to sleep, so about an hour later, Granddaddy got up and left him. He never cried or complained a bit like he did with me when he stayed before and begged me "Will you seep with me, Grandmutter?"
I never sleep well when they spend the night. I'm always afraid one or two, well in their case, both of them might escape through the kithen door or one will need me during the night and I might not hear him, even with the baby monitor on in Child #3's room, I worry. But apparently no one needed me after all. At least they didn't complain. Or I didn't hear them.
This morning when I got up Child #3 sweetly announced he was ready to get up. He ran into the front of the house and pounced on his two sleeping brothers and war was declared once more and another day began. Just like the previous one ended.
Granddaddy fixed waffles and bacon for the boys while I gathered things from the dryer and herded them into their bags for an early trip back to Mommy. Check list made to make sure all lovies are in the back, all clothes are there, all paci's are in place, all...Mommy called around 7:15 and said she was on her way and could we meet her. "No, not yet. We're still having breakfast but I'll call and let you know when we're on the way." About 45 minutes later they were reunited with their mother and we went our separate ways. Grandmomma and Granddaddy really needed their rest. Maybe next time we'll watch their football games and soccer games, but this time we just needed our rest. And that's exactly what we did all day long today. And they all lived happily ever after!
They really are three of the sweetest little guys around. There is such a sweet and gentle side of them as one reaches over and comforts the other, with hugs and kisses before they engage in another bout of whatever creative creatures they've invented, which will inevitably lead to another war, both real and imagined.
And all those sweet lovings they give to us just because "they're themselves". The hand holdings, the sweet conversations, everything nice about them.
We all know our grandkids have us pegged as suckers. We'll fall for anything and everything when they're around, and they know it. It's just a matter of surviving while they're testing.
Someday they'll settle down and have their own little families, and I can read this back to them and remind them just what they were like when they were 3, 6 and 8. I love you guys, now and forever. And before we know it, they'll be gone. In such a very short time! Gone as the little boys we enjoy so much now, on to another phase of their lives. But for now we'll love them. Just the way they are.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
All that running around
All week long I have been trying my best to find two of the cutest stamps Hobby Lobby has added to their shelves...or maybe they hadn't really been added yet since they were very illusive. This week was a good time to get any new stamps since HL had them for 50% off and that is a much better price than paying full-price.
The first HL store I went into had a picture of both of them, but alas, there was only a blank spot, and I didn't know if they had sold out or if they just hadn't gotten the stamps in. I found it hard to believe they had sold out since I was there pretty much first thing Monday morning.
I didn't even know the name of the stamp or which company made it, nor did I have paper to write down the number they had provided. Not that I could find it by that number, I discovered, but I felt it would have helped, maybe!
One was a cute little cowboy riding his horse and the other was a prissy little girl.
The little cowboy would be perfect for a sweeet little two-year old boy who has an up-coming third birthdday in October! I fell in love with that stamped image and had to have the stamp.
We hit five stores in a circle and still couldn't find those elusive stamps anywhere, but I still didn't want to give up, so I decided we would make our final stop at the last store, #6, when we went in that direction on Saturday.
My son had called earlier while we were out walking and left a message on the machine inviting us to meet his family for dinner and grill out on Saturday so I knew we would be heading in the direction without having to make an out of the way trip.
And, yes, my son is the worst procrastinator short of being related to his father, that I know. The old sayings, "The apple didn't fall far from the tree" is definitely one that fits my son. My profession in earlier years was secretary. Now known as Administrative Assistant. I still prefer the title secretary. Now, don't judge me this late in the game on my skills. They've become a bit rusty simply because I don't like to go back, proof my stuff or write it properly. My point in relating this was simply to let you know just how frustrating it can be to a mother who tried to raise a son who had no interest in being organized, prompt, efficient with a half-way decent memory, etc. especially when she has done this forever!
He has not changed! He was supposed to have called earlier in the week or maybe even last week to set up this date with us, but did he remember? No! But in all fairness, he is a very busy man, however,this is typical behavior for him so I shouldn't have been too surprised, but it was pretty frustrating to try to understand just what he was saying over the answering machine. Since he's relocated up north where all the yankees live, he's picked up some bad habits. He talks so fast and strange you can't understand him! He denies it, but it's true.
After a number of re-runs of the answering machine we finally figured out pretty much the gist of the conversation was an invitation to eat together. E-mails are a bit better for firming up things when you can't understand their English!
The man is lucky to have a good secretary! He could never survive the everyday life without the best secretary. I know he must frustrate her so much and she definitely earns every penny he pays her. I have no doubts about that. He had better hope he is blessed forever with a good secretary, is all I can say.
I know, I know, I got a bit off task here, but I just had to add that little part of my thoughts about him...
We left early so we could make it by the final location in an attempt to find those silly stamps. Just as I was so convinced I would never own them, there they were on the shelf. I was so excited. I could hardly believe I wasn't dreaming. They were finally mine! The last one of each! I guess those were really that popular and they were meant to be mine because they now belong to me. Now I just must get busy before October to get Beautiful blue eyes card made.
I was able to get out of the store so we could meet the kids and their families without being late. But I was oh, so very happy!
