Monday, August 1, 2011

Another Entry Into Owen's Baby Book

I'll tell you the truth: when I went to bed last night, I was not sure at all that I would be able to handle that boy today. I felt SO bad. There was a rug I'd washed, hanging over the fence and I could no more have gone out there and gotten that rug than flown to the moon. Same with putting the chickens up. I just couldn't have done it.
Luckily, Mr. Moon did.
And I felt so stupid! He'd been the one to work outside all day on Saturday in the crazy heat in the woods and all I'd done was keep up with Owen but somehow, for whatever reason, whether it was sheer exhaustion or an illness, I just didn't have any energy at all. And that headache- ach! It was just a nasty, grinding thing that would not cease and desist, no matter what I took.

But I woke up this morning feeling so much better and then went back to bed with Owen and then we got up and had the most terrific day. We did all our games. We fed our animals. We fed ourselves. We laughed and we carried on. Here we are, playing peek-a-boo- our oldest and most favorite game. Today was the first day we ever played it with him in the closet though. I would NEVER, EVER shut a door on a kid in a closet but he wanted to and so he did. He thought it was brilliant!



After awhile, to change things up, I went and got the ratty puppet and when Owen opened the door, Ratty said, "Peek-A-Boo!" and kissed and hugged him and then I showed Owen how to make the puppet work and there you go- Grandma Daycare IS educational!

Right.

He even took a good nap. Which means that I got more sleep. I am drinking it up like it's the elixir of life, which in my opinion is exactly what sleep is.

He is just cracking me up these days. When his mama and his daddy got here he wanted something and I can't even remember what and his mama said, "No," and he poked his bottom lip out and put his hands over his eyes and said, "Sad!" in the most dramatic tone I've ever heard. It's just impossible not to laugh.

It's such a joy watching him grow and learn. He wants to go out to the back yard and then he tells me to go inside. He wants to explore on his own. And I let him as long as I can see him from the porch. So far he's only gone a few feet away, but it makes him feel like a big boy. He threw Miss Martha some kisses today when we left the post office, completely unbidden. I swear to you, that child is just so damn SWEET! He pretends to read out loud. He loves to draw pictures. He stalks around in my red cowgirl boots. He helps me carry the laundry. He says, "Nice," when I fix him his lunch.
He does NOT want to use the potty at my house but he also does not want me to see him poop. He tells me to go away. He does throw a fit when I check his diaper. "Clean!" he insists, which is generally a blatant lie. He finds the dog poop on the rug for me and points it out. "Dogs," he says sorrowfully.
I agree.
He knows some of the chickens by name now. Mostly Miss Bob and Mable. He says that his horse's name is "Bob" as well. I asked him today whether he was saying "Bop," like "Grandfather" or "Bob," like the chicken. "Chicken," he said. He has named his stuffed puppy at home "Bones" and his whale is named "Water."

Yes. Yes. Yes. I am a completely smitten grandmother. I know it. I can't help it. You just wait. If you ever get grandchildren you are going to be the same exact way. You won't know what hit you. You'll realize you are a fool. You'll do anything for a kiss or a hug from them. You'll never say "no" unless what the child wants is potentially life-threatening. (Eating dogfood is not potentially life-threatening.) When the child tells you to sit, you will sit. When the child asks you to pick him up, you will pick him up. When the child asks for the moon, you will reach out, pluck it from the sky, and hand it to him on a silver platter.

This is what it is like to be a grandmother.

And that is the sort of day I have had today, despite my fears last night as I set my alarm to go off at five-thirty. And it has rained a good, steady, cooling rain and the earth is soaking it up and the boy has gone home with his mama and his papa and his grandfather will be coming home soon.
An evening at home, the two of us alone, I am feeling better, almost normal, and I just want to say that I am aware that I probably talk about my grandson too much but if this blog is for anything, it is for me to remember. And here are my future memories with pictures and little movies so that one day I can come back (I hope!) and find them all still here, Owen in the closet playing peek-a-boo, calling Buster, and I will remember a day that he played with me here in Lloyd and put the colander on his head and held the wire whisk up to his mouth and pretended it was an elephant trunk and walked through the house, laughing at his own joke and it rained and we napped and fed cornbread and grapes to the chickens and we watered the front porch plants and saw a frog and we read A Kiss For Little Bear and the truck book and The Best Nest and Are You My Mother? and I taught him how a hand puppet works and drew a picture for him of his Bop and we laughed and we laughed and we laughed.

24 comments:

  1. I love the way he says Buster. And the thought of him laughing at his own joke. Has he ever been to a store where they have sheds on display (like Home Depot or Lowe's or Coscto sometimes)? To this day that is one of Austin's favorite things, to go into those empty sheds and shut the door, pretending it's his house or lord knows what in there.

