Sunday afternoon fun

Anyone who has read here for even a short time knows that I dote on my grands. Love 'em, I do. As does hubby.

Sundays are our days. I take two of the girls with me to Sunday School and services. Afterwards, one of the 7 gets to go grocery shopping with Grandpa and Gramma. We go to lunch first - their choice of menu - and then shop to fill our larders - and then, their reward is a trip through the toy aisle.

This week was the baby's turn. Well, actually his turn was two weeks ago, but what with the holidays and all . . . we didn't take any of the grands with us. But, this week, we were not to be cheated - our time with Zay-Zay had come.

Poor tyke - his Mama woke him up from a nap to get him ready to go with us. But, he perked up in no time . . . about the time we got him into the car seat he was chattering away - making darling baby noises. He now has several (I think 3) teeth and is beginning to test his little pegs by standing for short periods of time. It won't be long and Mama will be finding him under her feet constantly. (what a joy that will be)

With Zay-Zay we make the menu choice simple - the grocery store deli. While grandpa had a cold sandwich, the boy got a chicken breast, mashed potatoes, and apple slices. Gramma got to shred the chicken, spoon the potatoes, and mash and spoon the apples.

faster, Gramma, faster

I'm starving, here, woman, can't you shovel it in any faster?

hurry up Gramma, these people think you're starving me

buuuuuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrrrppppppppppppppppp!!!!!

Oh, yes, indeedy, we did, so have that conversation, Zay-Zay and I. The folks around us simply smiled or laughed out loudly at his antics. Grandpa even offered to spoon feed me so that I could have some lunch as well. ;-) But, I managed to find a second or three to pop a piece of chicken into my own mouth.

We made a short trip of the shopping - tend to do that when we have the little guy with us. We try hard to make it a pleasant trip and not a fussy time. So far we mostly succeed.

Then came the treasured time through the toy aisles. Never mind the fact that Christmas has just come and gone and there is little he needs. Nope, never mind that.

Grandpa says he needs . . . NEEDS, mind you . . . a noisy toy - one to aggravate his Mama and Daddy. I was gravitating to the new soft rubbery weebil toys . . . but nooooooooooooo - oh nooooooooooooo indeedy. Grandpa went for the noisy.

And, of course, so did Zay-Zay. Go for the noisy, that is. All the way through the store we heard the plink-plink-plink of the tinny music accented with the pop-pop-pop of balls being tossed into the air. Each time the balls popped, Zay-Zay hooted - I thought he was being scared or made angry by them - hubby said try to keep it from him then. So, I put it behind my back and the boy hooted again . . . wanting it back in front of him. So, back it went.

Out to the car it went.

Into his seat with him it went.

Plink - plink - plink went the music

Pop - Pop - Pop - went the balls

HOOT went the boy.

We giggled all of the way home.

It was a nice diversion.

The rain which was softly falling had made the roads an extremely slick ice rink. Not at all fun for the Gramma to drive in, knowing that there was precious cargo in the seat behind her. But we made it home safely. And Zay-Zay showed off his new toy and immediately was beset by his siblings who attempted to take it from him, show him how it works, etc. (you know, normal sibling stuff)

Grandpa and I planted kisses on each little head and then merrily went home to unload groceries. Grandpa took the snow blower out for a bit to try to get rid of a berm at the end of the driveway. I settled into my chair to read the paper - when hubby came in a few moments later, he settled into his chair and joined me . . . not in reading, silly. No, he joined me in making the windows rattle. We were out in no time.

It doesn't take much to wipe us out these days.

It only takes a little guy . . . 10 1/2 months old . . .

that's all it takes.

And, now I am celebrating the new year with my first official holiday of the calendar year. Yup - our holiday was today. Couldn't be Friday because that would have given us an extra holiday for 2004. (don't ask me - I just do what they say).

Back to the laundry, kiddos. Tomorrow it is nose to the grindstone again - back to my early morning walking. The church gym is again open to us on Tuesday and Thursday mornings - until May, when we should be able to get back onto the paths.

Speaking of walking . . . I am a glutton for Marn punishment, I am. Yup, I am again Walking Nowhere with the posse. Last year's goals got waylaid a bit by my ankle injuries in May. I finished with 610 miles towards my 700 mile goal. Not too shabby, but still short.

This year? I've upped the ante to 750 miles as my goal. We'll see where that gets me.

Psssst . . . hello to JK if you're reading!! ;-)

p.s. kudos to whomever can tell me what today is (historically). AND - if you comment here with the correct answer I will send you something special and purplemoose-like. (if I don't already have your snail mail address, we'll get together on that.) So go on now, put on your thinking caps . . .

Posted by Purplemoose at January 3, 2005 03:47 PM