Our second grand child was born six months after our first. She bonded with her mom immediately and held tightly to her (and only her) for the next eight months. She would watch everyone and everything with intense discernment, inspecting every wiggle, jiggle, giggle or shake that came within twelve feet of her space.
I remember the first time I came to Wyoming to help her mother with childcare. I stayed for a week and each day of that week I spent outside walking and walking and walking. The only way I could keep Cautious (that's what I call number 2 grand daughter) from crying was to put her in her stroller and walk around their tiny town (population 600 something). I think I lost 5 pounds that week and my legs were firmer than when cheer leading in high school.
Cautious is seven now and she and I are as close as they come. We still go on walks and she still makes a lot of noise. But there is no crying - only chatter as Cautious relays all those precious little details of her family conversations or private situations.
She tells me about the differences in her friends, the way her little sister talks, and how her middle sister likes her blanket. She describes the dog she wants and tells me of the things she thinks about at night when she can't sleep.
When I was last in Wyoming, Cautious, her mom and sisters and I went shopping at second hand stores. Big surprise, right? Anyway.... Cautious found a pink skirt and hat that she wanted to add to her personal wardrobe. It was a bit large (like a woman's size 8) and I told her I thought I could remake it for her. I suggested we find some print fabric to go with it and maybe some ribbon or trim. We went to Wal-Mart and she chose a bundle of quilting squares for accent fabrics. I wondered how I could combine her selections as she danced away down the aisle to look at the toys
Cautious is not like many seven-year-old girls when it comes to clothing. She ops for comfort ALWAYS over style. She does not particularly like frilly skirts because the netting that makes them full scratches her legs. She dislikes the tight feel of jeans and would much rather slip into a fleece or flannel pull-on pant. Actually, pajamas would be her dress of choice everyday if she could wear them to school or church or anywhere outside her home.
She's attracted to small calico prints or vintage blouses. I was not surprised by her find at the second hand store, although I must say she chose a solid color which is not usually her style. And it was pink to boot. I think the thing that really got her attention was the hat that she discovered hanging on the hanger that held the pink skirt.
When Cautious went to school I went to the garage to look for my daughter's sewing machine. They had moved recently and many of their belongings were stored in the garage. But I found it without much digging. Hurray!
I took the quilting squares, a dress pattern I had found at Wal-mart, a pair of scissors and the long pink skirt and cut away. I tried to give the pioneer lady a more youthful, contemporary look without changing the original that first captured Cautious' eye - knowing she wouldn't care how I altered it as long as I didn't add any scratchy netting or change the hat.
With a few cuts, tucks and additions a new pioneer woman emerged. Still sporting the hat, still no new teeth. But a little better fit than the day she tried it on in the second hand store.
I don't know if Cautious will ever wear the dress I made. After all it is not flannel and it has a zipper in the back - no pull-on comfort. But the shopping experience and the time I spent thinking of her when I was sewing it was irreplaceable.
I am so blessed to have these grandchildren who allow me into their lives - who give me the purest parts of themselves and a few other raw views that others seldom see.
Hope your day brings you something pure and that when the night falls you find your self in some comfy pull-on clothes, with someone you love, discussing those precious details of a shared life.
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| Cautious and Bluebird - about a year old |
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| Cautious and Bluebird age 4 |
Cautious is seven now and she and I are as close as they come. We still go on walks and she still makes a lot of noise. But there is no crying - only chatter as Cautious relays all those precious little details of her family conversations or private situations.
She tells me about the differences in her friends, the way her little sister talks, and how her middle sister likes her blanket. She describes the dog she wants and tells me of the things she thinks about at night when she can't sleep.
Cautious is not like many seven-year-old girls when it comes to clothing. She ops for comfort ALWAYS over style. She does not particularly like frilly skirts because the netting that makes them full scratches her legs. She dislikes the tight feel of jeans and would much rather slip into a fleece or flannel pull-on pant. Actually, pajamas would be her dress of choice everyday if she could wear them to school or church or anywhere outside her home.
She's attracted to small calico prints or vintage blouses. I was not surprised by her find at the second hand store, although I must say she chose a solid color which is not usually her style. And it was pink to boot. I think the thing that really got her attention was the hat that she discovered hanging on the hanger that held the pink skirt.
When Cautious went to school I went to the garage to look for my daughter's sewing machine. They had moved recently and many of their belongings were stored in the garage. But I found it without much digging. Hurray!
I took the quilting squares, a dress pattern I had found at Wal-mart, a pair of scissors and the long pink skirt and cut away. I tried to give the pioneer lady a more youthful, contemporary look without changing the original that first captured Cautious' eye - knowing she wouldn't care how I altered it as long as I didn't add any scratchy netting or change the hat.
With a few cuts, tucks and additions a new pioneer woman emerged. Still sporting the hat, still no new teeth. But a little better fit than the day she tried it on in the second hand store.
I don't know if Cautious will ever wear the dress I made. After all it is not flannel and it has a zipper in the back - no pull-on comfort. But the shopping experience and the time I spent thinking of her when I was sewing it was irreplaceable.
I am so blessed to have these grandchildren who allow me into their lives - who give me the purest parts of themselves and a few other raw views that others seldom see.
Hope your day brings you something pure and that when the night falls you find your self in some comfy pull-on clothes, with someone you love, discussing those precious details of a shared life.
so cute. She is ready to cross the plains in a wagon. Love GG
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