It was Fathers day weekend and we were at my son’s home celebrating. While my husband and son were bonding on the golf course, I got to spend time with my littlest two granddaughters. The one year-old is almost blonde (her hair is coming in nicely) and has big blue eyes and dimples. I love dimples. She is toddling everywhere and repeating everything. She counts to five and loves to be read to. She is a happy pleasant child and a real joy to be around.
And, then…there is the three year-old…I think when they came up with the word contrary they had her in mind.
She isn’t easy. She wants what she wants, but what she wants seems to change by the minute. She is stubborn and defiant. I say she fibs. Her parents say she flat out lies. She knows the rules and isn’t afraid to bend them to suit her needs. She can open anything and if it’s quiet you better go find her. She’s a cute and tiny little thing with a pixie haircut who knows how to roll her eyes, sigh dramatically or place her hands on her hips in anger. In short,…she’s delightful. Maybe it’s because I’m the Grandma, but I think she is a riot and I have to struggle not to laugh at the child while she exasperates everyone around her. I don’t laugh because I KNOW that would be bad and would just encourage the child to misbehave, but Lord knows it’s tough to hold back that smile when she lies about eating her breakfast in order to make herself eligible for a treat. Her parents think God made her extra cute on purpose. You know like how some bugs look like sticks, etc. It helps her survive.
The tales that child tells! If imagination and the ability to carry a theme are any indication, I think I might have a budding writer on my hands. I heard tales of birthday parties, wind storms, bugs, and how her best friend lost her IPod. She was concerned about my gender and was very pleased to hear I was a girl too! I heard a very interesting rendition of Mary had a Little Lamb and heard the same chorus from the movie Frozen, conservatively estimating, about 100 times. We played card games with no rules and somehow someone still won or lost and I was expected to act appropriately joyful or dismayed. She asked if she could go swimming and before we knew it the child was naked and in the water. She put a toad on my chest and told me it had lost its momma and I was now the toad’s new momma, “cuz hims is just a baby”. She caught fish on her Minnie Mouse fishing pole using hotdogs for bait and may or may not have broken a TV set. It’s broken, but no one saw what happened. My money is on the girl.
Despite being warned that she has the attention span of a gnat, I decided to take her to see Inside Out at the movie theater. She put on her frilly tutu and her bedazzled t-shirt and off we went. She was very excited to be attending with her older sister and especially with her sister’s friend. The 11 year friend didn’t quite know why she was so popular, but she was a good sport about having to be hung on and sat by and generally adored. We bought popcorn, found our seats with “blankie” the blanket in tow. She lasted 10 minutes including the previews before she fell asleep. The movie was wonderful and about five minutes toward the end as the audience is learning the little girl in the movie is growing up, I heard a sleepy little voice beside me say, ” Grammy dis is the best movie eva!” And, looking at her clutching her blankie and staring up at the screen eyes full of wonder, I thought, “yes, …yes it is”.
My Outlander Blog! 
Oh, Beth, you always seem to be in my head! I nearly cried at the end from such “Grandma-ness”…it’s absolutely the best and most loving phase of life I’ve ever had, and I cherish each moment with my 2 little granddaughters, especially after raising all boys! Thank you again for brightening my day!
Harriet
Harriet someone once told me being a Grandma was best thing ever! It is!
Oh Beth, I’m not a Grandma, not sure if I’ll ever been one, but I so enjoyed your enchanting story of spending time with your granddaughter. She is someone to cherish for her imagination in addition to her other “fine” qualities.
Thank You! She is a lot of work and fun!
Just lovely, Beth. Glad you had such a wonderful time. I’m not a grandma, but I do get to enjoy my friends’ grandchildren now and again and I appreciate what a special relationship that is.
The was simply marvelous. I’m dead from the cute. 🙂
😂😂😂
Beth, as a preschool teacher, I have to say that I just love the ones that run you ragged too! Some of my favorite students have been wee lil dervishes!
That being said, I just think that young children (the easy ones and the “characters” included) have been my favorite friends. I prefer their conversation and friendship to MANY adults. They are refreshingly direct, imaginative, and dream unhindered. As a parent of three teens, I was not laughing as much when THEY put me through the ringer as I was responsible for raising them through their “terrible twos and threes”, but I seem to not have that same sense of righting every wrong with my students. Hopefully, when I am a grandma I’ll be doing what you’re doing too…just enjoying! I’m sure it will bug my kids just as much as it bugs me to see my mom be MUCH more lenient with them than she EVER was with me! Hahaha!
YES! The ” need to fight every wrong”. That’s exactly it! As a Grandma I’m much more relaxed and just enjoy it all! Thanks for reading!
Hi Beth, I have one of those, only in my case, a male version and he’s my great grandson. When he’s at my house he runs me ragged wanting go go out side to “see the water”, the creek behind my house and watch for airplanes. I love him with all my heart. 9 months ago, his Mom, my oldest grand daughter call and ask me for a “big favor”. She was pregnant with her second child and at the doctors office. They were sending her to the hospital for some test, and she had her son with her. Well the up shot of that was that I went to her, and led her to the hospital so I could watch her son. She was so upset, she couldn’t remember how to get to the hospital. We couldn’t get her Mom or her husband on the phone, and I was the only one with her as she gave birth via emergency c-section 2 months early. Her little girl weighed in at 4 lbs 1 oz. Big brother, my little whirling dervish, sneaky little monster, he was as good as gold that day. I don’t know how much her understood, but he was so cooperative, sweet and good, I was amazed. When I had to go sign so that they could give the baby blood transfusions, he was right there being a big boy. His little sister is trying to walk now, she’s into everything, and her big brother looks out for her. Now I have 2 to chase all over the place. Oh and little sister, her Mom honored me, by giving her daughter my name, Emi June!
What a wonderful story! Thank you for sharing!
You said no Outlander here, but your granddaughter sounds a lot like Amanda MacKenzie to me! This is a lovely piece and I can tell that you love being a Grandma as much as I do.
😊
What happened to your post titled “To the Costumes” that comes after this one? Have you deleted it? I got an email alert about it as I do for all your new entries.
Grandma should nurture that imagination. It’s lost way too quickly, and way too easily in my opinion. She’s adorable.
Thanks Kari she’s a riot!