Day 351 of 366 Blog Challenge 2012
Hello all
I have been thinking today about young children and their obsessions. Do they grow out of them or do they end up involved in the area that they are obsessed with? This thinking has come about because Isaac was here this morning and he is obsessed with cars. But, more on that later.
Grandma rocks Maddie to sleep
You see, all is quiet here now: the dishes are done, the toys are packed away and the dust has settled after waving goodbye to the Ross Family. That is, my son Dan and his wife Bel with Isaac (3) and little Maddie (5 weeks) who came down for morning tea today.
It was all very Christmassy. I had a lovely candle set in a cup on a saucer burning in the middle of the table but there were no magic relighting candles – although we did laugh yet again about these ridiculous candles that refuse to go out. See The-Glow of Friendship and the-magic-of-pat-and-the-relighting-candle.
The red Christmas table was set with my best china, my moo-cow milk jug and my brandy Christmas cake cut up especially for the occasion. There were my cherry-topped shortbread biscuits, some mince tarts and even Christmas lollies hidden in beautiful cupcake-like dishes. Oh, it was all very nice.
The Holy Family and that damn cheeky reindeer!
The Christmas tree was lit up, St. Joseph was looking after the Madonna and child (a statue) and even the reindeer had the cheek to have his feet up on the mantle looking on. That reindeer had no manners at all! It was oh so decadent, but the best bit of all was when Geoff was holding Madeleine for a photo and she looked at him and … low and behold she gave him a smile.
Aah … that first smile! I had been hoping for it today and it arrived as if on cue. It was better than brilliant folks. The battery failed on the camera but still, three of us saw it so it is now official. Madeleine did not disappoint.
Amongst all these happenings: giving lots of attention to little Maddie and admiring the new bathroom, I was attempting to make tea for all of us. However, as Isaac had arrived with his basket of cars (regular readers will remember my writing about Isaac and his basket which he takes everywhere, even to bed), I set out to give him another four cars for his basket.
Now, bear in mind that Isaac knows I regularly give him second-hand cars and they end up going home in his basket because he can’t bear to part with them. No drama here but today was different. Today was the day that Isaac put those cars in his basket and immediately headed for the door saying: “Take the cars home now.” He had been here 10 minutes and already the time was up! And this is where ‘The Obsession” comes in.
We told him that he had only just arrived but he did not let up the whole time. Every now and again, he would attempt to get his parents to go home saying: “take the cars home!” Like a broken record, desperation was setting in and we managed to stall him for two long hours but in the end, it was time to go anyway. Taking the cars home became paramount. He was tired.
I do believe he thought I might renege on those cars and make him leave them here, therefore he wanted to get them ensconced safely at home. The morning was punctuated by Isaac and his concern for his basket of cars. No way was he going to let them out of his sight! It was funny.
I am pleased to report that the cars are home safe now. Isaac is probably sleeping peacefully and beside him will be the basket filled to the brim with cars of various colours and makes. When I asked him would he like more cars, he did not hesitate: “yes, a yellow Porsche.” Apparently, a yellow Porsche had been lost at Kindy much to his distress.
Folks, this little boy knows his cars! He will either be a mechanic or a car dealer as his obsession with cars continues. But, just in case his father is reading this and is getting a bit worried about his son, I would like to remind Dan that when he was four, he was obsessed too … only he was obsessed with wood and nails.
I guarantee that every single day that I picked Dan up from pre-school, he would have chunks of thick wood off-cuts with nails sticking out of them in his possession. Yep, every day folks! We didn’t know where to store them in the end and heaven help us if we threw them out! All hell would break loose.
If Isaac doesn’t become a car dealer, he might just become a pianist?
What was this fetish about? He never did become a builder as we thought he would (builders are in the family). Eventually he got over it and loved sports and became involved in gyms. And … thank God … he got over thinking he was Batman too because that would be a career choice that would have been a bit tricky methinks!
Therefore, let me conclude by answering the question I began with: “will he grow out of his obsession with cars?” I do think he will! Perhaps however, he will always take a great interest in cars generally?
Or perhaps not? But for now, it is delightful to watch him with his car fetish and to indulge him in something he loves so very much. I do hope though, that the car basket lasts the distance.
