MEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A Two-Year Old's Vocabulary

I'm staying with Jen and Dave these days to help take care of Zachary while his current babysitter is unavailable. I love these days with the kids. I haven't been here for close to a year, although I've seen them a couple of times in that period. This gives me a chance to reconnect with Nicholas and get to know Zachary a little better. He is two. He is self-absorbed. He is determined. He rules the world. As far as he is concerned, It's All About ME!!!

Zachary's idea of getting to know you is to give you a big hug-- a wonderful hug, I might add-- and to make sure you know EXACTLY what he wants and what he doesn't want. That's a tall order for an itty bitty thing that has a working vocabulary of about 5 words.

Mama, DADA, Out, UH-UH!, The lesser--Uh Huh!, EW and ME! or MEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!! depending on the urgency. There are other words, but these are the most important as far as he is concerned.

And yet we always know just what it is he wants.

Most of those are self explanatory. EW is very descriptive and covers everything from sticky hands, to a stinky diaper. EW with a screech probably means "Get that drop of syrup off of my bib this second!" EW means "Clean it Up!"

Then there are hand signals. An outstretched hand opening and closing means "I want to show you something". Wise people will go look. It could be harmless... "I want Elmo out of my bed." Or it could mean "Look! There's a boat floating in the toilet!", OR, "I just helped myself to some vita gummies on the counter." He is a constant reminder that 2 year-olds are fun-loving (note: boat) and resourceful (note: vita gummies).

My favorite hand signal is the one that comes at the end of dinner... or after he eats 3 bites and hands his plate back. "Dada!," he says. When Dave looks at him he holds his arms out in front of him, makes a tight fist with his hands, and his whole upper body tenses and shakes---his sign for Cold--or in this case, ICE CREAM! His light blue eyes positively light up at the thought! If dada ignores him he tries it again, a little louder. By the 3rd time his eyes have a fierce look, the shaking has taken on earthquake proportions, and he sends as much energy as he can muster into that look so there can be no mistaking what he wants!

Today we have heard a lot of  UH-UH, and MEEEEEEE!!! Today he is ornery and full of himself. Whatever I suggest, (or need to do) he's got other plans.

"Zachary, it's time for lunch." "Uh-Uh"

I try again, "Yep, It's time for lunch!," I say enthusiastically. "UH-UH!" he answers with more defiance.

"Do you want a hot dog, or Peanut butter?" UH-UH!

I change tactics.
"Then it's time for a nap." UH-UH!!

Lunch or Nap?  UH-UH!!!  Each response is louder and higher in pitch.

Finally we settle on lunch.

"Let's get in your chair." MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!! he says racing to the chair.
I slowly back away, lest it escalates again, and let him climb in his chair by himself.
I heat his hot dog in the microwave and transfer it to his plastic plate.

UH-UH!!!!! he says pushing away his plate.
This, I have learned, doesn't mean he doesn't want it. It means if I fixed it on one plate, that's the plate HE expects to be served on. I put the hot dog back on the paper plate and give that to him.

I am learning. There are tricks to feeding him. There are ways to cajole him into doing what you want. And there are times when you will never win, until you pull out the Parent Card:  "When all else fails, remember YOU ARE BIGGER!" As parents, next to patience, it is the best card we have.

I'm Too Old for This! -- Part 3 of the Family Visit

It started innocently enough. 2 months ago my daughter asked if I'd like to keep her two kids for 5 days when she and her husband came for a visit this summer. They planned to visit for 2 weeks, but the first week she wanted to travel with her husband while he worked in Canada if I would keep the kids. Truthfully, I may be crazy, but I was excited! I couldn't wait!

Then the day drew closer. I started thinking about what toys I needed, how I would keep them busy, what activities we could do. There is the vision... order, activities, control...

And then there is reality...

Staying with my grandkids during the day is one thing, but when I realize I'm responsible for them while their parents are away I'm always a little apprehensive. Willing, looking forward to it, Sure! But aware of the responsibility!

