I am back in California for a 2 month visit. Had a great 12-hour, one-day road trip down with my sister, Mary. We laughed a lot as we drove through light rain, overcast skies and breaking sunlight. The trees changed after we passed Mt Shasta; we lost pines and gained oaks. I didn't catch sight of the view I have most missed - scattered oaks tucked into folds of golden hills - until we neared Sacramento. Oh how I have missed that view! It was wonderful to see California hillsides glowing in the late afternoon sun.
We celebrated our entry into California by stopping at an In-N-Out Burger near Vallejo. I do love those hamburgers. An hour later we were in Novato, tired but happy to have finished the trip. Thank you, Pattie, for the wonderful bed that awaited. I am grateful I have a stake in two states - and both Oregon and California are so magnificent.
Friday, my last day with Wesley, was poignant. I didn't want to make a big deal about it but I am going to be gone for 2 months and I am really going to miss him. When I arrived at preschool, he was napping with all the other 2 and 3 year olds. They had had a busy day and he, according to his teacher, was really tired. I waited in the 4-year old room, looking up each time the door opened - would it be him? One by one others wandered in until, finally, it was Wesley. Clearly, he had just awakened. His hair was plastered against one side of his head and he was a bit groggy. When he spotted me he whimpered, "Gramma" and climbed into my lap. I held him close enjoying the feel of him in my arms as he slowly woke up. About 5 minutes into the "snuggle" I realized something had changed. One leg of my jeans was suddenly wet and that unique smell of urine floated up to my nose - Wesley had had an "accident" and I was the lucky recipient. I say lucky because my beloved Armenian uncle, Uncle Lev, had told me many years ago that it is good luck to have a baby pee on you - so how lucky I was, sitting there, with a wet boy in my lap.
Eventually we changed his clothes and off we went. Once at home he picked out some favorite books that we read sitting on my front steps, chatting with neighbors who walked by. We watered plants and then I had a surprise - I showed him the early birthday gift I had received from his Aunt Mary and Uncle Colin the night before. Here it is:
Yes, I am now the proud owner of Candy Land. But it gets better - it is a 1955 edition - the one that I played with when I was young and the one my children used.
Can you see it in this photo? It has the same design, the same path, the same drawings, the same thick cards and the same plastic gingerbread men. I had read reviews on Amazon that complained about the newer versions with thin cards and playing pieces that fall over - but not in this set. Colin found the real thing. Mary and I immediately played one game (I won and did not cheat - did NOT stack the cards in my favor) and then on Friday Wesley and I played two games (he won one, I won the other) but I realized he is too young. He was just as happy going backwards on the path as going forwards. Didn't quite grasp the goal of the game but did enjoy matching the candy cards to their places on the map. I put it away for a later time.
He then helped me clean the basement. When I had suggested, in front of preschool classmates, that we might clean the basement, one boy said that monsters live there. Wesley thought about it and then answered, quite seriously, that the only possible monster in my basement was my Christmas tree, sitting in its bag. When we finally went down to the basement, he pointed to the tree and said that it was a very funny monster and that was it. He enjoyed helping me sweep and get things a bit more organized.
Stephanie joined us for dinner but, all too soon, it was time for them to go home. I hugged him tight and waved goodbye. I am glad I will see him at the family wedding next weekend.
After he left I finished packing the car - everything fit - and was able to leave early Saturday morning.
I look forward to these next weeks - what an adventure - Redwood City, Pacific Grove, Yosemite, Africa, but am also looking forward to getting back to Portland in August. My heart belongs with the wee one.
We celebrated our entry into California by stopping at an In-N-Out Burger near Vallejo. I do love those hamburgers. An hour later we were in Novato, tired but happy to have finished the trip. Thank you, Pattie, for the wonderful bed that awaited. I am grateful I have a stake in two states - and both Oregon and California are so magnificent.
Friday, my last day with Wesley, was poignant. I didn't want to make a big deal about it but I am going to be gone for 2 months and I am really going to miss him. When I arrived at preschool, he was napping with all the other 2 and 3 year olds. They had had a busy day and he, according to his teacher, was really tired. I waited in the 4-year old room, looking up each time the door opened - would it be him? One by one others wandered in until, finally, it was Wesley. Clearly, he had just awakened. His hair was plastered against one side of his head and he was a bit groggy. When he spotted me he whimpered, "Gramma" and climbed into my lap. I held him close enjoying the feel of him in my arms as he slowly woke up. About 5 minutes into the "snuggle" I realized something had changed. One leg of my jeans was suddenly wet and that unique smell of urine floated up to my nose - Wesley had had an "accident" and I was the lucky recipient. I say lucky because my beloved Armenian uncle, Uncle Lev, had told me many years ago that it is good luck to have a baby pee on you - so how lucky I was, sitting there, with a wet boy in my lap.
Eventually we changed his clothes and off we went. Once at home he picked out some favorite books that we read sitting on my front steps, chatting with neighbors who walked by. We watered plants and then I had a surprise - I showed him the early birthday gift I had received from his Aunt Mary and Uncle Colin the night before. Here it is:
Yes, I am now the proud owner of Candy Land. But it gets better - it is a 1955 edition - the one that I played with when I was young and the one my children used.
Can you see it in this photo? It has the same design, the same path, the same drawings, the same thick cards and the same plastic gingerbread men. I had read reviews on Amazon that complained about the newer versions with thin cards and playing pieces that fall over - but not in this set. Colin found the real thing. Mary and I immediately played one game (I won and did not cheat - did NOT stack the cards in my favor) and then on Friday Wesley and I played two games (he won one, I won the other) but I realized he is too young. He was just as happy going backwards on the path as going forwards. Didn't quite grasp the goal of the game but did enjoy matching the candy cards to their places on the map. I put it away for a later time.
He then helped me clean the basement. When I had suggested, in front of preschool classmates, that we might clean the basement, one boy said that monsters live there. Wesley thought about it and then answered, quite seriously, that the only possible monster in my basement was my Christmas tree, sitting in its bag. When we finally went down to the basement, he pointed to the tree and said that it was a very funny monster and that was it. He enjoyed helping me sweep and get things a bit more organized.
Stephanie joined us for dinner but, all too soon, it was time for them to go home. I hugged him tight and waved goodbye. I am glad I will see him at the family wedding next weekend.
After he left I finished packing the car - everything fit - and was able to leave early Saturday morning.
I look forward to these next weeks - what an adventure - Redwood City, Pacific Grove, Yosemite, Africa, but am also looking forward to getting back to Portland in August. My heart belongs with the wee one.
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