Granddaughter Joy!

Our granddaughter, Lily, spent the weekend with us. She's almost 4 and still has a hard time saying her R's and L's, and also has the cutest little lisp, making it difficult sometimes to know what she's saying. She's very patient with us, repeating a word over and over when she knows we don't understand her. She's not happy just letting it go. She really wants to be understood. Although watching her grow up is such a joy, when she learns to pronounce all of her letters I'll grieve just a tiny little bit.

Sunday morning before she left, she made her bed in our guest/play room, without being asked, even arranging the pillows at one end like I do. Of course I made a big fuss over this, telling her how proud I was of her. I've left the bed just as she made it so that each time I walk in I am reminded of the sweet thing she did. 

Funny how grandmas get to go completely overboard about things and nobody questions why. If my granddaughter falls or bumps herself, I don't feel the need to analyze the situation and decide whether or not I should suggest she 'shake it off'. Most parents do this because they, understandably, don't want their kids to grow up to fuss and whine about every little bump, but as a grandma my first response is "Are you hurt? Here let me kiss it." I love it!

When Lily has to leave us to go home after a visit there's a void left behind, shaped exactly like her.