PETER VISITS GRANDPA AGAIN

I am very pleased to report that my leg is light years better and healing fast.  From the initial verdict that it would probably take a year to heal the latest consensus of the lovely nurses treating me is that it looks like another 6 weeks or so.

I take no pain killers and attend the ulcer clinic once a week.  I can walk and drive as normal and therefore I am able to look after Peter again, with the nurse's blessing.

It has been a while since I posted about this little fellow:

Here he is, playing with his grandpa when he should be eating his breakfast.

Now don't you just love those big blonde curls and big blue eyes.  Boy he is going to break a lot of ladies' hearts later.

Eat your 'shreddies' and 'wheetabix' up, there's a good lad.

Earlier he found 'bobble hat' and put it on and was running all over the place squealing whenever he saw himself in the mirror . . . . he has a great sense of fun. Shame the photo is blurred. He moved so fast.

I took him into the garden and we had a lot of fun and I gave him a little dustpan and brush and he swept up the leaves . . . . he loved it.

He is very inquisitive too as can be seen when shining this torch onto the ceiling.

He did something which surprised me yesterday morning.  I was sitting in a chair and he got hold of my finger and led me out of the chair and into the next room, still holding my finger.  He got his changing mat and put it onto the table and then got a nappy and some baby wipes plus a bag of waste bags and gave them to me and then he put his hands out for me to lift him up and change him.  I thought how clever for 18 months and made a big fuss of him.  Next stop potty training.

All together . . . awww !

SOON TO BE GRANDPA AGAIN

Today I am pleased to announce some wonderful news, which I have had to keep secret since Christmas ~ a very difficult thing for me to do because I am so excited about it. 

In mid August I am to be a grandpa again; this time to Selina's and Matt's baby. Selina is my beautiful daughter who is a school teacher.  

Peter is son to Jonathan, Selina's younger brother by 10 years, and Lisa.  So Peter will soon have a little baby cousin.  I told him today he must look after him/her.

August will be a very special month for us because Jon and Lisa are getting married, so not only will they be husband and wife, they will be aunt and uncle, all in August.

I took all five out for a meal today so Selina could break the good news to Jon and Lisa.  They were delighted and we celebrated in style.

I have a photo of the 12 week baby scan recently taken and the medical people seem very pleased with the progress of baby bump so far.

Here he/she is no doubt planning how he/she can twiddle grandpa round his/her little finger.

Meanwhile big cousin Peter goes from strength to strength. He is walking and running so I have to be on my toes on Thursdays and Fridays, when I look after him.

Here he is, having found an interesting cupboard in the kitchen.  He immediately started a stock taking audit ~ the nosey little thing . . . lol

Ah . . . he seemed particularly interested in those tins of baked beans and handed me one, making very enthusiastic noises.  So I duly obliged and he tucked into one of his favourite meals.  So he was soon full of beans.

Earlier in the day he was seated in his high chair after breakfast.

Doesn't that melt you hearts, ladies?

Here he is giving his Fireman Sam a little cuddle. Such an affectionate little boy.  Just prior to that he tried to feed Sam with a piece of apple.

I expect my dear departed wife, Maria, is looking down from heaven with a smile.  I am sure she sprinkled a little stardust into Peter's soul, and no doubt she is having a say in making Selina's baby a little beauty as well.  Nothing but the best for Maria.

And here are the proud soon to be parents, photographed on their wedding day in September 2013  when baby bump was just a twinkle in father's eye.

I am so proud of all of them and treat Lisa just like a daughter and Matt just like a son.  Matt's mother has three grand children by Matt's two brothers and she is looking forward to her fourth, parented by our respective children.  Sadly, she lost her husband six months after I lost Maria.

BABY PETER RETURNS

Hi folks . . . 

It has been a while since baby Peter blessed me with his presence.  Many of you will know he and the whole family have been sick with this horrible flu. I am pleased to say that the entire family have recovered and today I heard a little ring of the doorbell, by Peter himself, and my heart jumped to see his beaming face and outstretched arms.  Altogether . . . awww!

The first thing I noticed was that he seems to be lighter somehow which means he is, or I am much stronger.

Anyway it was not long before he saw his favourite biscuits in the jar and made very enthusiastic sounds that he wanted some.. So I got his high chair, he switched the radio on, Classic FM no less, and sat him down to give him some and his breakfast.

