Last weekend we had a grand time during the weekend visit of our daughter and grandson. They have begun to come down every 4 - 6 weeks for a brief weekend visit. By coming here, they are eliminating intrusions from their very busy lives on the visit. It is easier for us to say to our friends, "Daughter and grandson are visiting so we won't be available" than it is for each of them to tell their many, many friends the same thing. Also, since we are retired, we can more easily push necessary chores off to another time than our daughter can, and our grandson's friends don't have the free time to meet and have fun during the week and want to get together during their weekends.
Anyway, when they do come to visit us, there are certain things that have become ritualized - the playing of Uno, for example. That game has been a part of our lives since our daughter was small, and our grandson has gladly joined in since he was quite young. There are other rituals and expectations, of course. The bonding time, the excursions, and the meals.
One thing that I love is seeing the bond between our grandson and his grandfather. They simply have a great time together no matter what they are doing - even if is chores that need to be done. Just take a look a these two photographs. In the first, our grandson isn't even three, yet, but he is happily collecting garden trash - weeds or leaves - to help his grandfather.
And here they are again during this visit over ten years later - working together to take care of the business of keeping the grounds neat or getting ready for a new season or simply being company and being outside.
While they are having a good time together, our daughter and I are also bonding over doing dishes or folding laundry or merely sitting at the kitchen table chatting about whatever is on our minds.
Our grandson and I have our own special times baking, picking up inside the house, and just chatting. Unfortunately, there are no records of that since I am the only photographer. However, we do have mental photo albums.
D and I realize that we are very lucky. As our grandson gets older, these visits may not happen as frequently. Truth is, as he gets older, he may not want to hang out with his grandparents at all. It's a rite of passage for him to want to be with people his own age.
It doesn't matter because we have these days to remember and more to look forward to as he continues to mature. And so will he.
You are very lucky and it's the most wonderful time to have everyone together!
ReplyDeleteWarm sentiments of very special occasions. Our youngest, now six has been playing Uno since she was four. I loved watching how she would arrange the cards when playing with her other grandfather so that she would win and he would lose. She had such glee in always wnning. Now she plays by the rules and actually is a good sport about losing.
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