Tuesday, April 28, 2015

I Want to Hold Your Hand

Newborn baby fingers and toes, eyelashes and nose.  My first two sons were born 11 1/2 months apart - Irish twins.  One of my most vivid memories of Corey's birth is when Colin was brought to the hospital to meet his brother.  How did he grow so much in so few hours?  I know babies grow fast - I know it more now than I did then - but he went from my baby to my "big boy."  It is still the most amazing overnight transformation I've ever witnessed.

Years later when grandboy number one was born, I couldn't wait for my first opportunity to study ten perfect fingers equaled by ten wiggly toes.  I wrapped five of those little fingers around one of mine.  And he hung on tight,  It's a baby reflex, I guess.  But I hung on, too, with a Granma reflex of my own.

It doesn't take long, though just a little longer than overnight, before that same little boy learned to say, "no" and "I do it."  I said, "come" and he headed, fingers and toes, in the opposite direction.  Ah, toddler.  Hand holding gets further and further apart, and sometimes carries more of an air of punishment than appreciation - at least for the mini man I attempt to corral.

Now at 9 years of age and approaching 5' tall, Bryce is no longer a midget.  Somewhere around this age, little boys become squirrels.  If you ask for a hug, he will either run the other direction screaming or launch himself into you like a Chicago Bear linebacker.  There is no in between.  I know from experience that this squirrelliness will last for several years.  Rather than holding a hand, the little rodent will swing his arm at you, just barely missing - if his aim is good.  Or giving love "taps" if it isn't.

On a walk home from the park the other day, Bryce was testing his aim with mixed results.  At one point, I grabbed at his arm and came up with his hand.  To my surprise, it was half a block before he pulled his hand away to scratch his nose.  I was thrilled with the time I got, and would never have dared to hope for more.  But nose itch alleviated, his hand slipped back into mine as we continued down the sidewalk.

Newborn fingers are a marvel, indeed, precious beyond belief.  But holding hands with a squirrel - now that is the stuff of Granma dreams!

2 comments:

  1. They will treasure these grandma moments for a lifetime! So sweet.

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  2. Thanks, Stephanie! But they may need grandboys of their own before they treasure them as much as I do!

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