He seems quite a bit more patient these days waiting for his meals and it looks rather like he is practising his piano technique on this one . . . lol

Yum . . . . he did enjoy his Cornflakes followed by Marmite on toast and cheese cubes and a beaker of milk. . . . . . and afterwards we had a little play with his favourite toys.

It belonged to his father, all those years ago and he loves me helping him to post 6 animals into their holes.  If I position them right he 'clobbers' them and they go in.

I said to him, "Peter, put the animals into the house".
I could see his little gearwheels going round and he promptly opened the door and put them all in . . . . . then he  closed the door and started laughing.  Oh I did laugh.

We then got another puzzle which is a bit easier, also his dad's when he was a baby.

He can manage the cylinder shape and the square and sometimes the triangular shape . . . but not the others yet.

Then I got him out of his chair, checked his nappy, and had a little play with him.  He still shuffles but can take a few unaided steps and I notice each time a little triumphant look on his face.

He made a beeline to the Tower I built for him and swiped it so hard at the base the pieces went all over the kitchen and he got all the pieces together and gestured me to build it again and he gleefully demolished it again.  I was rather surprised that once or twice he arranged the pieces so all the yellows were together, all the reds and all the blues.

A great day of fun, and I am pleased to report he was not sick ~ thank goodness.  He came to me when he was tired and put his head on my shoulder and fell asleep, and so did I for a while.  It is very therapeutic holding a sleeping baby, but eventually I put him in his cot and covered him with a blanket.

He is back again tomorrow ~ I wonder what surprises that will bring ~ bless his cotton socks

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

Hi Folks!

I have been away from BlogLand for a while but wanted to return tonight to wish you a very Happy Christmas.

Cheers to you and good health.  

I forget what that drink was but it tasted much better than it looks . . . lol  . . . either that or I was drunk . . 

I am blessed with a lovely family and I shall be visiting my daughter, Selina, and hubby, Matt, for Christmas Day.  He is doing the cooking ~ all three brothers are very good in the kitchen, taught by their mother, and the youngest, Richard, actually made the semi finals in a well known TV programme, "Professional Master Chef" last month.

On Boxing Day I shall be visiting my son, Jon, and his lady, Lisa and their son, baby Peter . . now 14 months.

Peter is a gift from God and most know I look after him 2 days a week:

He is watching with interest an animated Advent Calendar that a very kind bloggy friend gifted me . . x

He kept pointing at the computer screen and making an enthusiastic  "play more" noise.

I plan to return to BlogLand soon.

Enjoy your Christmas and don't eat too many mince pies . . . 

GRANDPA AND GRANDSON

Following on from my first post, HERE, I am looking after my Grandson Peter for two days a week.

I am delighted to post some more pictures and to recall some highlights of his stays with me - and he is coming again tomorrow (Thursday) and again on Friday.

I have enjoyed every one of the six days he was with me.

And here is Peter himself, the 100% little Cutie Pie.

He arrives at 7.30 and from the moment he comes it is fun and games with learning, learning, learning, playing, playing, playing, sleeping, sleeping, sleeping, eating, eating, eating, and walking, walking, walking in his buggy.  

I really don't know who tries to imitate who the most.   Can you imagine me making loud gurgling noises replying to him in a busy supermarket - the looks I get sometimes.  It is sometimes so funny what women particularly say and what I reply . . . 

But I get a real buzz wheeling him around in his pushchair. 

The days commence with Peter switching on the radio and having a play with all his toys while I prepare his breakfast.

Here he is playing with his dad's old building tower which I fetched from the attic.  They did not stay on the high chair for long - he had a great time discovering Newton's Law of Gravity, as they crashed loudly onto the tiles below . . . 

Of course Linda and Betsy would post, "what is on the  menu today" - so I will tell you:

Breakfast:  2 Weetabix soaked in milk, followed by cheese cubes and a couple of peanut buttered thin slices of toast with the crusts cut off.

As I approached him with his Weetabix he started waving his little arms about furiously, which he always does, and he squealed loudly, literal translation being, "Get off your backside Grandpa and shovel it in - now !!!"

"Ok,ok,ok!  I'm coming!"

"Ready, Grandpa! I've got my bib on!"