Just as we pulled onto their street we could see a bajillion kids riding bikes, scooters and what have you on their cul-de-sac. We were able to determine at least two of them belonged to our brood; the rest were neighborhood rugrats. Then sitting on a bench by his dad sat BBE getting his helmut adjusted before he, himself, hit the street with his little almost three-year old body! He was absolutely so adorable I could hardly believe it. Such a cutie and even though we've seen him very recently, he appeared to have grown up before our eyes!
He saw us and ran to give us a big hug and kiss then jumped on his scooter and zoomed out with the other kids just in time to see Little Princess appear with her parents. That changed his plans because he had been looking forward to seeing her all afternoon.
The other two jumped off their chosen mode of transportation and greeted us with the middle child sweetly and politely introducing us to his friend, a little girl from next door. I thought that was very considerate of him.
As a footnote, last October just before BBE turned two that little mess could scoot around on his scooter quite efficiently. I was amazed he had such control over that thing with one little foot. That age is still a time of being coordinated enough to stand on two feet, so it was pretty amazing the control the little rascal had over that scooter.
We all enjoyed a very delicious meal of barbequed ribs. My daughter and I agreed they were even better than Norman's Landing which has the very best ribs she and I have ever had (short of the ones my daughter-in-law's parents prepare.) This was indeed their recipe so we knew they couldn't be anything but scrumptious. Very time-consuming, but the.very.best.
Annabelle and James loved each other so much. They stuck together, thick as thieves, the whole time they were together. They would run around that house and laugh and play like they saw each other everyday. They have spent some time together, but not a tremendous amount. I thought Annabelle would have been more shy than she was, but she just jumped right in and acted like he was a big brother. They hugged and kissed each other like old friends. Just too cute. I can see her absorbing lots of new things to stash in her arsenal to use against her mommy later.
Just to document...she is beginning to use the sweet words "Mommy" and they (Mom and Dad) said she used "Daddy" first instead of Mama and Dadda. Growing up way too fast.
Change so much everyday.
Her aunt suggested Little Princess and BBE go up to his room and play with his toys. Mommy didn't hear that the times she said that, but when she finally did she discreetly vetoed that idea. No way was Little Princess going to be out of the view of one of us adults. Mommy would never allow her to be unsupervised where she could put something in her mouth, or get into who knows what. I knew that as soon as I heard that suggestion. Ohh, that Mommy is one protective little Mama Hen. And I say, "good for you!", but I know that little girl is going to become even more independant just because somewhere down the road she's going to have to be because of Mommy's protectiveness. And, I'm not at all criticizing you, Mommy. You do a great job of giving her freedom within the limits she needs. I'm just a saying...
They moved down to destroy the bottom floors of the house. Later as we were enjoying brownies and ice cream for dessert and still watching two little bodies carefully, we heard a "crash" come from the family room. Ohh, that sounded bad! Up jumps Mommy to assess the damage and there was Little Princess. I wasn't really within view, but what I saw was Little Princess appearing to climb on a chair near a table with a picture on it. I knew the picture glass was broken. It was such a horrible crash. She wasn't hurt, but she had apparently knocked the picture off the table while attempting to keep up with her cousin's antics of climbing on the furniture, he on one side of the table, she on the other.
That must have been one strong picture glass because it survived the fall, despite the awful clatter it made.
Her aunt just thought it was funny. She's accustomed to rough and tough little boys tearing the house apart. One more little body didn't seem to bother her at all.
Those two little kids almost ran themselves completely down running throughout that house. There were many entrances and exits they could choose to get away from the other and they used them. In and out, in and out, back and through, again and again, until I thought they would drop in their tracks, but they didn't!
They really had fun together and sometime soon we'll have to arrange to take BBE from his "school" and let the two of them play together again. (That's his name for daycare. He doesn't like to feel like he's a baby, anymore. He now goes to school like the big boys.) But, I know he won't be offended at all if Grandmomma and Granddaddy take him from school for a few days. All too soon they'll both be in "big" school and those fun times together will be gone.
The first HL store I went into had a picture of both of them, but alas, there was only a blank spot, and I didn't know if they had sold out or if they just hadn't gotten the stamps in. I found it hard to believe they had sold out since I was there pretty much first thing Monday morning.
I didn't even know the name of the stamp or which company made it, nor did I have paper to write down the number they had provided. Not that I could find it by that number, I discovered, but I felt it would have helped, maybe!
One was a cute little cowboy riding his horse and the other was a prissy little girl.
The little cowboy would be perfect for a sweeet little two-year old boy who has an up-coming third birthdday in October! I fell in love with that stamped image and had to have the stamp.
We hit five stores in a circle and still couldn't find those elusive stamps anywhere, but I still didn't want to give up, so I decided we would make our final stop at the last store, #6, when we went in that direction on Saturday.
My son had called earlier while we were out walking and left a message on the machine inviting us to meet his family for dinner and grill out on Saturday so I knew we would be heading in the direction without having to make an out of the way trip.
And, yes, my son is the worst procrastinator short of being related to his father, that I know. The old sayings, "The apple didn't fall far from the tree" is definitely one that fits my son. My profession in earlier years was secretary. Now known as Administrative Assistant. I still prefer the title secretary. Now, don't judge me this late in the game on my skills. They've become a bit rusty simply because I don't like to go back, proof my stuff or write it properly. My point in relating this was simply to let you know just how frustrating it can be to a mother who tried to raise a son who had no interest in being organized, prompt, efficient with a half-way decent memory, etc. especially when she has done this forever!