Hang on a moment, I think there is a bigger one in my cupboard … but then again I better think about the possible consequences of this a little more carefully …
Day 244 of 366: Blog Challenge 2012
Hello all
I cannot believe it is the last day of winter here in Australia … officially that is. Of course up here in Queensland, we notice the change almost immediately and by the 1st September we are expecting to throw off one of our covers at night and begin celebrating the spring!
I’ve always loved the spring. Even though we do not have a clear delineation between winter and spring here, there are some subtle changes that are taking place and we notice them.
But today is not just the end of winter, it is also a day for our family to celebrate.
It is our grandson – Isaac Henry’s third birthday!
Isaac taken a few weeks ago at Kindy. What amazing curls and note that sense of FUN!
Isaac is the first boy grandchild in the family and the first child for our son and his wife, however his birth on the 31/8/09 did rather take us by surprise.
Like everything, there is a story attached to Isaac’s birth and it began when Belinda (then 29 weeks) and Dan came to visit and I insisted on getting a photo of the pregnant belly of little mother as she had hardly looked pregnant until that point.
Well, that turned out to be the only photo that Belinda would get because one week later, Daniel phoned on the 30th August to say that Belinda’s waters had broken. She was in the hospital. Oh no! Belinda was only 30 weeks pregnant. What a worry it was!
And so the next day – the 31st August – we were all summoned to the hospital – both sets of parents and Belinda’s sister Melissa – to wait for news; there would be a Cesarean delivery. Pat (Bel’s mother) and I felt so anxious waiting that we were comforting each other as the time seemed to stretch one and on with no news.
At one point, the two of us happened upon a little chapel near the hospital coffee shop where we were waiting. There on a stand was a Bible. Pat and I – both strong believers – went up and the read the scripture that was open for that day and we were strengthened by it. We prayed that all would be well.
Meanwhile, life is never ever that simple or uncomplicated is it?We had been minding Maria’s cat Isabella for the last year and she was getting old and not quite her old self. She had gone away and hidden in the bushes as cats do when they are ill. Geoff had to find her that morning and take her to the vet. So, before heading for the hospital he had been busy searching the bushes and running around. What else could go wrong?
Well … ME for instance! All I can remember of this time was that I felt very ill. I had been ill for weeks and couldn’t get better. I was told I had a lung infection and asthma. I should not have been at the hospital but I felt I had to be there to support my loved ones and so I put one foot in front of the other and just keep going. I thought I would fall over at times! However, life was marching on …
Finally, after what seemed hours, little Isaac was born at 1.30pm and he weighed in at 3-1/2 lbs. Such a little fellow but he was doing quite well and there was a good prognosis for him. We saw him in his humidicrib and he looked so frail and tiny!
A couple of weeks later I was finally diagnosed with whooping-cough. I was glad I had seen him twice because then I had to stay away in case he caught anything from me. In fact, I thank God that I never touched him on that first day or was close enough to him to be of any danger.
Our little premmie baby boy Isaac
And so our Isaac, our little fighter, was born 10 weeks premature. Bit by bit, after many ups and downs. Isaac finally came home on the 13th November with his Mum and Dad. I wrote in my Journal that night:
“What a lovely thought – Isaac where he belongs! Thank you Lord for the gift of this child. He will be such a blessing to his parents, I just know it.”
Meanwhile weeks had gone by and I had not seen him or touched him as yet and was feeling a little sorry for myself but my turn finally came a couple of days later when I had my first hold of this gorgeous little boy. I wrote in my Journal:
“A visit to Dan & Bel this morning was wonderful. I had my first cuddle of Isaac. He is so little! Such a tiny bundle of 2 kg. I am so happy and cannot stop smiling.”
And so today, Isaac has to be the star of my blog. He has come a long way in three years: this happy and delightful little boy who has added so much joy to our lives.
It’s a strange thing but true, that you cannot love one child (or grandchild) more than the other. As each one comes along, you open wide your heart even further and your love just keeps on expanding. So today:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ISAAC HENRY ROSS!
P.S. Oh and by the way, Isabella the cat was dying and it wasn’t long before we made that awful decision to say goodbye. She now lies buried with the other animals in our back garden.
Life with Tess 