Tomorrow morning, for the first time in five days, I will not be awakened at 5:30 am by the soft touch of a toddler climbing into bed with me for a cuddle and another hour's sleep. Although I'll definitely welcome the uninterrupted sleep (especially since it's now 1:30 am!), I will definitely miss that warm, cuddly boy curled up next to me with his feet planted squarely in my back.
Okay, I won't miss the feet, but I will miss the boy!
Addison's mom and dad returned late tonight from a 5-day vacation in Mexico, and Addison had a whole week of "Camp Gran" (his mom's name for our long visit). We had a lovely time, as we always do with the grandkids. It reinforced my long-held belief that women in their 50s and 60s who decide to have babies really need to be talked out of it, and my admiration for grandparents who take on the full-time responsibility for grandchildren.
Addison is an exceptionally well-behaved toddler, so we had virtually no behavioral issues. It's just that toddlers hit the floor running when they wake up in the morning (or after a nap) and I need three cups of coffee before I can even discuss the morning newspaper with Jim. Of course, the 
morning newspaper has been the afternoon newspaper this week, but I still managed to stay on top of the current financial crisis, just with less intensity and a few hours later than everyone else. But you know what? Everything happened just as it was going to happen anyway, and I can now put together puzzles with the best of them. Oh, and I've learned the time and channel for "Clifford, the Big Red Dog." And I had lots of hugs and kisses, laughs and cuddles, splashes in the pool, swinging at the park, and a full time view of the world through the eyes of someone for whom everything is new!
morning newspaper has been the afternoon newspaper this week, but I still managed to stay on top of the current financial crisis, just with less intensity and a few hours later than everyone else. But you know what? Everything happened just as it was going to happen anyway, and I can now put together puzzles with the best of them. Oh, and I've learned the time and channel for "Clifford, the Big Red Dog." And I had lots of hugs and kisses, laughs and cuddles, splashes in the pool, swinging at the park, and a full time view of the world through the eyes of someone for whom everything is new!He helped Grandpa Jim get the trailer hooked up and started packing for deer hunting next week; he and I played with his "letters and numbers" in the tub; we took Winnie-the-Pooh to the park and put him on the slide and on the swings;
and tonight, after I took him back to his house to await his mommy and daddy's return, he decorated a bush in the front yard with dandelion blooms to celebrate!
Sure, I missed the first Presidential debate, but I can read about it in the paper, or catch in on YouTube. These moments are far too precious to miss.
I'm sorry Camp Gran is over. It went by far too fast - much more quickly than I would have imagined. And as I return to my normal routine tomorrow morning, I know I'll be longing for some of the sweet moments of this past week.