He has not changed! He was supposed to have called earlier in the week or maybe even last week to set up this date with us, but did he remember? No! But in all fairness, he is a very busy man, however,this is typical behavior for him so I shouldn't have been too surprised, but it was pretty frustrating to try to understand just what he was saying over the answering machine. Since he's relocated up north where all the yankees live, he's picked up some bad habits. He talks so fast and strange you can't understand him! He denies it, but it's true.
After a number of re-runs of the answering machine we finally figured out pretty much the gist of the conversation was an invitation to eat together. E-mails are a bit better for firming up things when you can't understand their English!
The man is lucky to have a good secretary! He could never survive the everyday life without the best secretary. I know he must frustrate her so much and she definitely earns every penny he pays her. I have no doubts about that. He had better hope he is blessed forever with a good secretary, is all I can say.
I know, I know, I got a bit off task here, but I just had to add that little part of my thoughts about him...
We left early so we could make it by the final location in an attempt to find those silly stamps. Just as I was so convinced I would never own them, there they were on the shelf. I was so excited. I could hardly believe I wasn't dreaming. They were finally mine! The last one of each! I guess those were really that popular and they were meant to be mine because they now belong to me. Now I just must get busy before October to get Beautiful blue eyes card made.
I was able to get out of the store so we could meet the kids and their families without being late. But I was oh, so very happy!
Just as we pulled onto their street we could see a bajillion kids riding bikes, scooters and what have you on their cul-de-sac. We were able to determine at least two of them belonged to our brood; the rest were neighborhood rugrats. Then sitting on a bench by his dad sat BBE getting his helmut adjusted before he, himself, hit the street with his little almost three-year old body! He was absolutely so adorable I could hardly believe it. Such a cutie and even though we've seen him very recently, he appeared to have grown up before our eyes!
He saw us and ran to give us a big hug and kiss then jumped on his scooter and zoomed out with the other kids just in time to see Little Princess appear with her parents. That changed his plans because he had been looking forward to seeing her all afternoon.
The other two jumped off their chosen mode of transportation and greeted us with the middle child sweetly and politely introducing us to his friend, a little girl from next door. I thought that was very considerate of him.
As a footnote, last October just before BBE turned two that little mess could scoot around on his scooter quite efficiently. I was amazed he had such control over that thing with one little foot. That age is still a time of being coordinated enough to stand on two feet, so it was pretty amazing the control the little rascal had over that scooter.
We all enjoyed a very delicious meal of barbequed ribs. My daughter and I agreed they were even better than Norman's Landing which has the very best ribs she and I have ever had (short of the ones my daughter-in-law's parents prepare.) This was indeed their recipe so we knew they couldn't be anything but scrumptious. Very time-consuming, but the.very.best.
Annabelle and James loved each other so much. They stuck together, thick as thieves, the whole time they were together. They would run around that house and laugh and play like they saw each other everyday. They have spent some time together, but not a tremendous amount. I thought Annabelle would have been more shy than she was, but she just jumped right in and acted like he was a big brother. They hugged and kissed each other like old friends. Just too cute. I can see her absorbing lots of new things to stash in her arsenal to use against her mommy later.
Just to document...she is beginning to use the sweet words "Mommy" and they (Mom and Dad) said she used "Daddy" first instead of Mama and Dadda. Growing up way too fast.
Change so much everyday.
Her aunt suggested Little Princess and BBE go up to his room and play with his toys. Mommy didn't hear that the times she said that, but when she finally did she discreetly vetoed that idea. No way was Little Princess going to be out of the view of one of us adults. Mommy would never allow her to be unsupervised where she could put something in her mouth, or get into who knows what. I knew that as soon as I heard that suggestion. Ohh, that Mommy is one protective little Mama Hen. And I say, "good for you!", but I know that little girl is going to become even more independant just because somewhere down the road she's going to have to be because of Mommy's protectiveness. And, I'm not at all criticizing you, Mommy. You do a great job of giving her freedom within the limits she needs. I'm just a saying...
They moved down to destroy the bottom floors of the house. Later as we were enjoying brownies and ice cream for dessert and still watching two little bodies carefully, we heard a "crash" come from the family room. Ohh, that sounded bad! Up jumps Mommy to assess the damage and there was Little Princess. I wasn't really within view, but what I saw was Little Princess appearing to climb on a chair near a table with a picture on it. I knew the picture glass was broken. It was such a horrible crash. She wasn't hurt, but she had apparently knocked the picture off the table while attempting to keep up with her cousin's antics of climbing on the furniture, he on one side of the table, she on the other.
That must have been one strong picture glass because it survived the fall, despite the awful clatter it made.
Her aunt just thought it was funny. She's accustomed to rough and tough little boys tearing the house apart. One more little body didn't seem to bother her at all.
Those two little kids almost ran themselves completely down running throughout that house. There were many entrances and exits they could choose to get away from the other and they used them. In and out, in and out, back and through, again and again, until I thought they would drop in their tracks, but they didn't!
They really had fun together and sometime soon we'll have to arrange to take BBE from his "school" and let the two of them play together again. (That's his name for daycare. He doesn't like to feel like he's a baby, anymore. He now goes to school like the big boys.) But, I know he won't be offended at all if Grandmomma and Granddaddy take him from school for a few days. All too soon they'll both be in "big" school and those fun times together will be gone.
