Tuesday, June 15, 2010

To Alida...From Granddad

Alida, Granddad, and Baby Robins
Early in June 2010, the 3rd, specifically, the day after Alida became three years old, a very spring-like day was occurring at our home near East Greenville, PA. Alida and I, around 10 am, were headed toward our vegetable garden to take tour of the popular strawberry patch. The berries were plentiful that year, needing picking every day or so.
Our little saltbox-shaped barn was an allurement to Alida, so as I crossed the lawn heading toward the garden gate, Alida detoured and took the path less traveled, through the barn and down another path which also led to the garden. The garden was gated, as a certain Peter Rabbit all too often frequented “Mr. McGregor’s” Garden.
(Mr. McGregor is the Beatrix Potter gardener who put up with a naughty bunny named Peter. Alida loved to play “Mr. McGregor” in our home: She and I would take turns being the rabbit; we’d ‘find’ each other in the garden—the family room—and get chased out of the ‘garden’ with a make-believe rake made of simple Styrofoam. Great fun, it was. Mimi would get involved once in a while too, playing the part of Peter’s mommy, to whom the shooed rabbit would be sent at the end of Mr. McGregor’s rake. ‘Home’, and safety, for Peter Rabbit would be the plaid, reclining lounger in the living room.)
This day, however, wasn’t to be about rabbits. All of a sudden, I heard coming from the inside of the barn, “Grandad! Grandad! There’s a bird in here!” Quickly, I hurried to see what was the matter. Sure enough, Alida had come upon a baby robin, frantically flapping its wings in futile attempt to exit the barn through a paned window glass. Suddenly, from another direction, a second baby flew by our feet, past us both, at an altitude of only about two feet off the floor of the barn. Out the open doorway facing the garden went baby bird #2— experiencing flight and taking in its first view of the world outside the barn’s wooden walls.
What Alida had stumbled upon and witnessed was the very first flight of two of three baby robins that had just launched from their childhood nest, carefully fabricated by Mother Robin, just above that same door of the barn.


For weeks prior, Mother Robin would tend that nest, whether I entered the barn or not. Several times I can remember inadvertently surprising Mom by my unannounced sudden appearance (to get a rake, hoe, or something for use in the garden). Alarmed, she’d fly from the nest, but quickly to return when she got her motherly bearings! She’d at once perch just outside the door, making a squawking fuss in reprimand of me invading her family’s home. I got the message and would leave in short order.
Meanwhile, as baby-bird #2 flew the coop, baby-bird #1 was still frantic at the window. Not a good situation! Alida stepped back as I approached the flurry of wings and feathers in attempt to hand-catch the youngin’ to help solve the exit dilemma. Just as I made my reach, the youngster got his bearings and, as well as his kin, made low altitude exit out the doorway of the barn.
We’d both witnessed what most people never see. The babies couldn’t have been out of the nest (about eight feet above the floor) for more than a minute or two, if that.
The thought then dawned on me— what had become of the third-bird, that other little fellow of three I’d seen clamoring for food in the nest, incessantly, for the last several weeks?
Alida and I, both standing quietly for a moment, heard a faint “peep-peep-peep, peep-peep” sounding from the floor area in a far corner of the barn. I quickly motioned to Alida to come with me, and we both, slowly, approached baby-bird #3. This little peeper, as its siblings, had “flown the nest” as well, but somehow wound up in a dark corner, not at a window or the daylight visible at the barn’s doorway. With haste and two hands, I snatched up the now squawking, shrill-sounding, little one! Realizing the poor thing’s sense of peril and wanting to liberate it as quickly as possible, yet wanting Alida to experience a close-up touch, I quickly got her to touch this little one of God’s creation before it took flight, ne’re to return. She did! And smiled.
But at the same time, there was an unhappy, highly exasperated “Mother Robin”, looking me in the eye, from her vantage point about five feet away, on the floor, in the barn door opening. One unhappy, hair-standing-up, cackling, blusterous exhibition of anger was coming forth! I can remember wondering who was more noisy and upset; baby or mother! Turning to Alida, I quickly said, “We must let baby go!” As she watched, I gently tossed baby into the morning air, a foot or so above the floor. And