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  2. I have to agree that you can't know about this grandma shit until it happens-and even now, getting ready to have my OWN little one, it is the same. Aubry adores me, too, which is so cool and requires little effort on my part other than being grandma. Isn't it the coolest? I didn't think it would be like this, but-it is.

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  3. Stephanie- I don't know if his parent's have let him check that out or not but I do know that he loves to hide in the branches of a tree and say, "House."

    Kori- It's just amazing. It must be an evolved characteristic. Whatever. It's real.

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  4. Grandmotherhood is such a joy, Ms Moon and you advertise it so well. For me it the stuff of being able to say 'yes' most of the time, the sheer joy of giving to one who can love you to bits and let you love him back in such an unrestrained way.

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  5. My 13 year old was bored today so she called Papa to come and pick her up. It is a 20 minute drive and he was here in about 3 minutes.

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  6. Oh god my son and I watched this together and howled literally woke up the street. I could watch this forever and be vitally entertained. This is the awesomest video EVER.
    xo






    ps. wv : peral : almost pearl <3

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  7. Elisabeth- It's like Life's Reward, isn't it?

    Birdie- Yep. I can see this happening.

    Madame Radish King- And I figured it would be the most boring video ever posted. "Where's Owen?" "Peek-a-boo!" Ain't he cute as hell?

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  8. or lord that boy is adorable and so is his peek-a-boo mer mer! that video cracked me up.

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  9. Madame Radish King- P.S. Owen looks at the picture of Pearl on the refrigerator and says, "Pearl!" Nothing more than that. And that is plenty.

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  10. This post makes me put into words why I love to read your blog: You remind me there is so much to cherish in a regular day.

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  11. Oh I get so smiley when I see his photos...and a peek-a-boo video! Sweetness and love all over your blog. I don't get tired of hearing how your time with Owen is. I know that when and if I become a Grandma some day I will remember your thoughts and feel as tickled pink as you.

    "Are You My Mother?"...I loved that book!!!! I read all those to my kids when they were little...

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  12. My parents always tell me that being a grandparent is so good that it makes them wonder if there's a way to just skip the kids and go straight to the grands. . . .

    Awesome post. . .that video is classic!

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  13. He is sooooooOOOOoooo CUTE!

    I love the Kiss for Little Bear story, "Too much kissing!" Harley's favorite part is when Cat is getting the kiss from frog and he says "OOF!" or something like that.

    Happy day! Hey, how are those new chickens doing?

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  14. Great photo of Owen. It sounds like a good day.

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  15. Very cute. The first time you said "peek-a-poo" the dogs jumped up and started barking at the door and A yelled "what the hell?!" from the bedroom. Oh well. It was still funny.

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  16. oh my gosh he is just cuteness personified. i think being a Grandmaw sounds like the best thing ever. i look forward to it!!!!!

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  17. Yup, you don't even have to be a grandmother to notice that's a seriously sweet and cute and lucky little boy!

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  18. What a great photo! And you can write what EVER you want. It's YOUR damn blog.

    I agree about sleep being the elixir of life. Thank God for it.

    I love youse.

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  19. Angella- He's a hoot.

    Denise- And regular days are what most of them are.

    Ellen- Owen loves that book. He answers the eternal question which the baby bird keeps asking, "Are you my mother?" with NO!

    gradydoctor- Your daddy sure does seem to love the grandkids. Just you wait!

    Ms. Fleur- That's my favorite part too! Too much kissing!

    Syd- It was.

    Nicol- Like sugar.

    Mel's Way- I should have put a warning on that one to turn your volume down.

    Maggie May- It's a magnificent time of life.

    A- He is lucky. That's just the truth. He is surrounded by love.

    Ms. Bastard-Beloved- We know the joys of sleep. Love you, dear.

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  20. I love this boy and don't even know him. Have no kids, not even a niece or nephew. I am smitten with him through you and your marvelous writing, your deep heart. I love hearing Owen stories. I love how you describe your love for him, his for you. It's infectious and just so life affirming. Don't ever stop.
    Was such a treat to get that last pic, of the elephant boy! He's so creative and clever.

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  21. Bethany- Those sunflowers in the new header picture are from your seeds. We also have some very nice gourds ripening. Thank-you, again, love, for that beautiful gift. I think you would be the best mother/aunt/grandmother if you were given the chance. I know you would. And it's fine with me if you love Owen from afar. He has no idea how many people care for him. Isn't that funny?

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  22. Ah thanks Mary.
    I have it in my head now I need to send you some seeds every spring. You did so well by them.
    But I will only do it if you promise not to send me something back.
    The fact that you are growing them is gift back enough.
    Excited about your gourds as I didn't grow any this year. Those green fuzzy bottles make me so happy!

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  23. I get to hang with him and Lily tomorrow. Can't wait.

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.