By Staff
What runs nonstop, doesn't require gasoline, but needs an occasional hug?
The answer is my almost four-year-old granddaughter.
With her living in Saint Paul, Minn., our visits together have been much too infrequent. It seemed like the last time I saw her, she was so young she could hardly carry on a conversation.
She did though show she already had a quick wit. When I asked her on my last visit, "Can you say grandma?" she just said, "yes," refusing to give in to my request.
Now even her pre-school teachers say she cracks them up.
This six-day visit gave me an opportunity to really connect and gave her parents a chance for a Las Vegas vacation. Unfortunately, what went to Vegas, stayed in Vegas and no money was made, but a good time was had.
From her noticing the "trees aren't naked any more," to telling me "spinach tastes just horrible," it was interesting to see the world from her eyes.
Maybe she will follow in my footsteps and become a reporter. The W's are really a big part of her life – Why? When? And mostly "watch, grandma."
I ended up with my own W's – worn-out, weary and weak.
As Ellie would say, "Just kidding!"
It was great fun and quite a contrast to my normal day, sitting at a computer for hours at a time.
We chased the geese away from the edge of the pond, so they wouldn't poop on daddy's lawn. I watched as she went down the slide – over and over.
I got to visit her school, see donuts being made and learn, unlike her grandmother, she was more concerned her hands were messy from the sugar on the donut, than eating the treat.
We shared popcorn and quiet time on the comfy couch watching the movie Cinderella – one of her favorite Disney princesses. We also watched a new version, Cinderella III, when the slipper actually fits one of the step-sisters.
Daily her outfits changed in color as she wore her dress up princess costumes, over her clothes.
I learned I probably should eat my words, which were in one of my columns not so long ago. I had questioned whether children were being introduced to computers at too young of an age.
Well Ellie showed me just what a three-year-old can do. She can maneuver a mouse with the best of them. And I am not talking about Angelina, her constant stuffed mouse companion.
She has limited "computer-time" and plays games on a few sites set up for her age group, like Nick Jr. and Disney. She knows which keys to press to make the little characters move along to the next level. In the meantime, she is learning all sorts of things, like fruit gives you energy.
The interactive nature of today's so called toys, cell phones, iPods, computers, etc., is one she is already quite comfortable with.
Though I don't agreed with the proposal to give Michigan students iPods during a financial crisis, I believe the way they learn and take notes needs to be different than that of the past generations.
In order to ease any pain of the separation of child and parents, I had filled my suitcase with daily surprises. I actually felt a little like Mary Poppins.
The best received were two new ballet dresses for her mouse Angelina and friend Alice. They were treasured and dragged along with her favorite blanket throughout the rooms.
I had forgotten the joy a child gets playing with toys in the bathtub. How exciting seeing a robin on the roof outside the bedroom window can be. How nice it is being tucked into bed by someone you love.
Though my son and his wife thought I was doing them a big favor by babysitting, I believe I was the one who benefited the most. I not only had a nice change of pace, I was able to connect with my granddaughter and really get to know her.
I will treasure the photos I took. Now the question is do I have a wall big enough to display them.