This weekend was a big GRANDMA weekend. I had all 6 of my grandkids in one place at one time. We had a big family reunion Friday night, with cousins we haven't seen in a long time in attendance. Out of towners were my sister and hubby, and my son, daughter-in-law and 3 grandkids. The local grandkids were there, as was the oldest (almost 19) who came when the dinner bell rang, but then we didn't see him after his tummy was filled!
Sunday afternoon, the Grandma job was to babysit 5 out of the 6 while the parents went to a Cardinal's baseball game. I recruited my youngest daughter, which meant the 3 little grandkids swelled to 5, but that was the plan. The oldest two are one year apart, and they are fully engaged when playing with Legos. That's what they did all weekend long. The middle two are 4 and they found stuff to do with each other, even though one is a boy and the other is a girl.
That left baby Cay-Cay (18 months old) for us to entertain. I'm not sure who was entertaining who, because he was so much fun to be with. Balls of any type are his obsession, and he is developing quite a throwing arm. His favorite pasttime was to take the ball and throw it over the baby-gate down the steps, and watch while some sucker fetched it for him. He wreaked havoc on the GeoTrax train setup that the older boys were playing, but they didn't seem to mind too much.
Cay-Cay is very bonded to mommy. I was afraid he'd be miserable while she was gone, and in turn would make his caretakes miserable by his crying. But in the whole afternoon, there was not one peep of crying from him! Whew, did we luck out! Mommy and Daddy snuck out while the kids were playing downstairs, so the departure ritual was not one that brought tears of seperation anxiety from anyone.
This little guy is non-stop energy. He is a little buster, and a very good eater. We went to McDonalds for lunch food, and he did a good job on the cut-up chicken nuggets. But his favorite lunch food was KETCHUP! He spied it on the table, and pointed and made his little word for Ketchup, and as long as there was a puddle of ketchup on his tray, he was a happy camper. He mostly uses the french fries as a way to get ketchup in his mouth, then he puts the soggy french fries away in a pile. He was starting to get sleepy while at the lunch counter, so the ketchupy hands rubbed his eyes, his hair, his clothes, and anything else within reach.
Cay-Cay is not noted for being a napper. I was wondering how this would play out. But after some very vigorous play, eating a ketchup lunch, he found a blankie, and his pacifier, and it was obvious slumberland wasn't far away. Little Miss M was nearby, and was quietly told she could help babysit. If we were quiet, and he enjoyed being rocked in Grandma's arms, he might fall asleep. So she sang him a little lullaby, "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star", so softly and so sweetly that his little eyes fell closed, snuggled in Grandma's arms in the rocking chair. Not one squall or peep out of him, and here he was, fast asleep. For 2-1/2 hours, to boot!
Grandmas love these moments, it was so sweet. First it was sweet of Little Miss M, who generally looks out mostly for herself, to be so sweet to him. Then his baby softness and relaxed body in Grandma's arms was especially sweet. Things aren't always this peaceful when babysitting grandkids, but this was a moment I will never forget!
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