Grandpa's Day Out

                                         Grandpa's Day Out




     These last couple of years watching MJ grow have really been great, it is amazing how much energy and enjoyment can come from such a small bundle. I wish I could see the world with the same innocent view that MJ does but like anyone over the age of eight I have to be content to watch the expressions of her face shift from amazement to wonder and awe then listen to her limited vocabulary of oohs and wows.
      I had promised Marie that I would come over a couple of times a week and watch MJ so that Marie could get some rest. I have been waiting for a nice day to take MJ outside and that day finally arrived although it was a little foggy and not as warm as I had hoped it was tolerable. Today there would be no Mommy or Daddy or Aunts, just MJ and me.
      Once MJ was dressed in her pink jacket, jeans and pink boots I grabbed her back pack that was loaded with all of the necessities needed to take a two year old more that fifty feet from home. We headed for a nearby park that had a pond with ducks, geese and a playground with swings and slides. This is the park where Sis and I brought her when we baby sat her a few weeks ago. The pond was good sized and held a collection of ducks and geese some of whom had a rather questionable heritage according to their coloring but they were a fascination for MJ and quite willing to eat the bread as she tossed it to them.
     Today we were the only ones at the park and I was able to stand back and watch MJ as she explored her surroundings unencumbered with anybody pulling her away or trying to talk her into going some place she didn't want to go. She would pickup pine cones and hold them up to me and say " look " or " wow ", some things were even "cool ". She was fascinated with small twigs, broken sticks and rocks that she would have to dig out of the gravel with her fingers. These common place things which we as adults tend to walk over without thought garner intense interest on her part at least until some other trinket catches her eye. She was like a honey bee going from flower to flower seeking honey only in her case she was seeking knowledge. It was like Christmas morning, everything was a present to be opened and played with until the next gift was unwrapped. There was the hole in the netting on the tennis court that she had to bend over to look at and then giggle with delight. She showed intense interest in a piece of flaking paint from the tennis court and curiously examined it as she said "ooh", she carried it around for about ten minutes refusing to give it up until she found a bottle cap.
     Then we found a shallow puddle of water that made a splashing sound when she stomped thru it in her boots, she giggled with delight as she ran back and forth thru the puddle. She didn't stop until a goose flew by flapping it's wings during a short flight to the pond, she watched wide eyed and simply said "wow" then it was off to find a yet undiscovered object of delight. There were goose feathers, dirt and surprisingly a yellow crayon, nothing escaped her eagle eyes.
     I let her walk every where, as she started up a hill she would grab a hold of my finger to steady herself. She was constantly looking around and pointing to something saying "look", not knowing if she was pointing near or far Grandpa just said "un huh" and she moved on. I can't wait for her to talk more clearly, there is so much I want to say to her.
     Walking around she would see things like the worn out and faded paint on the tennis court, I don't know what the original colors were but now they were a faded red trimmed with a black border that has faded to a bluish tint and stripped in white. MJ ran to the colors bent over pointing and saying "red, blue or white ".
     Lunch time was fast approaching so I loaded her up and we took off to Grandpa's house, the weather was still a little wimpy so she watched some Disney channel while she ate. I pulled out my copy of Monster's Inc., she clapped and said "yea". Once the movie started she crawled up on the couch and snuggled in next to me. I have to say moments like these are the reason I enjoy being a Grandpa.
     After the movie it was nap time, I had prepared the trundle bed for her to sleep on and had already laid out several stuffed animals. I picked her up along with Baby and a large pink rabbit and walked into the bedroom. I thought she would lay down with the stuffed animals on the bed but when I sat her down she tossed the blanket to the side, placed Baby and the rabbit at the other end of the bed, flopped face first next to Baby and was out like a light. All I could do was stand there with envy of her ability to fall asleep so fast, innocence, ain't it grand.
     While MJ slept I relaxed on the couch watching TV wanting to take my own nap but knowing I needed to be alert for her. It was quiet, no laughter, giggles or sounds of astonishment, I had time to think and remember back to a time when her Dad was two years old. Those were good days, I didn't travel or work as much back then and I was proud of my son. I used to put him on my shoulders and walk around the small neighborhood stopping to talk or let the older people touch and look at him, they were probably remembering their happier days just as I am now.
     MJ woke up several hours later, just as she always does, talking to her stuffed animals until someone comes for her. When I walked in she sat up with a smile on her face and held out her arms to me. A quick diaper change and she was ready to go again, she played for a little while and then it was time to go home.
     I look forward to the next outing and the next and the next. There was so much I missed out on with Danny and Clay because of my work, I feel that I have a second chance with MJ. There is a problem though, MJ's little brother Matthew is only a month old but in two years he will be the same as MJ is today soaking up knowledge like a sponge, filling my life with laughter and giggles. Matthew will be two, MJ will be four and Grandpa will seventy, I am sure I will be tested but I can say for certain I will never tire of laughter and giggles, hugs and kisses.
     I gotta say, I enjoy being a Grandpa !