Thursday, May 27, 2010

Matty Rock Set GO!!!!!!



It's been such a draining couple of months. I find myself exhausted ALL the time lately but last night I had the honor of watching my two oldest granddaughters for a few hours while their parents went off and did "grow up things" (Auttie Doo).

I had an epiphany based on an incident that happened in MY childhood: I was at home on Sunday while my family went to church because I was sick in some way - not desperately ill apparently but germy enough that my conscientious mother had me stay at home with my dad. Someone had given me a big bag of tiny colorful clothespins and I had been waiting and WAITING for the perfect chance to put them to use! My dad, none the wiser, let me string clothesline throughout the living room from chair to chair and couch to organ, to piano and then back to chair...I then drug out all...not some, ALL of my Barbie, Tammy and Chatty Cathy doll clothes as well as I'm pretty sure, my sister's Barbie clothes...I proceeded to "wash" them, then hang them ALL up to dry with my wonderful miniature clothes pins. My dad quietly read his magazine and the radio played in the background. I sat back on my heels quite pleased with the project. When my mom and sisters returned from church the scene went bad but that's not the point of this story.

As soon as my son and his fiance drove away I looked at the girls. It was raining outside and we don't use TV as the babysitter so I thought to myself now HOW am I going to entertain these lively beings? AHHHHHH!!! I said to Auttie Doo (the oldest), would you like to make a cave in your room? SHE LIT UP LIKE A CHRISTMAS TREE - YES Grandma!!!!! I gave her some lawn chairs, my little table that sits by my couch, a couple blankets and said go make a cave...I heard happy screams as Auttie and Izzy went running to do their fun...Auttie came out of the room and asked for some phones (we let them play with our discarded cell phones and they think this is just IT) so I sent her to the drawer where they're kept...I then had an added epiphany and said to her that she could go into the cupboards and get some of my plastic bowls and so forth for the cave...she was SO delighted. I heard nothing but laughter and fun conversations for quite some time from their room...to top this off, I let her take my phone and take some pictures of her cave...
SUCCESS!!!!

Later last night Izzy was outside playing and she RAN into the house and asked her daddy to come outside and race with her. They did. Victorious and triumphant (Dad and Auttie Doo had let her win) she came running in and asked Mama to come out and race too...E went outside with her and raced then they all came in laughing...

E turned to me and said "you know why I lost don't you?" I didn't. She told me then that when Izzy counted off for race this is what she said "Matty! Rock! SET GO!!!!!" (she misunderstood when Auttie said ON YOUR MARK GET SET GO" because Auttie said it too fast)

E didn't go because she wasn't quite sure what Izzy meant.

Now she does:-)


8 comments:

Charlie said...

I love both of your stories, what I'll call "The Clothespins" and "The Cave." You have proven that it doesn't take waaaay overpriced cheap toys do amuse a child: they do perfectly well with stuff at hand.

What it's called is imagination.

Charlie said...

Darn it. The first "do" should be "to".

Alice in Wonderland said...

Kids will always "play", but you find that they can make anything from trivial things.
Today I was playing with my niece, and we were playing with some sample squares of carpets (which I originally got fro my cats to scratch) but we made them into Stepping Stones!
Yes, I remember washing all my dolls clothes and hanging them all over the kitchen as well as making caves!

Anonymous said...

Awe how cute she is!

Kathy M. said...

Hello. I read about your blog on Prof. Worm's blog, which I also just discovered (happily). He recommended this post as particularly heartwarming and I agree. What a wonderful story. I'm so happy to have found you. I'll be back.

Pat said...

Charlie sent me and as a grandma and great grandma I'm awarding you one I've just made up - Grandma of the month. Great stuff.

flying eagle woman said...

Thank you for stopping by! I've been pretty busy lately but am just buzzing with stories to tell - hopefully this week!

Thank you so much for your gracious words and thank you Charlie for sending people by!!!

:-) Happy Monday all!
Shawna

Alice said...

Man, blanket caves were always the best. My girls love them too. Hmmm...I sense a good activity for the rainy day we are sure to get tomorrow.