Just Where Did You Get Me?

The most thought provoking and intimate conversations come from the back seat of the car while I am driving. GRANDMA, GRANDMA, JUST WHERE DID YOU GET ME FROM? You were in your Mommy's tummy and when you came out I was there and I fell very much in love with you. And when your Mommy could not take care of you, she gave you to me because she knew I loved you so much and I would take very good care of you. OH. WELL, ARE YOU GOING TO KEEP ME? Yes Little Man, I am going to keep you...... For always.

I Guess I Just Won't Have A Very Good Day

I'd like to say that Ed and I have a full social life and that we got out together just the two of us at least once or twice a week. I wish. I'm thrilled if he asks me if we want to go to Home Depot with him,( but even more thrilled if he just takes Holden) except for when were on vacation in Florida, and then it just seemed wrong (but we went). So, Wal-Mart for groceries is it. All three of us hate it so it's even stevens if we go together. The cashiers have finally stopped remarking on how much fun it is to spoil grandchildren and send them home. I just kept gritting my teeth saying yes it would be but he is ours. They dont even pretend to believe me. Up until recently we would just put him in the cart and let him eat his way through the store as we buried him in groceries. One gentleman had been following us for quite awhile and finally had to ask if he ever stopped talking. only when his mouth is full of fruit snacks and we are not to that aisle yet. No matter how large a store we are in, we can always find our way out by following the crumbs.Cashiers were always bringing it to our attention that did we know we had an open box of cereal, crackers, juice.
Now, he wants to walk. And he wants a toy for "being having". Sometimes it works. Sometimes, not so much. A woman commended me once for being strong and not giving in to him. What that was all about I have no idea. There have also been times when Ed has just scooped him up and carried him screaming out the door while I finish up.We try to go before 4:00 because 1 minute later than that and he grows fangs, starts spinning his head all the way around. and becomes very,very loud.


I was pushing him (still in the cart at that time) and he was tossing things out as we went. I reached out, gave him a swat on the back of he head and told him to knock it off. Naturally, he bumped his head on the front of the cart, started screaming YOU HITTED ME, YOU PUSHDED ME. YOU HURTED ME. What did I do? What anyone else would do. Looked around to see if anyone was watching, checked for security cameras, and kept right on going.

Tonight the toy thing got a little out of hand and everything he chose was over the $.99 matchbox car limit. So everything was a no. Finally he made his best"poor me" face, shuffled his feet and said, downcast but outside voice loud--I GUESS I JUST WONT HAVE A VERY GOOD DAY THEN. We settled on bubbles.....

Grandma, Grandma I Seed A Snake

We live on 80 acres with a river 1/2 mile straight back from our house. When Holden was too young to walk, I would put his car seat in the Mule ATV and go for rides. As soon as he was old enough we began our walks to the river. I have a special spot there that I go to and "think" when things are too much. Each of my Grand kids have been introduced to this place, but for Holden, it's as sacred as it is to me. It is the walk there that is the adventure. Today, sticks were dinosaur bones, rocks were turtle shells, the woods a magic forest and the river an ocean full of sharks. On the way home he is jabbering away on my right side when I suddenly felt him blow past me on the left and proceed on ahead before he stopped. GRANDMA, GRANDMA, I SEED A SNAKE, A SNAKE, A SNAAAAAKE in rapid fire succession. I turned and, yes there was. When I see a snake it is  all I can do to keep from throwing up, but for the sake of a little boy, I offered to go closer so we could really seem him better. NO THANKS, I CAN SEED HIM JUST FINE FROM RIGHT HERE..... LET'S THROW STICKS AT HIM. That's my boy.



On another of our walks Holden called me over to him....GRANDMA, GRANDMA, BE VERY QUIET AND LOOK WHAT I HAVE. He had his hands cupped together and he opened them just a little to give me a peek. LOOK, I'VE CAPTURED THE WIND AND I WILL TAKE HIM FOR A WALK WITH US. As we were leaving the woods, he opened his hands wide and said THERE YOU GO, NOW YOU ARE FREE TO MAKE THE TREES DANCE.

Who We Are

I am 59 and my husband is 60. The youngest of our 6 grandchildren, Holden was born when we were 55 &; 56 respectively, and we became his full guardians 2 years ago in February. To say this has been a wild and crazy ride for the three of us is an understatement. Holden is funny and articulate for a three year old, expressing his feelings and opinions freely and most often publicly in his best "outside" voice. His timing and delivery rival even the best of comedians. Since joining Face Book in December, I have noted his most spontaneous, and wholly insightful remarks, but have withheld much of the background and struggles that accompany the laughter. By blogging, I will not only share the absolute joy I find in this little man, but also some of the difficulties in raising a small child at a time when we thought we would be free to be just us after nearly 40 years of marriage and having raised three children to adulthood. Sometimes I may just post a couple of Holden's remarks, sometimes I will probably talk about how he came to be with us , where we were, where we are, and where do we go from here. Past, present and future. What ever you do, don't "wait" until you retire to do the things you want to do. "Retirement may never come, at least not how you envisioned it.



The original title for this blog came from a statement he made the other day while standing outside on the steps. GRANDMA,GRANDMA, WHY DID GOD MAKE ME CALL YOU GRANDMA? I don't, know Holden, what do you want to call me? I THINK I WILL JUST CALL YOU MOMMA. Just about then I thought my heart would explode, I told him he could call me anything he wanted to call me. He thought for a minute and then announced.....O.K. THEN I THINK I WILL CALL YOU POOPY PANTS. Tender moments do not last long.