"Well don't close your mouth until it is all in! - you could have had more if you had waited a little longer !!"

"That's better!"  - yum yum

"There, wash it all down with water and don't throw the beaker across the room this time!"

Ok time for playing while I have my breakfast and a coffee!

The more toys he has the better he likes it - he loves being surrounded by them . . . 

We stayed playing and talking for a while and I changed his nappy and made him squeal with delight when I pretended to eat his feet.  I have never seen a baby laugh so hard. Then I saw him rub his eyes and yawn so I picked him up and carried him to the rocking chair and sang some nursery rhymes to him.  They must have been incredibly boring because he fell asleep and we had a little cuddle.

I put him in his travel cot and he stayed there for over one hour asleep but woke bursting with energy and he presented me with another horrific nappy . . . . lol

After I changed him he decided to practise hauling himself up onto his feet but then shuffle bottoming across the floor, just like his Auntie Selina did.  He is not into crawling - "That's for babies," he said, "I'm going for it with walking and shuffle bottoming! That's much faster!"

Off with his jumper and let's get down to business.

What a technique! "Come on Peter, come on!"

Well he rest of the day went very well - I took him out for a walk into town to get one of his favourite treats - blueberries - he loves them.

Then back for lunch: thin slices of ham cut up and mixed vegetables which went down a treat - then a long play and some book reading:

Here he is playing Peek-a-Boo through a hole in his book and when I get closer and ask him where Grandpa's nosey is, he puts his hand through and bops me on the nose and laughs.

Inside the book there are various interesting shapes and colours and I am pretty certain he knows blue and red, for he always points to the right picture colour when I say blue or red - his Mum and Dad were rather flabbergasted. 

Then off for another walk - good exercise for Grandpa and into the park to feed the ducks - quack quack!

And I made his formula drink just when he returned home.  It did not take long for him to polish that off.

Then we heard a ring of the doorbell and is was Mummy calling to collect him.  This led to him playing a little game for us - he wanted to go to Lisa and when she took him he wanted to come back to me, then to her, then to me and he was laughing his head off.

More later . . . 

GRANDPA BABY WATCHES GRANDSON, PETER

Well, just look at this little chap!!!

The apple of his Grandpa's eye!!

10.5 months old and almost 21 lbs of muscle, bone and sinew . . . . with a voracious appetite and a lot to say for himself . . . . albeit in baby language.

He doesn't seem that bothered at the moment about sitting in a girl's pink high chair, borrowed from a good friend.  He knows he is one of the boys and enjoyed the joke Grandpa told him . . . . but shhh!  . . . don't tell Mummy!

Lisa, his mummy, has started a one year Post Graduate Certificate in Education and I was asked if I would look after Peter for Thursdays and Fridays, and her mother will do the same for Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. 

Well, I have just done my first two days and as you can see from the photo Peter says I have passed my test with flying colours.



Thursday

Peter arrived on the doorstep at 7.30 am on Thursday and beamed as soon as he saw me and held his little hands out to greet me.  Lisa handed him over and brought a few baby things inside, including nappies (diapers), wipes, and lots of baby toys and several baby books.  My house looks like a nursery now . . . . lol.  

He promptly dismissed his mum and waved her goodbye and I carried him back to the front door, banged the door knocker and said, "Wake up Grandpa . . . . . wake up!  . . . Peter is here!!!  He had not a clue what I was saying but proceeded to bang the door knocker and squealed for joy.   I had decided to make his days total fun . . . and to teach him things, stimulate him and make him laugh.

Peter is no stranger to me . . . in previous weeks I had looked after him just for a few hours so he could get used to being with just me and there was never the slightest problem.

I carried him to the hall mirror and said, "Who's that?  And he laughed when he saw the reflection of us.  

Into the kitchen/diner area where Maria's rocking chair is situated.  He just loved that and managed to rock it himself under supervision, surrounded by all his toys which soon ended on the floor:

On a worktop is a stereo radio and I taught him to switch it on and out came a glorious rendition of a J.S.Bach Brandenburg Concerto - he loved it and started bouncing up and down to the music and waving his arms like an eccentric conductor.  He quickly learned the words 'Radio', 'Clock' and 'Lights' . . . and always pointed to the right one.  He then promptly learned where Grandpa's nose is and he 'bopped' me a few times on it.

