The Grandkids Visit

With the grandkids and other company gone, we are spending the day in traction, on tube feedings with added vitamins and anti-inflamatory agents. I have coined yet another new syndrome....PGCS - Post Grandkids Collapse Syndrome. I plan to market a kit with the traction apparatus, tubes, powdered feedings, etc., FAQs to follow on the blog. -Grandpa Steve

Seriously, we enjoyed the visit thoroughly. The kids are at an awfully cute age. Lucas likes to jive around and is fixated on “BIG trucks” and balls of any kind. He’s very good at drop kicking and throwing, for a two year old. He has a pair of sunglasses bought for the trip. Whenever he loses them he says “Where my sunglasses?” When produced, he proudly puts them on, most often upside down, which seems to be the preferred position.
Stella can occasionally be coaxed into doing her ballet dance routine, which she performs very well. She loves to wear skirts, takes pride in the hairstyles her mom creates for her, and has great fun with sticker doll dress-up and my little ponies. She and Lucas played ring around the rosie one evening, giggling madly each time they fell down.

Starting last Saturday, we had the whole crew here, Tess and Tim, Eric, Seth, Darleen, Stella, and Lucas. The house was a bit crowded at times, but we didn’t stay in much anyway. We took a hike to the top of Lake Mountain, and had a nice outing at the playground while the guys played golf. Seth and Stella had a short trip to the swimming pool on Monday. Seth and Lucas collected bugs.
The kids did better with the dogs this time. Last fall, they were both afraid. This time, both kids felt comfortable petting Daisy. Luke learned to feed the horses a carrot by holding onto one end and letting a horse take hold of the other end. Stella still wasn’t comfortable with that. When in the house, the kids played blocks, Luke enjoyed the toy trucks and cars, and Stella broke out the My Little Ponies. Polly Pockets seem to be popular with her. That's a new one for Grandma.
Notable grandkid-isms: Stella saying “I farted” in a secret-telling voice with a little smile and a dainty shrug. Stella, stating that her dad is like Superman, and sometimes Spiderman. (Ah, the blind faith of little children.)

Luke, after falling down in the hallway for no apparent reason, saying “I fell…” hesitation while he tried to decide what he fell on or off of… “off the ground,” he finished.

While on Lake Mountain, the men attempted to start a fire native style, from scratch, without success. After Tess, Tim and Eric went home, we did have a fire out back under the big oak tree. (Butane lighter was allowed.) We roasted marshmallows, although the kids seemed to prefer them unroasted, fresh from the bag.
On Tuesday, last full day of Seth and family’s visit, we drove to Anthro Mountain with a side hike to Nutter Springs, finishing the evening with a campfire, hotdogs and marshmallows, and a view of the sunset.

All in all, we had an activity packed visit. No wonder we’re vegging out today! Twenty-four hours of rest seem well earned. Fortunately, the weather was rainy, so we had an excuse…