Christmas in August

I had a fabulous summer this year, for the most part because I was able to spend so much time with my family, but especially because I spent so much time with my grand babies, who I really haven't had much time with in their new little lives. I feel like I've really had a chance this summer to get to know their personalities and they've really gotten to know Ed and me, too. We had more time together in these two months than we have had in the rest of the 2+ years since Lily came along.

First lunch together this summer.

Bill gives Owen a different perspective on the crowd at Mashpee Family night.

Uncle Dooger and Owen at our Halliday family reunion.

Sharing the Fireworks with them was really a highlight of the memories we made together.

But Labor Day is here and our time together has come to an end for this summer, as we always knew it would.


A few days ago we went off the Cape to Kim and Bill's house to babysit for the grand babies for the afternoon while Kim went into work for a little while. We had the kids to ourselves for a few hours, followed by a nice visit that night and had one good last visit with everyone. In the morning, Kim had work and we had to get back to the Cape. We loaded the kids into the car for Kim to bring them to daycare. Because it was our last time seeing them before we left to return home to  Florida next week, we had a big dramatic goodbye, lots of kisses and hugs and a few tears on Grammy's part as they drove away. It was a sad parting for me, and I think for Lily, too. She is a very sensitive little girl.

One year old Owen just goes with the flow, waves bye bye and smiles. He has the kind of  "Don't Worry Be Happy attitude" that we all should try to emulate. It would be much better for our heart health.

Lily, on the other hand, gets quite dramatic and emotional about goodbyes.

Just as an example of what I mean, one day when I was visiting last spring, Kim and I stopped with the kids to visit my son Bill, Lily's Daddy, at his workplace. After our visit, he walked us to the car but had forgotten to give Lily one last hug after buckling her into her seat. As he walked away and Kim started the car she began to strongly protest  that she wanted to hug her Daddy. But her Mom told her that he had to get back to work and we'd see him at supper. She began to whimper a little and said that she was very sad.

When I asked her why, she said "Because I miss my Daddy." in the saddest little voice you've ever heard. He'd been gone from her side for 30 seconds and was still walking across the parking lot, within sight and she already missed him. She just adores her Daddy.

So, after we said our goodbyes last week, Kim had explained to a very sad 2 1/2 year old Lily (who has taken to sometimes calling me Glammy instead of Grammy), that they would see us at Christmas time, trying to give her something to look forward to and ease her sad little heart about missing us. That's a long way away for Lily and Glammy, to be sure.

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But, as luck would have it, that was not the last time we would see them before heading south. Kim came down to the Cape one more time with the kids yesterday. She texted me and suggested we meet with them for one more goodbye. Naturally, I jumped at the chance to see them again and immediately went off to find some kind of trinket to give them at the restaurant where we had arranged to meet for dinner.

Happy First Birthday, Owen!

We arrived and met them in the parking lot of the restaurant, with hello hugs and kisses. I was armed with a plastic bag containing the latest Ariel toy that I had found on sale, and some sort of nesting blocks for Owen, who could care less about presents at this point.

You can see one of Lily's many Ariels in the background.

It was just something to amuse her at dinner and anybody who has met our Lily is well aware that anything having to do with Ariel would please her. We sat around the table and I was right across from her. When I told her that I had a present for her she gave me a big smile and then told me, "Grammy, we are going to see Santa tonight."

Kim started laughing. I said to her that I really didn't think she was going to see Santa Claus tonight. She insisted that we were. I was trying to figure out why she said that and thought maybe it was because she had just received the perfect present, an Ariel gift. But Kim leaned over to her and said "No, Lily, Santa isn't here tonight. We will see him the NEXT time we see Grammy and Grampa." In her little 2 1/2 year old mind, she made the logical deduction that because she was told that the next time she'd see us would be at Christmas, it just made sense to her that if she saw us, it must be Christmas!

Last December, Lily, not quite two and Owen just 5 months old.

I could see the wheels turning as she tried to figure it out and just when we thought she understood that Santa wouldn't be joining us for dinner she said "I want another present now." I think she still thought it was Christmas.

Here is the Ariel that Lily got tonight. Ariel is the Little Mermaid and Lily's favorite Disney Princess.

But we went on to have a lovely dinner. Owen flirted with all the waitresses and anyone who walked by and high fived one of the waiters who stopped to say hello. Lily played with her Ariel all through supper and was quite happy with just the one present. She didn't mention Santa again.

Glampa was very popular this summer. They couldn't get enough lap time.

We cleaned up the kids and left a tip to match the mess the waitress had to clean up under the table. We all walked out to the parking lot together, Owen in Grampa's arms and Lily carrying her Ariel. When we got to our car I told her to wait one minute and that I had one more goodbye gift for her and Owen. Owen got a hammer and work bench thing, which he really didn't care about one bit. He was having more fun just cuddling with his Grampa.

Happy Happy Owen.

I had found an Ariel Play-Doh and vanity set for Lily at Benny's, a discount place we have nearby. It was the best $7.00 I ever spent.
I don't think I have ever seen her so excited about anything before. I thought that child was going to weep with joy when she saw it. It is so much fun to spoil her because she is so appreciative! She told me that I was her best friend, which was very cute, although I like being Glammy better. We helped Kim get them buckled into their car seats and again, lots of last kisses and hugs. Lily had her lap full of Ariel paraphernalia and was  more focused on wanting that play-doh set opened than she was on the goodbye, and I was glad she had a distraction. We waved as they drove off and then we walked back to our car, my heart a little heavy, but full. Just as we were about to drive off, we saw Kim driving back into the parking lot toward us. She rolled down the window and said, "We had to come back. Lily needs another hug from Glammy."

I don't know how I am going to wait until Christmas.

Have a great day,
Love,
Suz