To set the stage:
My kitchen breakfast nook area has a huge window looking out toward the walk leading to my front door. <you’all have probably seen it in my Lailah kitchen table videos.>
I’m eating breakfast this past Saturday morning, reading my newspaper (on my e-device).
And, I hear some giggling outside, which makes me look up. And, I see this little girl looking in my window, giggling her head off.
O.m.g.
It’s my sweetheart, Little Lailah.
I jump out of my seat, and rush to the front door, and there she is, on my porch, giggling, and waiting patiently for me to pick her up.
I bend down and grab her into my arms, and whirl her around, looking to see who she’s with.
There’s no one there…
I give her a big squeeze, and I get a big wet kiss on the cheek from her.
[embellishments are now being added…]
She’s somehow snuck out of her house, and stolen GranMaRose’s car.
I say, where’s GranMaRose?
No answer.
Whatcha doing here, I ask?
“well, I really wanted to go to the farmer’s market in downtown Saint Paul, but I don’t know how to get there (besides, I’m just a tiny four year old girl, and I can barely see over the steering wheel)”
Oh!
Well, OK, I can drive us there.
[I guess.]
Is there anything else you want to do while we’re up there in Saint Paul?
“Yes. There’s a shallow stream flowing through Mear’s park, which GranMaRose has taken me to, before. I would really love to dangle my feet in the stream there, and maybe, just maybe, jump in, with my beautiful dress on, and get soaking wet!”
Soaking wet, you mean, like being in the water with your bare feet, and slipping and falling down on your bottom, all the while laughing and giggling??
“YES!! That will be so much fun, GranPaBrian!”
Well, I don’t really know about that, you might get hurt, I said.
“No! It’s really fun!!”
Uh, OK.
“And, I want you, GranPaBrian, to take lots of pictures of me while I’m playing in the stream, and while we’re shopping at the Farmer’s Market, with my new snazzy straw fedora hat on my head (sideways, as usual) – you know, the new one you got me for our last outing.”
Well, OK, we can do that, I said.
Anything else you want to do while we’re shopping at the Farmer’s Market?
“I wanna get some flowers for GranMaRose, and some fresh corn. Oh, and some red potatoes, of course!”
Uh, Ok.
[I guess]
What else do you want to do after the market, and the creek downtown?
“Oh, oh, oh,
Uh, OK, which post office?
“You know, the one we went to, with GranMaRose – at that place where they had all those books, you know, row, upon, row, of really tall book shelves.”
Oh, you mean the Eagan Library, where we went with GranMaRose before, and they had that little kiddie postal truck for you to steer and deliver the letters and packages, and stuff!
“Yes!! that’s it! Can we go there too?? Please? I really love playing with the conveyer belt thingie putting those plastic foam packages on it, to load them on the postal truck!”
Well, of course we can!
So, after all that, what else do you want to do?
“Well, GranPaBrian, you really haven’t been very nice to me recently, you’ve not bought me any ice cream cones from the DQ at all this summer!”
Ah, I see.
Yes, we can do that too.
What kind of ice cream cone do you want?
“A kid’s size cone with chocolate ice cream!”
Well, you’re really missing out – I’m gonna get me a “GranPaBrian” size banana split blizzard. Some day, you’ll want one of these.
“…uh, GranPaBrian?”
Yes, Lailah?
“Can you lick the sides of my cone, the ice cream is melting and dripping”
I sure can, Sweetheart.
“…uh, GranPaBrian?”
Yes, Sweetie?
“Can I try your blizzard, pleaseeeee??”
Sure you can. I’m driving now, but once we get home you can have some.
<a few minutes later, and we’re home.>
Fortunately, I’m a fast eater and can still drive while eating my blizzard. [🍦🍧😱🙄😉🤓]
[embellishments end here, reality follows, after we rewind to the beginning.]
…I jump out of my seat, and rush to the front door…I give her a big squeeze, and I get a big wet kiss on the cheek from her…I say, where’s GranMaRose?
She looks over my shoulder, and calls out: “You can come out now, GranMaRose!”, as GMR pokes her head out from the huge bush near the corner of the garage.
That was my day, this past Saturday with Lailah (and her GranMa).
She is still so amazing, becoming more of a chatter box as each day passes, still so very smart, still so very beautiful, still so very special.
Thank you, K&J for including me as part of your family.
Love your kids, love your grandchildren.
Each and every day.
Make sure they know you love them with all your heart.
Thanks for reading, everyone.
❤️💛💚💙💜