Day 1: 6:00am--everyone is up to say bye to Mom and Dad. Terror, Apprehension, Excitement, Happy--how do you feel all four at once? I do.

Paberry laughs as he sees me scope out the PBS and Nick Jr. Schedule. When is Curious George on??? A MOST important question. Answer: 8:00am and 3:30pm. Followed by Sesame Street.
I am armed with knowledge.

11:00am--I take the kids to Fun For All, the local arcade, and ball pit. Warren disappears as soon as his shoes are off. Samantha is too little to climb up into the gigantic climbing house, and I'm too old to go up with her. (I don't bend well enough anymore.) "Emily" (9?) offers to help Sam up to the next level. Off they go.

Watching them play and searching for arcade games Warren can do is fun. I don't get to do 'grandma' stuff like this very often. But I'm not naïve. It's day 1. This is as much an adventure for them as it is for me. And adventures can wear off when things become routine.

Warren and Samantha help me make dinner. We mix and roll meatballs, and then make muffins. Dinner will be a hit as long as there are muffins!

7:00pm--Was it the muffins? These kids are crazy! Warren has been 'building towns' all over the house with blocks. He and Samantha are zooming everywhere, singing (loudly), building 'Maggie gates' with pillows. transforming orderly into.....? "Vision" is gone. "Reality" is here.

Dinner, bath, bed....the day has gone smoothly, but I am tired. I grab a shower and then sink into the couch. Ahh, shhh....do you hear that? Peace!

Day 2: 6:00am--REALLY?? I have to get up now? If I want to get up before the munchkins roll out of bed and are off and running, the answer is yes. Brushing my teeth I can barely see myself in the mirror. I'm an 8am person. Not 6.

11:00am--We've made Play Doh. The sky is gray but the weather man has promised it will clear this afternoon. I desperately need to mow the grass and most of the week has rain in the forecast. I sit down to check the weather. The local forecast is about to come on. The couch is comfy. ....

"Granberry? Are you asleep?"

OOPs. I open one eye and give a little nod to Warren. The local forecast has just ended!  Thank goodness for DVR. I replay the forecast. If I can get the energy, I'll be able to mow while Samantha naps. But for now, I can't budge off the couch. Yep. It's only been 30 hours and already I'm beat. 3 more days to go.

9:00pm--"OW."

That's all I can say. My feet hurt, my back is so tight it is hard to stand up. I have no idea why I feel so tired. I've mowed the grass for the last 6 years so that shouldn't be it. But whatever it is, I hurt. Sam is in bed, but not asleep. Warren just went to bed and crashed. My shower is done.

I'm done. OW.

Day 3: 6:00am.--Here we go again. I'm amazed. Advil kicked in while I slept and this morning I feel fine!

It's sunny but storms are on the way. We hit the playground first thing in the morning (after I remembered to slather on their sunscreen--what a good grandma am I!) and then came home for lunch. Sam napped. I did errands. I think I'm hitting my stride.

Last night, as I brushed Sam's hair, she leaned against me and said "I like you Granberry." Ahh, no sweeter words for a long-distance grandma!

Today, she loves me enough to start ignoring me. She ran away when I called her, 3 times! (The kids are hitting their stride, too.) Both learned what 'quiet time' meant, and Sam discovered Granberry can be tough, as I took away her two pink kitties for not listening to me.

We may have reached an understanding as manners were now on high display during dinner. But the after dinner crazy time continues! I haven't mastered the art of settling them down to sleep.

Day 4: 6:00am--Sleep! Please!! A bad storm last night had me awake for over an hour. With every thunder clap I had to check and see if it woke up the kids. They, of course, slept through the storm, but were up by 6:30.

Instantly they were into everything and each other. Larry just looked, shook his head, and said, "It looks like you're in for a rough one."

8:00am--Curious George--better known as Granberry's Magic Moment-- is on. Ah, Quiet. The key is to keep them focused. As soon as George is over, we head outside to ride bikes. (Take advantage of sun when it's here! It's supposed to rain in the afternoon.)