It was then time for breakfast and boy, did he 'knock' some food back - I have never seen anything like it:

Two whole Weetabix soaked in whole milk . . . . He was still hungry . . . . . A full piece of toast with low salt butter and Marmite with the crusts cut off . . . . demolished!!   Still hungry . . . . . cheese cubes . . . . yum yum!  . . . then some blueberries which he loves.  All washed down with water.

And I was rewarded with what . . . . . . a dirty nappy . . . . gee thanks Peter!
The first one I had dealt with for 22 years yet he was considerate for it was not too offensive . . . lol

Then playtime with Grandpa for an hour and I saw him getting tired.  I have a travel cot in my lounge (living room) but I thought I would sit with him in the rocking chair and sing some nursery songs to him.  No-one has every rocked him to sleep but I wanted to because it is a new place for him and I wanted him to be totally secure.  I held him close and rocked the rocking chair and sang the nursery songs in the most boring tone and way I could which did sent him off to sleep and almost me as well.

I transferred him to his cot and his eyes opened but closed them again and he rolled over on his side with his sleep doll and he stayed asleep for almost 2 hours.

Shhh! 

Then play and book reading and having fun . . . . into the high chair and help Grandpa eat his belated breakfast and for Peter to drink some formula .

A right little bookworm he is turning out to be . . . . 

Ooops!  . . . .  perhaps not a good  idea to eat it . . . 

It's time to go for a walk . . . .  so into the buggy and off we go. 

"Come on Grandpa . . . . show me off to some of your friends."

And so I did.  We walked (or I walked) for miles and he was gurgling all the way and we stopped in the park to look at the ducks.  "Quack!  Quack!"

Result and reward for Grandpa when we got home !!!!  . . . . one of the most offensive nappies I have ever had the misfortune to come across - much worse than his dad's . . . .  . . .  . it must have been those Weetabix . . . lol.

That serves you right! Grandpa!  


I'll tell you about Friday soon. 

For Peter fans . . . I have another post on him HERE



I am having a rest from the Weekend Quotations but will return to them in due course, plus more ambulance stories to come soon.  

Also, I have not had time to get round to your blogs lately - hope to do so soon.

FATHER'S DAY MINUS ONE

Well, I had a surprise visit this morning by a 'cute' little fellow, who brought both his parents along.

Eat your heart out!! - it's my grandson, Peter.

♥

Just look at those big blue eyes!

I think he'll be just like his grandpa - he'll just see something he wants and will just go out and get it - who can resist him?

Here he is sitting in Maria's rocking chair - I bet she's smiling down at him from Heaven.  

He's quite a little 'rocker' for only 8 months and his balance is terrific.  He learned very quickly how to rock the chair and never once fell forward. 

He eats his solid like there was no tomorrow - it is incredible the amount he stuffs in that cute little mouth and it never comes out!

He was happy wearing his sun hat because in England we are experiencing a heatwave and he had been outside, but eventually he took it off and got down to a really meaningful and serious conversation with his Grandpa, in baby language.  Yes, I still remember it!

. . . . . but not before demolishing a lion

"It was so easy grandpa, even a baby could do it! . . . he is just a big soft pussy cat!"

He put on his hat again and gave us a long rendition of "Dadadadadada!", obviously expressing his affection for his father, my son Jon . . . . but his mother, Lisa, is being very patient to hear the magic words, "Mamamamama"

His Grandpa then took him into the lounge to give him a piano lesson; his second, and boy did he have some fun!  He was squealing with delight as he banged away at the bass notes whilst his Grandpa tried hard to add the melody on top.  We were there for over half an hour.

About a week ago he visited me again with Jon and Lisa and we took a few shots of him in my somewhat overgrown garden.

He rather liked Grandpa's clematis flower and soon tried to eat it.

He didn't want Grandpa's sun hat, "Silly thing!", he said, "it's far too big for me, but I want that flower!"

And here are the proud parents - love them to bits - both just 22.

Lisa and Jon - I am so proud of them both.  What a gorgeous little family.  Lisa was telling me that many people stop her and ask if they can admire Peter, saying he is the most adorable baby they have seen - I wonder if he will be a movie star!

