December's Illusion

For the past, mmmm…3 weeks I have had the pleasure of having my oldest daughter and her two daughters here with us from Casper, Wyoming. It has been stressful at times, but the joy of getting to see, touch, hug, laugh and love those three girls in my life on a daily basis has completely over ridden the stress.

This picture is of my two oldest granddaughters, they were sitting on the floor discussing what they planned to do and see that day at the Como Park Zoo & Conservatory. Kailie is on the left, she is Melissa’s oldest daughter (the one who lives in Wyoming) and Lexi is on the right and she is my youngest daughter Stephanie’s oldest.

Kailie & Lexi

It’s too bad I can’t seem to get all three girls to sit still long enough to get their picture together. The one below is my number 3 granddaughter Emily. Emily is such a lovable little baby and is for the most part the quietest child I have seen. She gets a little loud when her sister or cousin don’t let her have what she wants or tries to pick her up when she is hell bent on heading to a certain destination that they don’t think she ought to be at…but other wise such a beautiful, sweet baby inside and out. Of course, all my granddaughters are and I am NOT in the least bit prejudiced.

Emily

Stephanie is pregnant with her 2nd child, she swears up and down that she is going to break the chain we have going on here in our family and that this one is a boy. She hasn’t had that ultra-sound thingy where they can see what the baby is, but, while I hope for them if this is what they want that they get a boy (Daddy said he doesn’t care one way or another), secretly I am a bit fearful of her having a boy because I have been surrounded by girls pretty much my whole adult life and I don’t know if I can do boys or not. I’m sure once I hold the little one in my arms, my great-big Grandma heart will kick in and it won’t matter one little bit, my heart will be lost just like it has been on the other three. The baby is due at the end of the year, I have plenty of time to adjust.

Its an absolutely gorgeous day out. A little breezy, and at this moment (11:40 a.m) it is only 50 degrees out, but the sun is shinning brightly in the clear blue sky and its warm on my face as I sit here writing on my laptop, with one eye on the kids as they play, burning some of that pent up energy only toddlers seem to possess and store up over the long winter months of being cooped up inside.

I don’t know how they do that, store that energy that is. But I sure wish some scientist would figure it out and recreate it in chemical form for us grandma’s and grandpa’s to take on a daily basis in a pill supplemental form. Heck, I think parents could even benefit from it on occasion after working all day and coming home to these little rascals. My one little guy that I take care of evidently has no comprehension of the word no. I am about to my wits end with him. I tell him no and he does it anyway and putting him in time out doesn’t seem to work either…sometimes half of his day is spent in time out. My personal observation is that he doesn’t get that at home and if he is ever going to learn to mind I need to get his parents on the same page as I am.

So, while the kids are playing in the sand box, my dog Maggie and I are sitting out in the back yard, enjoying the last few days here in the sun. Next week will find us in our new apartment, with only a deck to sit out to enjoy the nice days. Oh, there is a pool and what not, but I think we won’t always be in the pool area and the kids and I will be taking many walks to the local park just a few short blocks away. They will love that, but personally I will miss being able to usher them into the house when I have had enough. Oh well. I may learn to love it.

As I sit here, there is a cardinal in the trees above us loudly singing his song to what ever female might happen to be near enough to respond so they can mate – if they haven’t already. Then again he just may be telling the other males that this is his area. I don’t speak bird, so I really can’t tell you what their different calls mean.

I’ll have to drag the kids into the house soon to make lunch. That will be met with protests I am sure. But I think that little Lexi will follow eagerly as we made a cake together this morning and she knows she gets some for dessert. She eats the frosting mostly and very little of the actual cake – Maggie loves it when she has cake because she always eats what Lexi doesn’t. She is our canine garbage disposal and since she has very little time left on this earth; I tend to give her more treats now then I ever have. I wonder if she knows why.

I thought that I would share some of my birthday pictures with you. Tom got a hold of the camera, so this is me…on my birthday, after caring for 4 kids that day in my daycare…I was wiped out, but I sure had fun!

Make a Wish!

My Oldest Granddaughter

Among all the photos that I took this past summer, this is one of my most favorite shots of one of my most favorite subjects. My granddaughters.

This is my oldest Granddaughter Kailie, at her home in Casper. This little girl is one of the biggest loves of my life and it just tears at my heart strings everytime I see her picture or hear her little voice on the phone. I am reminded often of how much I miss of not being able to watch her grow up and how much I miss of her little world every day.

She is such a beautiful little girl, on the inside as well as out. Her heart is so pure and she is such an amazing little sprout that I am in awe each and every time I am able to be with her.

I regret that this past visit with her was cut so short. Another one of those moments in my life that I wish that I could do all over again. If someone handed me three wishes, Kailie and her family would be standing right next to me on the very first wish.

She is such a mirror image of her Mommy, in many ways in her looks, but more so in her nature. She is part tomboy, but more girly-girl. She is dainty and delicate, yet just rough enough on the outside edges to love bugs. Curious and inquisitive by nature, with a voice like an angel, and the most beautiful blue eyes I have ever seen, and when she wraps her little arms around my neck, and whispers “I’ve missed you Grandma” in my ear – tears well up in my eyes, my heart swells as big as the moon, and its all I can do to keep from hugging the stuffins out of this child.

God made mothers so that they could one day become Grandmothers; it is then that we truly understand the meaning of being complete.