10:00am.--Kids are at the kitchen table with the Activity Box. Do-A-Dots, paper, foam, markers for Warren. Sam has a tub of mixed dried beans she is measuring, scooping, and pouring. I've vacuumed, done 2 loads of wash, and the dishwasher is finishing up. Peace reigns. I'm feeling pretty good about myself!

10:45am.--I was only out of the room for 3 minutes! I swear! (Maybe 4, but still!!!) I checked something on the computer and came back to see 2 cups of dried beans scattered on the kitchen floor! "WHAT happened?" I asked. Warren ducks his head busily working on his project.

"I have no idea," he says.

I ask Sam. "I don't know." she answers innocently.

11:30am--Sam is almost finished picking up all the beans. Gotta give it to her, she can stick to a task.

2:00pm--Sam is down for a nap. I carry the last load of laundry upstairs to put away. Maggie follows me. We both eye our beds. I lay down for a sec. Maggie does the same.

It feels so good, but I have visions of a police officer at the door asking me why the "5 year old is 3 blocks down near the busy highway". Inspired, I drag myself downstairs, but I have a new understanding for news stories when 'the mother was sleeping while her toddler wandered away from the house." I'm too old for this, I think to myself.

How, I wonder, do all those young moms have time to hop on Facebook and post pictures of their adorable kids? I've barely had time to look at my iPhone, and I fall asleep watching the weather!

Day 5: 6:00am--Waking up is a little easier. Is it becoming more natural, or is it because I know today is the last day I will have to be up before the two little ones? Tonight, their mom and dad are coming home. Tomorrow, Jan will be the one to wake up early! YEA!!! That sounds pretty good!

4:00pm--We are on our way to Chambersburg to see Nanny. The rest of the family will meet us there for a mini-family reunion. I can't wait to see everyone!

Jan calls to let me know that they are stuck in LaGuardia Airport for the 2nd time this week. They don't know when they will get in. A series of phone calls ensue as they explore options. "Mom, you're sounding a little panicky! Ready to get rid of two little kids?" she asks?

OK...here comes confession time. Up to this point this post was written several weeks ago while I was taking care of the kids.

Jan, Mike and Larry finally made it to Chambersburg at 11:30pm. I was sitting in a dark hotel room while my two angels slept waiting for their mommy and daddy.

With the passage of time I can look back with some perspective. I am no longer exhausted. My ears are no longer ringing. A happy surprise....I lost 2 pounds that week )and it has stayed off!) My house has returned to normal...a house for 2 and not for 10. Already I miss everyone. Yes, I am too old for this.

But I bet I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

4 Year Olds are Exhausting...and Funny

There is a new show on this fall called "Up All Night". It's about parents with a new baby and the previews are pretty funny. My daughter and her husband dissolve into giggles watching the previews showing exhausted parents asleep on the couch while the baby sits wide awake next to them. With a one-year old, they can relate. With a 4 year old as well, they have also come to realize it doesn't get better. The routines change, but the exhaustion stays.

Warren was quiet for the first 6 months. The next 6 months were more active as he began crawling and getting into things. Then the boy learned to walk. I think he walked for a week. He's been running ever since. This child goes full speed all day. At 18 months every time he heard a tractor, truck or car coming down the gravel road, he would tear down the hallway, charge across the living room and leap onto the couch to watch it go by. This is really great exercise during planting and harvest.

Clean up time (once he's into it) isn't any different. Grab a toy, run across the room. Jump to a stop at the toy shelf. Store the toy. Run back. Repeat. Mom stares, sighs, wants to say, "Just walk!", but instead she shakes her head.

And then there is the most exhausting part of all with a young child...the whining and the tears. As a grandma I know all about it. Been there! Done that! But looking back I know how quickly it all passes. And I know I'm going home soon and where I get to wine (Ahhh)!

As exhausting as kids can be there are many things that make it all worth it. The hugs, the joy of watching them learn new things, and especially those unexpected funny moments when a youngster comes up with just the right comment, or makes an unexpected quip.