Friday, August 8, 2008
And yet another item to record
Still another thing while I'm thinking about it...Little Princess has, for several weeks or maybe even a few months, felt the need to sit on the potty once her diaper is off for changing.
While on the trip she remembered the need more frequently. I'm not sure if maybe she thought I should put her on the potty and that was fun for her or what her thoughts were that twirled around inside that cute little head. Whatever the reasons she always seemed to remind me before a clean diaper was put onto her sweet little bottom..."Pot-tee, pot-tee!" It's a learning experience if nothing else and it may take another year or two before she understands she really has to make a tinkle or do her business on the potty. It certainly will take longer than just a quick brush with the toliet seat before she accomplishes this latest mission. I consider this small step a rather major step afterall.
And another ritual with her while at Auntie Mary's...Auntie Mary kept a small rug in the bathroom which little Annabelle felt was her own personal cushiony changing table. She would never let her diaper be changed without first re-arranging that little rug, just so. I can't blame her. I don't think I would want my naked bottom come in contact with a very cold, hard tile floor.
Another habit she developed which we had to live with was re-arranging the portable toliet paper dispenser. Auntie Mary kept it close by for anyone who needed it, but Miss Annabelle, seeing her mother move it so she could take a shower each morning, decided when I would return the dispenser to its proper place, that it really needed to be half way across the room. That was so much fun...trying to stretch for the toliet paper because you hadn't noticed little compulsive one had moved it back where she thought it needed to go.
Children and grandchildren can really entertain you every day of their lives if you just watch them and see what they do next. There is no reason for anyone to lead a boring life when they have a little one around. You just have to carefully observe or follow their movements and you never lack for some really fun entertainment. Day after day after day.
I only wish I had had a computer so I could have reported on so many funny things my two bright little kids did when they were little.
On occasion I will find little notes I've written with dates on them and things the boys did that struck me so funny. Sometimes I've been known to write up the events while they were fresh in my mind and stick them behind pictures or scrapbooking pages I've made and put into albums. Someday they may find things as interesting as I did when I wrote them down.
I have several books that I have written random things in that pertain to Little Princess that I never recorded before I started blogging. It gets old for me to write by hand, so I don't keep it up all the time. I just hope this doesn't get lost or I will lose a lot of memories.
I missed almost two years of the boys' lives except for things that happened when we/they visited or funny events that happened and was relayed to me by their mother, but I do treasure the memories I have. I just need to try to stay faithful to writing in this blog as things hit me. Sometimes that's an awfully hard thing to do.
While on the trip she remembered the need more frequently. I'm not sure if maybe she thought I should put her on the potty and that was fun for her or what her thoughts were that twirled around inside that cute little head. Whatever the reasons she always seemed to remind me before a clean diaper was put onto her sweet little bottom..."Pot-tee, pot-tee!" It's a learning experience if nothing else and it may take another year or two before she understands she really has to make a tinkle or do her business on the potty. It certainly will take longer than just a quick brush with the toliet seat before she accomplishes this latest mission. I consider this small step a rather major step afterall.
And another ritual with her while at Auntie Mary's...Auntie Mary kept a small rug in the bathroom which little Annabelle felt was her own personal cushiony changing table. She would never let her diaper be changed without first re-arranging that little rug, just so. I can't blame her. I don't think I would want my naked bottom come in contact with a very cold, hard tile floor.
Another habit she developed which we had to live with was re-arranging the portable toliet paper dispenser. Auntie Mary kept it close by for anyone who needed it, but Miss Annabelle, seeing her mother move it so she could take a shower each morning, decided when I would return the dispenser to its proper place, that it really needed to be half way across the room. That was so much fun...trying to stretch for the toliet paper because you hadn't noticed little compulsive one had moved it back where she thought it needed to go.
Children and grandchildren can really entertain you every day of their lives if you just watch them and see what they do next. There is no reason for anyone to lead a boring life when they have a little one around. You just have to carefully observe or follow their movements and you never lack for some really fun entertainment. Day after day after day.
I only wish I had had a computer so I could have reported on so many funny things my two bright little kids did when they were little.
On occasion I will find little notes I've written with dates on them and things the boys did that struck me so funny. Sometimes I've been known to write up the events while they were fresh in my mind and stick them behind pictures or scrapbooking pages I've made and put into albums. Someday they may find things as interesting as I did when I wrote them down.
I have several books that I have written random things in that pertain to Little Princess that I never recorded before I started blogging. It gets old for me to write by hand, so I don't keep it up all the time. I just hope this doesn't get lost or I will lose a lot of memories.
I missed almost two years of the boys' lives except for things that happened when we/they visited or funny events that happened and was relayed to me by their mother, but I do treasure the memories I have. I just need to try to stay faithful to writing in this blog as things hit me. Sometimes that's an awfully hard thing to do.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
He'd take it if he had to
We have had the idea in the back of our minds since going to the Medieval Times with our daughter and son-in-law on Father's Day. It would be fun to take the boys to enjoy the dinner program one day before long. It didn't work out when we first talked about it; Little Free Spirit was away visiting another aunt for the week and we really wanted both of the boys to go. We weren't really all that excited about paying out another $101.00 plus tip to take each boy at a time. We love them both, dearly, but we could arrange our time better so they could go at the same time, maybe.
