Today was a Sam* day. When I arrived he smiled at me around his pacifier and ran down the hall and back before greeting me. He is all about motion these days. Sam is my youngest grandchild. He is 18 months old this week. And we love every minute we spend with him.
Every other Thursday I drive 49 miles from my house to his condo to spend the day with him. Sometimes my daughter works around the house while I distract him from the action with books, singing, musical toys and instruments or PBS Kids. Other times she goes out for the day. She might get her hair done or run errands or hang out somewhere. Occasionally, the three of us do something together.
In the beginning we did not have a really formal arrangement. Last fall we started the every other Thursday schedule because my daughter’s sister-in-law was pregnant with twins and on bed rest. I would come over and be with Sam. My daughter would go over to her sister-in-law’s to help out. Two healthy girls were born the day after Thanksgiving. December was filled with their Dad and their grandmas.
Today was Direct TV installation in the morning and Sam’s Mama off to help the newest Mama in the afternoon. Sam and I hung out. We played the ‘slow motion chase each other up and down the hall and around the center wall that divides the living room, kitchen and dining area’ game. If I do not catch him as fast as he thinks I ought to, he stops and waits for me to grab him up. Then he tilts his head so I can kiss his neck and make soft gobbling noises and tell him I love him. I put him down and we start the game all over.
Sam’s newest skill is scaling the stools at the kitchen bar. Before his mother left he shimmied up and was pushing the mom buttons by not sitting down on his “bum” like his mother wanted. In fact he was holding onto the back of the stool, bobbing up and down and grinning from ear to ear. She got up to go over to him and he quickly and carefully sat down.
After she left, we played with his new toys while the PBS Kids lineup played in the background. The stools caught his eye again. He shimmied up and sat down with his hands folded on the bar. He was pretty proud of himself. Grandma leaned on the bar and talked with him. Things were okay until he pushed on the underside of the bar with both feet. There was a little resistance as I helped him slide down to the floor. The stools were on top of the bar when my son-in-law came home. The afternoon was too short to mess around with bar stools and climbing toddler monkeys.
See you in two weeks Sam…….
*Disclaimer: Pseudonyms will be used for persons 17 years of age and under
©2011 Susan Kendall. All rights reserved
