Down on the Farm

A trip to the family farm in Henrietta, Tennessee, last weekend gave GrandBoy his first taste of a real farm. It was cold and windy, so visions of young Liam running barefoot through green fields were quickly squashed, but he didn't seem to mind the weather.

In his bright yellow slicker, he got to see real cows and horses, get an up-close look at tractors old and new, experience the joys of tossing rocks in a puddle (endless fun, by the way), and experience a freedom to roam around wide-open spaces and explore things like haystacks and unfamiliar porch steps.

GrandBoy also got to test out his "mooing" skills with a herd of Black Angus cattle. He learned that, yes, cows actually do moo, as he engaged in human/bovine conversations and stare-downs with cows and their calves. Moooooooo!

He saw his first real red barn and scarecrow, which was guarding a newly-planted field. He learned how to shoot a water pistol and see the effect of strong wind blowing bubbles through a bubble wand (no human-blowing needed).

There was an endless supply of uncles willing to toss a ball or hoist him up to look over a fence. An equally endless supply of aunts (as well as his mama and GrandMary) kept a close eye and made sure he was warm, dry, fed, and hugged. In other words, he was joyfully spoiled.

So now the go-to guy for the correct tone of cow-mooing, best rocks for puddle-tossing, and most efficient way to run through a field is GrandBoy. In case you were wondering.

You Just Call Out My Name

"Gramee-ee!" Yes, finally. GrandBoy's calling for his GrandMary. He's got the "Grand" part down and just needs a little more work on the "Mary," but he's almost there. He used my name repeatedly when I was in Atlanta a couple of weeks ago. It does an old lady's heart good to hear a hearty little voice call from downstairs "Gramee-ee!"

Add to that his sweet little hugs that include patting me on the back and, well, the whole package is irresistible. That wonderful little 2-year-old package.

Sure, it's work trying to get to toddler to understand why sharing is good and throwing sand is bad. And goodness knows, trying to keep up with the little tyke is almost impossible. But getting to witness daily - make that hourly -  discoveries and milestones is worth all the exhaustion.

A hug. A few little pats on the back. A toddler kiss. And calling out my name - "Gramee-ee!" The daily delights of a grandmother.