Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Nothing Could Be Finer Than Christmas Time With Connor

It was a fine day celebrating a second Christmas with Connor. He was all smiles and joy as he explored his wondrous new delights; dishes and books and tools and flashing lights and pop gun. Connor doesn't get frantic or overwhelmed, he just moseys around picking up one thing after another and checks it out. He shared with me, and then he shared with Christian and he shared with Christian and then he shared some more. Christian was definitely the fave this Christmas day.

The cutest thing was he received Home Depot toddler tools from both sets of Grandparents. He was in tool heaven. Tools buzzed, whirred, snapped, stretched and clamped for most of the afternoon. And Connor was all smiles. That boy loves to push a button.

Nothing could be finer than Christmas time with Connor.

Friday, December 24, 2010

Christmas Gift

I selected a small collection of books for Connor's Christmas from my book shelves. All of them needed to be the right size, color, and maturity level. It was fun, and reminded me of a conversation I had with a fellow colleague at work several weeks ago.

She asked, "What are you getting your grandson for Christmas?"

Now I know enough about human nature to know that was an invitation for me to ask her what she was getting her granddaughter for Christmas. So I did.

"Oh, I'm not sure. What are you getting your granddaughter for Christmas?"
"I'm getting her the cutest little pink electric car."
"Well, I'm not doing nearly that for Connor. I'll get him a book."
After a gulp or two, she said, "Well, well, that's a nice gift also."

...And it is.

Babysitting December 20,2010

Typical male, days before Christmas and Roger was desperate to do some shopping. I hadn't seen Connor for a month because my energies had been otherwise engaged; Ian's car, leaky faucet, and taking Claire to the doctor and for test appointments, so I volunteered for babysitting duties.

I was afraid Connor wouldn't remember me after a month furlough so I took a cookie along to sweeten the deal. He remembered me but was still reluctant to leave the day care and the peanut butter and graham cracker treats behind.

After he had his cookie and healthy grapes snack from Granny, we got down to the serious business of playing with his new Thomas the Train train set. He was so dang cute. If he wasn't already in my heart he would have choo-chooed his way in on Monday. When I deserted him and sat down on the couch for a spell he would come get me by my finger and gently lead me back to the train. He was so dang cute.

He don't talk much but he sure do communicate! Finger pulling or waah waahing he let Granny know what is what and what is going on and what isn't to his satisfaction.

The other memorable thing he did was carry his snack tin around and then stand on it, bounce on it, wiggle back and forth on it to make it squeak. He is so dang cute.

Christmas is going to be so much fun watching The Connorman discover the goodness of the season in all it's forms.

Friday, December 3, 2010

Playdate Thursday November 25, 2010 and December 2. 2010

Missed playdates can be fun when Connor and Daddy come to Granny's house on Friday after the missed Thursday playdate. Ostensibly they came over because Connor's school was closed the day after Thanksgiving and Roger had the day off, so Roger was going to help sort out my storage room. Alas we played instead.

First we had a grand breakfast at Patty's Eggnest, one of everything, then we came home and watched Connor explore.

I had a music box that enchanted him for a good long time. The most enchanted I have ever seen him except for when he discovered his dad's wrenches, but the music box was a grand second. The only thing that would have made it better would have been if he was able to wind it up himself. He kept trying, and trying, and trying but his little fingers just couldn't manage it.

This music box has a dancing butterfly affixed by a magnet, so as the music box played the butterfly danced. Connor's eyes could not have become any rounder or expressive. The music box was grand entertainment -- until it wasn't. Twenty minutes he watched, wooed, wondered and absorbed and then he explored.

Connor wandered my condo and checked every shelf, nook, cranny, button, control, picture, table, seat, nick-knack, pillow, blanket, chair, plant, fan, plug, bowl, paper, book, DVD, string, door, door knob, escape route, VCR, machines, pens, sticks, sculptures, canes, boxes, bags and package of crackers. Even the container of miscellaneous toys; little stuff, premium's from McDonlds of years past, wore out Matchbox cars, plastic Easter eggs, that sort of stuff couldn't compete with his delight in wandering, wondering, absorbing, and exploring.

Making our world his world.

Playdate Thursday December 2, 2010 was just missed. Missed playdates are no fun.

Roger came to my house and fixed my leaky faucet instead. I'd worked over time all day, and Granny just pooped out. Silly Granny. And I had a grand Christmas hat to give him, a hat that I just know is going to delight him, when I get it to him. which wasn't last night, but will be soon.

Can't wait to present him his Dr Suess Christmas hat. Soon, soon, soon.