It's Raining Puzzle Pieces!

In our lives we play lots of different roles, some at work, some at home, some in the community--who we are depends upon where we are. Tonight I was "da", my grandson's name for me. His dad wasn't feeling well, so I went over to their place to be the entertainment for the evening. Max is two and a half, and full of energy, even at the end of the day. We love to be "kitties", which involves crawling on the floor and meowing. We sit in the "kitty house", which is a corner of the dining room piled high with toys. We chase each other, give horsey back rides, play kickball in the living room, put puzzles together, try out the monkey flashlight in a darkened bedroom, and pretend we are "The Incredibles". Tonight he put on his "Dash" slippers and showed how fast Dash can run. I tried to put together a big alphabet puzzle on the floor, and Max came over and wrecked all my careful work, taking handfuls of pieces and dropping them on his head proclaiming, "It's raining puzzle pieces!"

We took a break for a Valentine's Day cookie and some milk, and then it was back to mischief. But not for long, as he finally crawled to a stop and laid his head down on the dining room carpet. Dad (Shane) got him dressed for bed, and then Max showed me how he brushes his teeth. For the first time, I was able to tuck him in and give him a goodnight kiss. He curled up under his blanket with his stuffed Nemo and drifted off to wherever little boys' minds go as they fade into sleep.

Being a grandfather is the funnest thing I do. When he jumps into my arms after a long separation ( usually a few days), I'm flooded with endorphins. I don't even have to see him--just thinking about him causes me to start smiling like a simpleton. I know someday he'll be a sullen teenager busy with his friends, but right now he is a lovable bundle of snips and snails and puppy dog tails with an endearing brown eyed innocence that has charmed us completely.