Days with Ember

Ember visited us in Greenville overnight, Thursday into Friday. She is so much fun, even when she gets her 2-year-old attitude going. I've included in this post some of the pictures I took during her stay. Em loves being in the country. She has no problem getting dirty, playing in the leaves, laying down on the ground or digging in the dirt with her fingers. Grandma, on the other hand says "yuck" inside but smiles and encourages Em because I will do nothing to discourage her toddler personality.

Though she's given up a crib at home, Em never blinked an eye at sleeping in the crib here. I'm glad. It made the sleeping part of her overnight easier for me. And she does sleep well. She took good naps and slept all night, from 7:30 PM to 7 AM the next morning. What more could a grandma ask for?

Sometime during her visit, she stopped calling me "Dama" or "Gama" and always used "Grama," the G and R intact and obvious. I'm glad, though it represents a big step in her maturing.

Ron loves this granddaugher of mine. It brings tears to my eyes seeing his delight when she gives him hugs. He goes out of his way to be at home when she visits so he can play and just be around her.

Ember runs all the time. Her toddler arms and fisted hands pumping as she tries to keep ahead of whoever is chasing her or tries to catch up with whoever is ahead of her. She loves to blow bubbles, or have me blow them. She loves to kick the ball or have me toss it "High in the sky, Grama." She loves to run through the leaves or help pick them up and put in the wheelbarrow. She generally enjoys so much being here, with the big backyard, and lots of woods and having the freedom to run and play without an adult's worrisome attitude of city traffic and constraints that go with that.

But the little stinker will not swing on the bucket swing I bought and Ron hung in a tree. When she saw Ron carrying it from the house, she said, "Oh wowwwwwwwwwww a whee!!" Those were the first and last words of enthusiasm she had for the swing. She gladly put the ball in it. She happily put sticks and stones in it. She would not allow herself to be put in it, and any time she was asked if she wanted to swing, she responded, "Nope," or "No way," or even "No tank you." I know Ron was disappointed, moreso than I.

After her nap today and post-nap juice and snack, Ember got weepy. She wanted to go home and said so. She wanted to be cuddled and she wanted to suck on bear. She wanted daddy and mommy. But she also wanted to feed "Da fishies, Grama," one more time or lay down in the dusty driveway flat on her belly one more time. When daddy came, her face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Daddy!" That also brings tears to my eyes because the man who is her daddy is my son.

Today's weather - It was a gorgeous day!!! The sun was hot. The temp reached 80. The sky was shocking blue. I was in sandals. Em was in shorts and a little top. It was very good.

Life changes - The circle of life is never more apparent than when one's child becomes a parent, sending us spiraling into the older generation.