Rite of Pasage

My grandson, Nick, and his wife, Natasha, were over for a visit tonight to pick up some Disney musical globes I'd found for the baby at a yard sale in Florida. Along with the globes I'd placed Nick's little bear mug that he'd drink hot chololate from when he visited me as a tiny little boy. Now it, and his little Pooh Bear spoon is being passed on to his little boy, Nolan, whose birth is expected the first week in July. I think I'll always picture Nick's sweet little 2 year old face whenever I see that mug, though, but maybe Nolan will be the reincarnation of his father and I'll really see that precious baby face again.

I always kept a box of toys especially for my grandchildren when they were young. They knew when they walked in the door that there was a big pile of stuff they could call their own here. For a long time we had a hard plastic peddle car/jeep that they all loved and the only battles over that car that I remember were always between Nick and Matt. There was a time when Dennis piled Tyson and Kyle into the tiny car, looped the garden hose over Kyle's shoulders and set small fires in the grass for them to put out. I remember the slightly worried look on Kyle's face as Tyson peddled them both toward the fire. Do you suppose that was some sort of child endangerment on our part? It couldn't have been too dangerous or I'd never have let them do it.

I remember the day I bought that little car. Dennis and I had been at a convention somewhere and were heading home when I spotted a huge flea market. Somehow I convinced him to stop for a while and we went our separate ways. The next time he saw me was at the car waiting for him and I'd bought this big peddle car and a small bike with training wheels. Oh yes, and I think I also had a wagon. Dennis stopped dead in his tracks and, stupefied, asked how the heck I expected him to get all that stuff in the car. We did and the kids enjoyed those toys for many years.

Why do men always think our stuff won't fit in the car?? It always does with a bit of ingenuity.

I'm so looking forward to building memories with my greatgrandson, Nolan, and I wish his greatgrampa, Dennis, was here to teach him how to tie knots, climb ropes, and maybe even put out fires.