as the rest of kin, off baby flew, on first flight, about fifty feet or so in total distance, finally landing in the nearby garden area.
All three would be off to experience that ‘first time’ thrill of newness of life, if birds can sense such things. . . Food would be their-own-for-the-getting now; Mother Robin’s nurture had passed into yesterday. So with their freedom came much responsibility.
Alida and I went on to the garden and picked strawberries. Mimi had been in town and, sadly, missed the whole event. Upon arriving home, we relayed the exciting story, all wondering if we’d see the three young-ones again.
Maybe we did; there were so many robins in the yard that year, at a distance they seemed to all blend together. The babies, even as early on as their day of first flight were, close up, distinguishable from Mother Robin— somewhat smaller. But possessing, even then, the same robin-red-breast as adults, at a distance differentiating between the two generations proved difficult. Instead of darker adult feathered wings, the youngsters yet possessed a muted black & white speckle; that, too, would quickly fade from youthful to adult plumage.
I wished them all well; frolic in freedom, little ones, in our square of God’s green earth here in Pennsylvania.
And so happened a special time; a time when the simplest things of life display the grandeur found in all of Creation, to the hearts of God’s children, big and small. In the life of the smaller child, as she matures, may a remembrance of Granddad and granddaughter, and baby birds, be precious and enduring.
A loving grandfather,
Granddad
June 8, 2010

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

If this doesn't make you smile.....

then you are a true grinch!!!


Monday, September 28, 2009

Summer Recap

Oh geez! Is it really almost October??! Alida hasn't had the busiest summer but her parent's sure have! I think I misunderstood what it meant to be two years old. For some reason I thought I was waiting for this moment so that I could once again resume cleaning the house, cooking meals and running errands. My excuse for the last two years for a dirty house, an empty fridge and the ability to accomplish little or nothing at all is still going strong!!!

Alida is still into everything...no exceptions. She has most recently painted her face with butt paste, painted her toys/stool/play room carpet with purple paint, "washed" out a poopy diaper in the bathroom sink, soaped up her baby dolls because they looked dirty, emptied a brand new bottle of perfume onto her Mom-Mom's bed, etc, etc, etc. You just gotta love her! Oh...and I swear that I never leave this child alone for more than a few seconds. She's like lightning!! If she's quiet you know she's into something she shouldn't be. The only thing that keeps her attention and gets her to remain still for more than a second is "The Fresh Beat Band" (on Nick...The Backyardigans have taken a back seat to this hip hop band!).

She is still making us the proudest parent's that ever existed. Since her stroke diagnosis several months back she has been receiving OT and PT through Early Intervention. She has been improving a great deal!! She's motivated to use that left hand no matter the challenge. She's constantly reminding us to use both hands or to "try the other hand". She has been singing songs all summer long including "God Bless America" (a song I sang at the top of my lungs as a kid!). She enjoys singing "Happy Birthday" to whomever she is able to and if it's not currently someones birthday one of her dolls will be a fill-in. She has named each of her dolls....I constantly ask her their names, it's just so freakin' cute! There's baby Tara, baby Regan, baby Doll, baby Riley, baby Baby, baby Maddox and baby Beth. Of course some of the dolls came with names...but she remembers them without needing reminders.

The little lady is currently passed out in her big girl bed. We had to switch over due to new climbing skills that daddy convinced Alida to start using to her advantage. So far...so good. She has not gotten out of the bed to date and still yells for mommy when she wakes. The only problem is that now mommy has to get up right away for fear the the first solo exit won't be the last! She's still cuddling with George (her favorite stuffed animal courtesy of Fran and Amy that she never lets out of her site) and her favorite blanket (a yellow and white star blanket that's fuzzy on one side and silky on the other). Sometimes we forget George and her blanket when we visit friends or family but she usually agrees that it's important for George to get a night out once in a while. I also figured out how to get the girl to brush her teeth without a fight!!! Did anyone ever hear of the cavity monster?! Works like a charm!

I had plans to do something fun and exciting several times this summer....my plan didn't work out so well. Alida was able to visit the beach once and she got to check out Sesame Place as well. She spent most of the summer swimming in Aunt Joan's pool so she was able to show us her swimming abilities by the end of the summer. I refrained from tossing her into the pool as I am told my mother once did when I was a small child. The excitement of watching her swim around the pool on her own (with the help of the arm floaties) would have been tainted had I forced her to suck water up her nose and fear for her life to get her to do it!! I still love you mom!! HAHA!



Alida has been spending some extra QT with daddy recently. I've been accepted to a weekend nursing program and have been spending Saturdays and Sundays in class so Alida has finally gotten the chance to bond with her pops. I know that she will one day appreciate this chance even though when I call during break time she always says "mommy, come over. I'm crying for you mommy!" She surely knows how to pull on my heartstrings!!!