Unfortunately they had gotten wind of the plans to go sometime and immediately that was the first question out of both their mouths as well as their other grandparents. Mom had told them about our hopes and had given them their own hopes to go when they came back to visit with us for the next couple of days.
However, we had no more tickets for the kids to get in free and adding another $40 or more each didn't seem like something we were really excited to do. We planned to just wait until we had freebies even if it meant later on in the summer.
We could tell they were a little disappointed even though they tried to keep it to themselves and not complain, so when we got back to our house I decided to check out their website and see if they had a new promotion on. And they did! Yea! Thru September...but why wait until September when we could maybe get reservations tonight. Shouldn't be a problem since it's the middle of the week.
Just before we decided to leave the rain poured from the skies. Heavy, heavy, heavy. We've learned not to complain too much, though since we've been in a drought for the last few years and this year doesn't promise much more.
We decided to continue on with our plans, and by the time we got there the rain had slowed to sprinkles so we were back on track.
The boys and I went ahead and got the tickets while Granddaddy found a place to park, a ways away from the place the program was held. We had about an hour to kill inside. They are smart people. They lure you in with the kids and then you spend more on the kiddos than you would have on the meals for them. Very smart, indeed!
And, of course, as soon as you enter your picture is made. Who can refuse a picture of you and your cuties for the price of $10. This time it didn't have a frame. They've gotten a little cheaper in the last few weeks.
The first thing Little Free Spirit wanted to do was check out the 'real swords'. He held each one carefully, caressing each one and longing for each one more than the last. He fell completely in love with these pieces of metal.
Then he decided he wanted to make a purchase. With our money. He had left his behind. We tried to help him decide which one he would rather have -- a dagger that expanded, a wooden one, a plastic one or what. Suddenly tears fell down onto his little cheeks as he exclaimed, "Alright, if you're just gonna force me to take that one, I will, but it's not the one I really wanted." To which I replied, "What did you really want, Little Free Spirit." Still totally frustrated, he sobbed, "I wanted the metal one." Well, the metal one he had loved so much was only $100.00. I tried to explain to him why he couldn't have the metal one. First because $100.00 was completely out of the question for something for him to play with (not really) and the metal ones were not for little six year old boys to play with. He wasn't tall enough yet for a metal sword.
After he finally accepted my reasoning he chose the wooden one like his brother's and was content the rest of the evening, beating his brother's sword with his, punching everybody within standing distance as he carried it in his little belt loop, and just generally ignoring Grandmother and Granddaddy's warning he had to be careful. But he was happy. And so were we.
Inside the dinner show we were treated to a bowl of vegetable soup, piece of garlic bread, a generous serving of half chicken, spare rib, potato wedge, choice of tea, Pepsi, water or coffee. I couldn't believe they served a half chicken to children even those who were very small, even younger than ours.
The kids enjoyed eating their meal even though it was dark most of the time. The excitement on those two little faces made it worth the effort to get tickets tonight to get into the show. They were so thrilled and screamed and raised their arms in victory for those chosen knight. They didn't miss a beat as they watched in complete awe whether it was when the horses pranced or the knights jousted. However, being little boys I think they enjoyed the jousting much better than anything else they saw the entire show.
They also remembered to tell us several times they appreciated us taking them. Nice little well-mannered kids, don't you think?
And, Little Princess, guess what? You're not the only one who caught the eye of a Knight and enjoyed a flower kissed and thrown by him, so did your Grandmother. Yep, I loved my flower almost as much as you did yours.
This turned out to be a great night to go. There was no large waiting line inside or out. The house wasn't full and we were able to get seats on the second row from the bottom. Our Knight this time wore clothes of Red and yellow. He didn't win final competition this time. Our previous Knight in Blue won tonight, so we didn't mind pulling for him.
At one point the oldest turned to me and said, "It's 8:30 and I'm not even tired yet." His bedtime is around 8:00. (When we got home around 10:00 he still wasn't sleepy. I had left them both in the bed playing the Ninetendo DS game, Little Analyzer's sword at the foot of the bed where he sneaked it in earlier to beat his little brother to the draw in the morning.)
So the cost of two adult tickets and two children's free (ha, ha) tickets: $101.00
Price of two wood swords for two little boys: $20.00 plus tax
Price of picture of two smiling boys and two proud grandparents: $10.00
Tip of the night (I won't embarass him by telling you how much he didn't leave: ?
Watching two sweet brothers re-act to the show: PRICELESS
Keep looking, I'll try to find some time to work on posting pictures later. I just wanted to get the thoughts down before I forgot them.
Unfortunately they had gotten wind of the plans to go sometime and immediately that was the first question out of both their mouths as well as their other grandparents. Mom had told them about our hopes and had given them their own hopes to go when they came back to visit with us for the next couple of days.
However, we had no more tickets for the kids to get in free and adding another $40 or more each didn't seem like something we were really excited to do. We planned to just wait until we had freebies even if it meant later on in the summer.
We could tell they were a little disappointed even though they tried to keep it to themselves and not complain, so when we got back to our house I decided to check out their website and see if they had a new promotion on. And they did! Yea! Thru September...but why wait until September when we could maybe get reservations tonight. Shouldn't be a problem since it's the middle of the week.
