My Daughter and Her Family

           Last night I spent some time with my grandbaby, while her mom and dad spent an evening sans preschooler.

Playing dress up...This is not her "normal" look.

            By 11:00 p.m. I was exhausted (Grammies wear out earlier than four-year olds) after playing a variety of games.  We had a little fashion show with her Polly Pocket dolls (their rubber dresses are sometimes difficult to get on), we painted pictures, we played the "Take" game (one of us would pretend to fall asleep with one of her stuffed animals, and the other would take the animal away and hide it), the "Witch/Frog/Rapunzel/Prince/Mad Scientist game (I would be the witch/mad scientist and turn her from Rapunzel into a frog, and sometimes I was lucky enough to be allowed to turn myself into a prince), along with a book and baking up a frozen pizza and putting on a puppet show.

          I thought I was a decent parent, especially with my daughter---I was younger with her, and lost some of my patience when my son was born nine years later---because we had real conversations all the time, I read a great deal to her, and she was well loved.  But I was not as creative or constantly-thoughtful as my daughter is with her daugher.

           When we were having our puppet show last night, I noticed that these were not store-bought hand puppets.  My daughter and her child had made them--how frugal and clever and what a great bonding experience.

This is the dog puppet.  There was also a witch and an octopus...

            This little girl is amazingly imaginative, and it is because her parents are creative artists and have made her the center of their universe.  (Which is not to say she does not have limitations and is not disciplined.  She gets put in time-out and is even so self-aware and considerate, she sometimes even puts herself in time-out.)

This is a portrait of my granddaughter, painted by her daddy... 
If anyone is in the market for a portrait-artist, email me and
I will give you his contact information.  He can work from photos,
and works in pastels/colored pencils as well as oil paint, and is an award-winning artist.

                    When our children become adults and have children of their own, it is proof we have done at least some things right; otherwise, they would not be alive.  However, when they become exemplary parents, parents who are thoughtful and gentle and endlessly patient, the pride is unbelievable...