One morning I was reading the newspaper when I commented that the astronaut, Mark Kelly, had retired. Warren came running in from the living room. "Does it say that? Where?" I pointed to the newspaper. "Read it to me." Puzzled, I asked him what I had been talking about, thinking he was being a busy body and trying to be a part of Jan's and my conversation. "You said an astronuat was sleepy," came his reply. Jan and I burst out laughing and congratulated him on his interpretation. Then I explained what 'retiring' meant.

Yes, Four year olds are exhausting, and funny, but they can be pretty observant too! In fact, maybe the best thing about young children is the way they change your own perspective of life.

Mother's Day

I am visiting Jan, Mike, Warren and Samantha this week. Yesterday morning I woke up very early to hear a baby talking loudly in her crib and a toddler running down the hall singing JOHN DEERE!!! at the top of his lungs. I opened one eye. 6am. It was Mother's Day. No sleeping in this morning. Emeril would have to arrive before dawn to surprise this mom with his annual Mother's Day Breakfast in Bed.

I always loved the image of a sweet child bringing his mother a tray with a flower in a vase, orange juice and a plate of pancakes for breakfast. Who is that child and where does he live? I'm pretty sure he never lived in any of my friends' homes. And if he did, I'm also pretty sure the tray was just a cover-up for the disaster waiting in the kitchen after Mom gets up. It's a nice idea, but it's about as close to reality as McCauley Culkin taking out the burglers in Home Alone.
We have lots of ways to honor mom's from gifts to taking her out to dinner, but the truth is Mother's Day begins the same as every other day. Mom gets up and feeds a hungry baby, fixes breakfast for a toddler, wipes a runny nose and carries on much the same as any other day.

I had the pleasure of being treated to lunch yesterday by my daughter, in honor of Mother's Day. We celebrated with her mother-in-law, her sister-in-law and her S-I-L's mother. Along with the adults were the 3 little ones. It was a great way to spend the day and there were several other 3 generation tables like ours. A comment Kathy made hit the mark. "I've waited 35 years for this." While raising 2 boys and living on a farm where chores don't take a holiday, Mother's Day was a day like any other. Being treated to lunch by her 2 daughter's-in-law was what she dreamed of when the children were little.

What do moms want? It depends on where they are in life. The busy mother of a young family dreams of time to herself, while the mother of grown children longs for time spent with family. But most of us have fond memories of the little gifts our pre-schoolers and young children brought home from school.

Warren came home from pre-school on Friday with a soft soap bottle vase covered in colored tissue paper and 3 paper flowers cut from the outline of his hand, in the vase. "Happy Mother's Day!" he beamed. Jan beamed right back at him. "My first Mother's Day Present!" she said. Those are the memories I have of Mother's Day. The paper teapot with the teabag and poem attached, the paper flowers, or the picture made in school. They are the times that made me feel special as a mom when my kids were little. The lunch yesterday, made me feel special as a mom now that my kids have grown.

Happy Mother's Day!

Impressions of Warren

3 year old boys are a hoot. It was such fun watching this one. I always see such growth when I visit my grandsons. I try to see them twice a year.
Vocabulary words Warren has educated me on this year: Combine, Payloader, Road Grader, bulldozer, cart, wagon, tractor, Quad Track, Castle--a grain elevator! :), planter--He may be working on his colors and numbers, but he can ID any piece of farm equipment.
Here are a few "Warrenism's".
Looking for a lost toy (his red man), he takes a flashlight down the hall calling "HellOOOO?"
Mowing the grass with his toy mower he mime's putting in ear plugs, shakes his head, lipping "I can't hear you".
Lines up his blocks across the room, building 'hoses'--imitating the farmers laying 'tile', a black hose that is buried in the ground to help drain off the water.
Runs in the room, grabs his handy-man light, hammer or wrench, "I have to fix something" and disappears again.
Calling for his dad: "Hey, Mike!"
Gets his bike out: "I have to go to work now. Don't take my picture, Granberry." ( a sign of an over photographed subject ;} )
And my favorite:
A gentle hug and a soft "I like you, Granberry."