I've been a grandmother for sixteen years and have been fortunate to spend oodles and gobs of time with all of my grandchildren. I'm also lucky to be young and healthy enough that I can participate in all kinds of activities with them. As Grandma Tuesdays have evolved over the years they have become my favorite day of the week, a day that is set aside for one purpose, that of enjoying the kids who are not yet in school.
This afternoon while singing Annie for the third time in three hours with Littlest and the Princess I realized that the preschool years are definitely my favorite time with the kids. At that age they are still eagerly discovering the world and soaking up each new experience that is presented to them. They run and play at top speed until they can hardly walk another step. Challenges are given and met, sometimes with trepidation but always with squeals of delight when accomplished. They get wiser each day but I can usually outsmart them. And for the most part, they still mind me.
Today Littlest and the Princess journeyed with me to the American West Heritage Center where the Fall Festival was in full swing. Corn has been harvested and the fields have been turned into giant mazes. Hay has been cut and baled for the winter feedings. There were few people there and we had the place almost to ourselves. The girls were able to pet baby goats, listen to the roosters crow and watch the peacocks strut their stuff. A train ride went around the duck-filled pond and there were lots of old buildings to wander around.
There was a corn maze that was just for little kids (actually just bales of hay that they could run through without getting lost) that they ran through for about 30 minutes. We also spent lots of time at the hay jump, my favorite. The girls climbed up large bales and then jumped into deep piles of soft, cushy straw. Over and over and over. By the time we were finished we were like scarecrows, pants and shirts filled with bits of straw requiring a trip to the restroom to remove.
There is no greater joy than cuddling a precious newborn baby. Attending awards presentations at school, cheering at sporting events and bragging about other accomplishments of the older kids is always a great pleasure. Seeing them grow, mature and experience the trials of life is harder, but necessary. As a grandmother I love every stage. But those 2-5 year-olds, definitely my favorite.
As usual, more images at the Shooting Blog.
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6 comments:
On behalf of the mothers who have benefited from your irrational love of preschoolers: Thank you. You have made my preschoolers smart, nice and clean when I can't stand to be around them.
We don't deserve you.
Grandma Tuesdays look like a blast - it makes me want to crash one!
I wasn't going to cry today. You blew that out of the water!
Someday I hope to be half the grandma you are!
Looks like a super fun day
We love Grandma Darlene just as much as the rest of you! Thanks for taking in strays too!
Ahh shucks, you guys are too kind. You all know that I bribe the kids with candy and ice cream to keep quiet about the kennels that I keep them locked in all day, right???
FN, I can hardly wait until you can crash one! Won't be long now!
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