They are coming over to see me tomorrow for Father's Day and so are my daughter, Selina, and Matt - I love them lots too.  I have always brought up my kids to be very affectionate and considerate and kind.

This has been re-payed many-fold, for they are both well loved and useful members of the community.

Jon once sent me a card, "No matter how tall I grow dad, I shall always look up to you!"

And Selina's card, "Anyone can be a Father, but it takes someone real special to be  a Daddy!"

They both know how to get round their dad.

A YEAR ON, A JOB WON, ANOTHER JOB WON AND JOBS AWAITING

(Man working hard - please interrupt at once)

Jobs are beckoning in the garden and the remaining member of 'the heavy mob' will soon arise from his inactivity and from the ashes to tackle some much needed  renovations, screaming at him whenever he passes them by. With the warmer weather coming it will be a pleasure to venture outside again and do some destructive and creative work. I'm not sure which I prefer, destructive or creative, but I do like using that power kango breaker.  I will post some of these projects as they arise.  

Also I have a major project at my daughter's and son-in-law's house in Bath to share with his mother, also a recent widow, just three months after my loss which was equally tragic. We have a large hedge to demolish and some extensive gardening alterations which we can share. Perhaps we should clone ourselves into a small army - boy, don't we need them!

On Saturday 26 April a year will have passed since my darling wife, Maria, was taken from me. We had been married for 40 years.  During her illness and when she passed I felt as if  I had been hit with a sledge hammer, and still do sometimes, but the distressing flashbacks are becoming less frequent.  Quite frankly, I did not feel like doing anything right up until now, since my heart was not in gardening or extensive house cleaning or in anything, barring the absolute essentials of life. Gradually I am getting my life together and I hope things will become a little easier once the first anniversary has passed.  But life is very lonely.

Last year was very difficult and I dreaded being in the house by myself, but fortunately something told me to contact our local Dial-A-Ride service last July, just two months after Maria's death.  I had worked there four years ago for a while and I was astounded when the manager said the day before a paid driver had walked out and would I be interested in a six week contract.  I said, "Yes, when do you want me to start?".  He said, "Tomorrow, four days a week!".  It was as if Maria had been bossing the angels about because I had been prompted to approach Dial-A-Ride at exactly the right  moment.  

Further, my son secured a job without even having to try!  He had been looking for menial work for about three weeks, with no success and he was getting a bit depressed.  He wanted something to earn some money while he studied for his Open University Degree. Out of the blue, my next door neighbour, who runs a computer company, approached him and offered him more than a job, in fact a career!  He loves the work and it is entirely complimentary with his degree work.  He is doing very well there and they are all pleased with him. Strange - I wonder if Maria somehow had a hand in that?  Also, the other day I was looking for a new shower curtain and couldn't find one.  Something prompted me to open a cupboard door and when I opened it guess what fell out all by itself and landed on the floor? Yes, a new shower curtain! Isn't that amazing! I would not have been surprised if  her handwritten note was attached to it saying, "What took you so long? . . . . . and here is a list of things you need to do!"

Anyway, that Dial-A-Ride job lasted much longer than 6 weeks.  In fact they wanted me for 5 months and I loved it!  It got me out of the house and gave me a focus and you will imagine what fun I had with the passengers.  They miss me dreadfully. because regrettably, there is not sufficient resource available for me to continue there as a regular paid driver.  Two ladies cried!  Several complained I was leaving!  But I still drive for them as a volunteer every Friday and I always look forward to that. It was rather similar to my Ambulance days with the interaction of patients which was nice.  Always I loved making them laugh. I am looking around for something to keep me out of trouble for about 2 days a week.

In October I was blessed with the birth of my first grandchild, Peter, who is now six months old and doing very well. He started life at 7 lbs and now he is 17 lbs and growing fast.  Hasn't he got beautiful big blue eyes?  He is so alert, lively and inquisitive and likes giving big, sloppy wet kisses - Aww! dribble, dribble!  He had his first piano lesson the other day, walking up and down the keys! What a horrible noise.  I can see he is going to break a few hearts later, can you?

It is such a shame that Maria did not see him - she was so looking forward to the grands. Yet somehow I think she is smiling as she looks down from Heaven.

So, hopefully I can soon start to enjoy life again to the full, and give it a TEN out of TEN

 Until the next time!