Grandma's week with the kids (guest post!)

While Wendy and Scott flew off to a trip to Italy, Grandma Ann had the honor and duty of keeping the activities of John and Amelia going back in Dallas. On school days Grandma dropped the children at school and then went on shopping trips for groceries and Easter supplies. Evenings included dinners with the children and a chance to catch up with them on what they did that day at school, followed by baths, shows and stories – keeping their daily routine right on track. John had mentioned to Wendy that Grandma might feed them foods they did not like but would be forced to eat anyway. At the end of Grandma’s time there, John and Amelia both related that Grandma did not feed them any “bad” foods.

There was lots of play time that included John and Amelia’s stuffed animals – at least 40 animals of all kinds. One evening, we retrieved cardboard boxes from the garage, which they then used to set up an animal shelter in Amelia’s bedroom. Plastic bowls from the kitchen were used for “food” and “water” for the creatures. Then they danced to CD’s for the animals’ entertainment.

The Friday before Easter, Amelia and John lined up their stuffed animals in the family room and breakfast nook in order to enter a “party zone” that was set up by John at the landing above the back stairs. He and Amelia then moved the animals one by one up the stairs, and John’s favorite puppy decided which animals were allowed to enter the party zone and which were excluded. It sounds similar to the chic clubs in New York or Los Angeles that provide entrance to the “in” crowd while leaving the regular folks waiting in a line with no entrance guarantee. The kids played for hours and had a great time together.

Saturday Grandma and the children visited the Dallas Arboretum for a picnic lunch and a walk around the grounds to view the Fairy Tale castles set up for spring. Not much cooperation from John and Amelia on being able to take outstanding pictures, but below are a few of them exploring the gardens.

John and Amelia were so excited to show Grandma the hidden castle nestled in a bamboo forest. We found it, and both children agreed to sit on the special chair in the middle of the forest.

John and Amelia surely missed Mom and Dad while they were in Italy. But Grandma enjoyed spending time with the grandchildren and planning activities to keep them busy and having fun.