Enjoying the boardwalk with her beau Noah!

Digging in OC, NJ for the day.



Sharing her lolly with Mason and Livvy at Sesame....she does share it eventually, I promise!

Attempting to get away from Bert and Ernie...she still regrets not giving them a high five and hasn't forgiven herself for causing them to cry.

Monday, July 6, 2009

June and Beyond

Alida is now officially 2 years old!! So sad...and so happy at the same time. She has been keeping us more than busy this past month. The girl does not sit still, well, except for the occasional Backyardigans episode. She is talking up a storm and has reached the point where she says some pretty funny things. She has been reading some of her book so well that it amazes me...she opened "oh the places you'll go" the other night and turned to this page saying "look mommy..lurch, bump and slump" and it was the right page! She can read 'Hungry Caterpillar' from front to back leaving out all the insignificant words of course. She currently takes her stuffed monkey, Curious George, with her everywhere (thanks Fran and Amy!!). She loves him. There's a monkey at Mom-Mom's house too and he wears a Hawaiian shirt so we named him Charlie and unlike George who lives in the jungle Charlie lives on the beach (lucky Charlie!!). She loves her baby dolls too but not as much as her Backyardigans buddies. She's always propping one of them up and singing "happy birthday" at the top of her lungs to one of them. She also sends her stuffed friends to time out when they are naughty which seems to be quite a lot! She'll sit them on a stool in front of the fireplace and yell 'sit there, naughty, don't move, don't touch toys, don't talk, don't fall'. The poor things just can't seem to stop themselves from falling over so they have to be fixed and yelled at again and again. It makes me wonder...do we really act like that?!

The other day Matt, Alida and I met my mom for breakfast at a diner. The waitress had left money on the table from a previous customer. I gave the money to Alida and told her to give it to the waitress. She hands it over and as the waitress walks aways she yells "put it in your piggy bank"!! TOO freaking cute!!!

Happy Birthday Lil' Lida Lew Love!!!

Saturday, May 30, 2009

I Love my mommy....

I remember the days when Alida wanted nothing to do with me. I could simply hand her over to a complete stranger and she could have cared less. I imagined the day that she would cry when I left for work....when she would run to me with crocodile tears not wanting me to leave her....when I would hear her sweet little voice cry out "I want mommy". What in the world was I thinking??!!! Well....that day is sort of here. And by sort of I mean at bedtime and morning time. UGH! The only two times of the day where I liked to take turns with Matt....the only times of the day when I can really sit back and relax or get a little extra shuteye. Be careful what you wish for!!! HAHA!!!






Friday, April 10, 2009

Some of our Favorite People

We would love more than anything to have more time in our lives to visit with family and friends. Luckily we had some opportunities to visit with some of our favorite people!


Alida loves Baby the Bunny. My girlfriend's mom owns this bunny and it's just like a dog! Roams around the house and takes naps on the couch!!

Baby Maddox and his momma! My girlfriend Jen does not know what she's in for!! Alida is dying to have a little friend that she can play with in the area and it looks like Baby Maddox might have to fill that spot! Alida talks about him constantly...everything is Baby Maddox. She even calls him on the phone!!
Even though Alida went binky-less as an infant she LOVES other kid's binkys. If it's missing Alida has it!
Enjoying a view that she used to love herself! Ahh, the baby days!!!



A visit to Ginny brings some of us closer together. Alida had a great time hanging with her cousins. She loves to run around them and play with their toys as they watch her. Look out Alida....they are mobile and they are boys....only time will tell!!!



Enjoying some pool time with Carter!





Chowing on some puffs!








It's Norah! Alida's favorite neighbor! They both like to shop at Target!!!! HEHE!





Friday, April 3, 2009

Too far behind...time to post-date!

OK, there are a million things that I would like to post about. Alida has been so stinking cute lately and I have so many little stories to tell. I am way too far behind at this point and rather than post-dating all the bits and pieces I'm just going to shove them all together! Of course...I only have time to post this little ditty below as I need to get back to studying..UGH! Stay tuned....


Alida LOVES her ball pit! We've had the balls since Christmas but we had no pit. We gave up searching for something that would fit all the balls and wouldn't take up too much room in her playroom. We settled for a LARGE plastic bin...it works!