Just before we decided to leave the rain poured from the skies. Heavy, heavy, heavy. We've learned not to complain too much, though since we've been in a drought for the last few years and this year doesn't promise much more.
We decided to continue on with our plans, and by the time we got there the rain had slowed to sprinkles so we were back on track.
The boys and I went ahead and got the tickets while Granddaddy found a place to park, a ways away from the place the program was held. We had about an hour to kill inside. They are smart people. They lure you in with the kids and then you spend more on the kiddos than you would have on the meals for them. Very smart, indeed!
And, of course, as soon as you enter your picture is made. Who can refuse a picture of you and your cuties for the price of $10. This time it didn't have a frame. They've gotten a little cheaper in the last few weeks.
The first thing Little Free Spirit wanted to do was check out the 'real swords'. He held each one carefully, caressing each one and longing for each one more than the last. He fell completely in love with these pieces of metal.
Then he decided he wanted to make a purchase. With our money. He had left his behind. We tried to help him decide which one he would rather have -- a dagger that expanded, a wooden one, a plastic one or what. Suddenly tears fell down onto his little cheeks as he exclaimed, "Alright, if you're just gonna force me to take that one, I will, but it's not the one I really wanted." To which I replied, "What did you really want, Little Free Spirit." Still totally frustrated, he sobbed, "I wanted the metal one." Well, the metal one he had loved so much was only $100.00. I tried to explain to him why he couldn't have the metal one. First because $100.00 was completely out of the question for something for him to play with (not really) and the metal ones were not for little six year old boys to play with. He wasn't tall enough yet for a metal sword.
After he finally accepted my reasoning he chose the wooden one like his brother's and was content the rest of the evening, beating his brother's sword with his, punching everybody within standing distance as he carried it in his little belt loop, and just generally ignoring Grandmother and Granddaddy's warning he had to be careful. But he was happy. And so were we.
Inside the dinner show we were treated to a bowl of vegetable soup, piece of garlic bread, a generous serving of half chicken, spare rib, potato wedge, choice of tea, Pepsi, water or coffee. I couldn't believe they served a half chicken to children even those who were very small, even younger than ours.
The kids enjoyed eating their meal even though it was dark most of the time. The excitement on those two little faces made it worth the effort to get tickets tonight to get into the show. They were so thrilled and screamed and raised their arms in victory for those chosen knight. They didn't miss a beat as they watched in complete awe whether it was when the horses pranced or the knights jousted. However, being little boys I think they enjoyed the jousting much better than anything else they saw the entire show.
They also remembered to tell us several times they appreciated us taking them. Nice little well-mannered kids, don't you think?
And, Little Princess, guess what? You're not the only one who caught the eye of a Knight and enjoyed a flower kissed and thrown by him, so did your Grandmother. Yep, I loved my flower almost as much as you did yours.
This turned out to be a great night to go. There was no large waiting line inside or out. The house wasn't full and we were able to get seats on the second row from the bottom. Our Knight this time wore clothes of Red and yellow. He didn't win final competition this time. Our previous Knight in Blue won tonight, so we didn't mind pulling for him.
At one point the oldest turned to me and said, "It's 8:30 and I'm not even tired yet." His bedtime is around 8:00. (When we got home around 10:00 he still wasn't sleepy. I had left them both in the bed playing the Ninetendo DS game, Little Analyzer's sword at the foot of the bed where he sneaked it in earlier to beat his little brother to the draw in the morning.)
So the cost of two adult tickets and two children's free (ha, ha) tickets: $101.00
Price of two wood swords for two little boys: $20.00 plus tax
Price of picture of two smiling boys and two proud grandparents: $10.00
Tip of the night (I won't embarass him by telling you how much he didn't leave: ?
Watching two sweet brothers re-act to the show: PRICELESS
Keep looking, I'll try to find some time to work on posting pictures later. I just wanted to get the thoughts down before I forgot them.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
A date with an eight-year old
After a few mix-ups this morning we finally accomplished our intended mission today of getting together with our eight-year old grandson, Little Analyzer. Granddaddy made a trip a distance away to get a much-needed oil change and time was not on our side. Apparently everybody else and their brother decided today, the day before the holiday would be a great time for an oil change. So we ended up being a good hour later than we had intended to meet with our young grandson, along with a few other unexpected things that got in the way and threatened to ruin the day.
We met him, his mother and his little bare-foot brother at the Varsity for swap-out and a meal with just the three of us before we began our outting.
Little Analyzer had been feeling a little lonely the last few days because his next-in-line brother was enjoying a week away from the other two boys by visiting his other aunt in North Carolina. This was his week, his year. Big brother got a chance to have lots of fun experiences last year, but he was beginning to feel the pangs of not having brother around, as annoying as he finds him at times. Some of his feelings also may have come from being a bit jealous because he was missing out on all those fun times this year.
He was treated yesterday to "Mom and me only" time at a movie. Littlest brother stayed with their other grandmother, but still he was needing a little extra attention, so we had made plans last week to spend time with him today.
So, in spite of a few problems to begin with we finally were able to begin our time together. Of course, the Varsity always means great, plump greasy onion rings along with our naked dogs and lemonade/Cokes.
He's hamming for the camera, just like he usually does.
He chattered like a little magpie the entire time, speaking again in his earlier learned language of "Greek" to me as he tried to explain his newest Nintendo DSL game card or something or the other that he had bought yesterday to go with another one he had saved for weeks or months ago.
Why can't he just talk about articulated dump trucks like he once did when he was very, very young, maybe before he was 18-19 months old. (I guess I should try to find the records to document that age before I get reprimanded for it, but he was very young!)
Of course, I didn't know what an articulated dump truck was at that time, either, but at least he could explain that well enough for me to understand it. Not like these games he loves to play so much now. And Webster never anticipated the need to explain what a Nintendo DSL was. He did anticipate a dumb grandmother who wouldn't understand an "articulated" dump truck.
Anyway, I told him to be sure to remember to pack the whole game as well as his cards when he comes to visit us with Little Free Spirit for a couple of days next week. Maybe he can make me understand it better with hands on experience, if I can see the game enough. It's kinda small. It has a stylus with it. That's about all I know for sure about that game.
After downing two naked dogs, an order of onion rings and two cups of lemonade, Little Analyzer was ready to take on two old people for a few hours.
I had called my daughter earlier in the day for some suggestions of what to do with an eight-year old. She has a twenty-month old, but she's still pretty good at thinking up things. You can only guess from reading my earlier paragraphs I needed something I could do and understand it, so she had gotten on the internet and came up with some ideas. My favorite turned out to be going out and playing putt-putt.
It has been years since I had a putt-putt club in my hands, so I didn't expect too much from myself, but I had always enjoyed it when my husband and I played years ago. He reminded me we had paid every penny of $.50 a game. I think it eventually went up to $1.00 a game and those prices were ridiculous, considering what we didn't make at that time. Whew! Am I dating myself, just a little bit?
I threw out that idea to the eight-year old and he jumped at the chance to play and beat the old folks. The prices have gone up from that original $.50 or $1.00 a game to $5.50 at that particular course, which considering the prices for a lot of other entertainment ideas was pretty cheap! That was for an 18 round course.
That was all we needed. It turned out to be a very hot day and considering Little Analyzer is a very pale little boy whose grandmother didn't even think about packing sunscreen for either him or herself, some of us turned out pretty much baked. And sweaty. And stinky. And exhausted.
He never complained for one moment. He acted like he was just happy to be with us and enjoying the competition. I have to say he was a pretty good little player. He played by the rules, didn't complain about the heat and just in general acted like he loved being there.
We had played 16 holes before he managed to sink his ball into the nearby water hole.
This was indeed a bad shot!
He had resigned himself to having finished his game with that move, but Granddaddy and I took turns and let him use our balls so we could finish the game, until of course, we came to the final ball which goes away forever. I gave up my final shot so he could sink it for me. (Later, he was polite enough to remember to thank me for letting him sink the last ball!)
He liked to say he beat the old folks, but I was the only one who sank a hole in one. He could hardly believe it! I could hardly believe it! But he was happy for me.
Who knows what the score was! After a while we were only playing just for the fun of it, not to see who was the best. We were all pretty lousy at times.
The game finally ended and we headed for the inside to cool off and to take a couple more pictures of him making monkey faces each time I aimed the camera at him. I warned him I was dragging those horrible pictures of him out a few years from now when he finds a cute little girl to date. He asked, "So you can show her how I acted as a kid?" Yep,that's about it.
And that's exactly what he is. He's still a kid. It's hard to always look at him like that because he's growing so tall and acts so mature, most of the time, except when he's posing for my camera!
After a bit of cooling off we made our way over to a Chick-fil-a which was right in the same parking lot. His order was for an ice cream cone and a large, large cup of water. He was completely dry. Why didn't I think about maybe needing a bottle of water! In the hot sun, no less. I'm just out of practice is all I can say.
His plans for the rest of the afternoon, probably after dinner was to relax at the pool with his Daddy. Then his day would be complete.
Again he reminded me he's a kid when, in the middle of Chick-fil-a, he leaned over, hugged me around the neck and said, "You guys just spoil me to death!" And, yes, he had reminded me again earlier, he's still just a kid, as he grabbed my hand and his Granddaddy's hand and walked between us as he held them as we went to find the putt-putt course. (At the Varsity earlier he was going to tell us how to get to the place, but he put his hands to his head and said his GPS wasn't working for some reason. It never did work right, but we found the place anyway.)
I suspect those days of open affection will end within the year or two. I so hate to see them end! I hate to see the day when he's no longer happy being seen with the old folks much less hugging them and holding their hands.
In his sweet innocence he made our day. It ended up being a much better day than it had promised earlier. As a matter of fact, it was a down-right great day. Some of his out-loud thoughts included comments about how his brother was going to be so jealous when he heard how much fun he had! And I'm sure little brother will share his fun with him, too.
Now what in the world can we do next week...with two little boys?
We met him, his mother and his little bare-foot brother at the Varsity for swap-out and a meal with just the three of us before we began our outting.
Little Analyzer had been feeling a little lonely the last few days because his next-in-line brother was enjoying a week away from the other two boys by visiting his other aunt in North Carolina. This was his week, his year. Big brother got a chance to have lots of fun experiences last year, but he was beginning to feel the pangs of not having brother around, as annoying as he finds him at times. Some of his feelings also may have come from being a bit jealous because he was missing out on all those fun times this year.
He was treated yesterday to "Mom and me only" time at a movie. Littlest brother stayed with their other grandmother, but still he was needing a little extra attention, so we had made plans last week to spend time with him today.
So, in spite of a few problems to begin with we finally were able to begin our time together. Of course, the Varsity always means great, plump greasy onion rings along with our naked dogs and lemonade/Cokes.
He's hamming for the camera, just like he usually does.He chattered like a little magpie the entire time, speaking again in his earlier learned language of "Greek" to me as he tried to explain his newest Nintendo DSL game card or something or the other that he had bought yesterday to go with another one he had saved for weeks or months ago.
Why can't he just talk about articulated dump trucks like he once did when he was very, very young, maybe before he was 18-19 months old. (I guess I should try to find the records to document that age before I get reprimanded for it, but he was very young!)
Of course, I didn't know what an articulated dump truck was at that time, either, but at least he could explain that well enough for me to understand it. Not like these games he loves to play so much now. And Webster never anticipated the need to explain what a Nintendo DSL was. He did anticipate a dumb grandmother who wouldn't understand an "articulated" dump truck.
Anyway, I told him to be sure to remember to pack the whole game as well as his cards when he comes to visit us with Little Free Spirit for a couple of days next week. Maybe he can make me understand it better with hands on experience, if I can see the game enough. It's kinda small. It has a stylus with it. That's about all I know for sure about that game.
After downing two naked dogs, an order of onion rings and two cups of lemonade, Little Analyzer was ready to take on two old people for a few hours.
I had called my daughter earlier in the day for some suggestions of what to do with an eight-year old. She has a twenty-month old, but she's still pretty good at thinking up things. You can only guess from reading my earlier paragraphs I needed something I could do and understand it, so she had gotten on the internet and came up with some ideas. My favorite turned out to be going out and playing putt-putt.
It has been years since I had a putt-putt club in my hands, so I didn't expect too much from myself, but I had always enjoyed it when my husband and I played years ago. He reminded me we had paid every penny of $.50 a game. I think it eventually went up to $1.00 a game and those prices were ridiculous, considering what we didn't make at that time. Whew! Am I dating myself, just a little bit?
I threw out that idea to the eight-year old and he jumped at the chance to play and beat the old folks. The prices have gone up from that original $.50 or $1.00 a game to $5.50 at that particular course, which considering the prices for a lot of other entertainment ideas was pretty cheap! That was for an 18 round course.
That was all we needed. It turned out to be a very hot day and considering Little Analyzer is a very pale little boy whose grandmother didn't even think about packing sunscreen for either him or herself, some of us turned out pretty much baked. And sweaty. And stinky. And exhausted.
He never complained for one moment. He acted like he was just happy to be with us and enjoying the competition. I have to say he was a pretty good little player. He played by the rules, didn't complain about the heat and just in general acted like he loved being there.
We had played 16 holes before he managed to sink his ball into the nearby water hole.
This was indeed a bad shot!He had resigned himself to having finished his game with that move, but Granddaddy and I took turns and let him use our balls so we could finish the game, until of course, we came to the final ball which goes away forever. I gave up my final shot so he could sink it for me. (Later, he was polite enough to remember to thank me for letting him sink the last ball!)
He liked to say he beat the old folks, but I was the only one who sank a hole in one. He could hardly believe it! I could hardly believe it! But he was happy for me.
Who knows what the score was! After a while we were only playing just for the fun of it, not to see who was the best. We were all pretty lousy at times.
The game finally ended and we headed for the inside to cool off and to take a couple more pictures of him making monkey faces each time I aimed the camera at him. I warned him I was dragging those horrible pictures of him out a few years from now when he finds a cute little girl to date. He asked, "So you can show her how I acted as a kid?" Yep,that's about it.
And that's exactly what he is. He's still a kid. It's hard to always look at him like that because he's growing so tall and acts so mature, most of the time, except when he's posing for my camera!
After a bit of cooling off we made our way over to a Chick-fil-a which was right in the same parking lot. His order was for an ice cream cone and a large, large cup of water. He was completely dry. Why didn't I think about maybe needing a bottle of water! In the hot sun, no less. I'm just out of practice is all I can say.
His plans for the rest of the afternoon, probably after dinner was to relax at the pool with his Daddy. Then his day would be complete.
Again he reminded me he's a kid when, in the middle of Chick-fil-a, he leaned over, hugged me around the neck and said, "You guys just spoil me to death!" And, yes, he had reminded me again earlier, he's still just a kid, as he grabbed my hand and his Granddaddy's hand and walked between us as he held them as we went to find the putt-putt course. (At the Varsity earlier he was going to tell us how to get to the place, but he put his hands to his head and said his GPS wasn't working for some reason. It never did work right, but we found the place anyway.)
I suspect those days of open affection will end within the year or two. I so hate to see them end! I hate to see the day when he's no longer happy being seen with the old folks much less hugging them and holding their hands.
In his sweet innocence he made our day. It ended up being a much better day than it had promised earlier. As a matter of fact, it was a down-right great day. Some of his out-loud thoughts included comments about how his brother was going to be so jealous when he heard how much fun he had! And I'm sure little brother will share his fun with him, too.
Now what in the world can we do next week...with two little boys?
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!
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!
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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