For the record, I'm so tired I can barely think, but my word, it's a good kind of tired. This is a three-day Nana-Cameron week. Rare, but it happens when Krissy needs me for three days in one week. Sigh.
He's back. Our praying mantis is back. This one's a baby. You can't believe how hard I tried to get a photo of Cameron inspecting this bug. He actually got close to him at one point but this bug intimidated him. And I'm ashamed to admit, my first thought was, "You're a boy. Go look at that bug and get a relationship going. You're a BOY. Toughen up!"
Then I remembered he's barely two and still in diapers. Diapers with Elmo on them. And then I admitted this beautiful "bug" scares me a little too.
Still, don't you think there's something mystical about a praying mantis? They seem so calm that you forget they can fly. They can. And they let you get right in their faces, acting like they don't even notice you're there, and suddenly they just leap into the air and scare the beejeebs out of you. I'm a big girl and I almost wet my pants.
Cameron thought it was all great entertainment. He kept saying, "Bug, Bug, Bug!" But he stood back. And he had a death grip on my index finger, his touchstone. Nana would never, ever let that finger take him somewhere scary.
I can't tell you how much his trust in me, his Nana, moves me. He trusts me totally, without any doubt at all, that when he's with his Nana, nothing can ever, ever hurt him. Not even a big.scary. BUG.
Oh my word. You have no idea how the love goes on and on and on until your grandchild grabs your finger and says, "Nana!" because there's something new he wants to check out but he's a little frightened. I swear, Cameron will venture into anything unknown as long as he has my finger in his chubby little hand.
I've forgotten a lot of the small day to day details of my daughters' childhoods but I do remember the first time Krissy said, "Mama." I never thought I'd hear a sweeter word but "Nana" is pretty close.
OK, I'm feeling a little sentimental. I'm very, very tired tonight. Sniff.
If there's anything better on a hot HOT summer day in western Colorado than a water hose, it's two water hoses. Yeah. Cameron is smart. He quickly figured out there are two water hoses connected in our back yard.
These are my days right now. Simple. Hot. Full of baby boy. And I'm not complaining. I'm tired, of course, because I'm not young, but I'm thankful that my life is full of my husband Rob, and my children Krissy and Mandy and my sons in love, Andy and Aaron and my grandbaby Cameron and my second grandbaby, due March 1st. Avery or Kyle.
Life just flows. And no matter what you have to face, if you have a loving family base, one that you've spent your whole life nuturing, then you have everything.
This little boy's smile, well. It makes me glad I'm alive. It makes me glad I was even born. It's everything.
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48 comments:
Aww! What a sweet post. I am hoping to be a Nana some time in the next ten years or so. I can hardly wait. I can only imagine how sweet it will be.
How smart of Cameron to figure out the pool would fill faster with two hoses! I can remember when my oldest was little and we had a pool like that -- I loved to sit beside it with my feet in it. :-) I actually wouldn't mind that right now...
I'm not much of a bug lover, but praying mantises are pretty cool.
My, Barb, but that was a very hormonal post.
I LOVE it! ;)
Aww, I love that sometimes you tear up just hearing him say Nana! And those pictures are darling.
And, just because I am a fountain of information, I read the other day that a praying mantis will actually eat a hummingbird if given half a chance.
A hummingbird.
Oh my word.
Barb, what a loving post. You almost made me cry the ugly cry :)
Cameron is getting so big! He is fully a toddler now. Wow.
You're stuff came in the mail today! Hooray! For some reason the email I sent you bounced back- so THANK YOU !!!
Love you- Kelli
"Simple, hot, and full of baby boy." Sounds like a pretty good day to me. I haven't commented in a while, but I always enjoy stopping by. This was a beautiful post, Barb. As always, I'm struck by how blessed you and Cameron are to have one another.
Aaaww, Barb, you've got me all sentimental, too. It's true, though. Those grandbabies, mmm mmmm. The have a hot line right to our hearts, yes?
Thank you for sharing so beautifully. I love coming here to hang out and laugh and cry with you.
So, you've been nominated! Keep writing!
Awww Barb what a wonderful post.
I too knew that I was totally safe with my grandmother. Such trust...amazing.
isn't it amazing how they slow us down and make us take in life -- REALLY take it in...
This is so precious.
Blessings,
Karla
Thanks for sharing the pictures of that sweet little boy. It brought a smile to my face after a very long, tiring day.
Awww, so sweet! He's adorable and aren't these little ones just the most fun, best thing in the world.
I love those of him in his diaper at the pool.
You can wax sentimental with me any 'ole time, Barb! That was just beautiful!
Love the double hose picture!
The last 2 years we had a praying mantis come live on our window sill outside our dining room window. This year it/ they did not come. We were kind of sad...
Guess they came to visit you instead. That makes me feel much better! :-)
I laughed out loud about you suddenly being reminded that praying mantises (manti??) can fly! ;D
And then I melted into a hot puddle of goo when I read your description of the relationship between you and Cameron....and it reminded me so much of my relationship with the Father.
This was a wonderful post, Barb, hormonal or not. :-)
"See" you when I get back from camping, friend.
Love and hugs,
Diane
I love your heart, Barb.It's one of the reasons I visit your blog almost daily...:-) Your post touched me...and I'm gonna try that chicken divan REAL soon.:-)BTW Cameron has such gorgeous eyes.
~C
Those beautiful eyes, and oh, his innocent trust. Best times of my childhood were spent beside my Grand Mas and GrandPa. Cameron is so blessed to be by yours.
That sweet little face!
Heck, I'm in my 30s and I am WORN out right now from a summer with my kids! The Baby is none too enthusiastic about bugs, either.
You would not believe how cold it is here right now. Let's just say that there have been no pools in our backyard this week....
We joke and say having grandkids is better than raising your own because you can send grandkids home. I'm crazy about my four little ones, but they wouldn't have come to be if it hadnt been that God blessed us with our own three first. We're blessed and we know it. And I'm scared of praying mantis too...
Sweet, sweet post. You should print it out and let his mama put it in his baby book as a keepsake of what he means to his Nana.
I swear I've lost brain/memory cells - I feel like I can hardly recall when my kids said mama for the first time - and they are still little - did I just take it for granted and went on or what?
So sweet!
Love this bond you have with little Cameron. My sweet Ashley(my oldest) has gone to visit with her MeeMee(Skip's mom) for a couple of days. They are SOOOOO close, and I couldn't be more pleased. You will enjoy being a grandmother more and more each year, or so I've heard. That is one of the main joys I have of moving home is that my kids will have 3 sets of grandparents only minutes away.
Loving sigh. I hope this lovely post continues to make my day as light as it feels right now. Ahh, beautiful.
Blessings,
~Toni~
That just about made me cry!! You're a great nana! Cameron is sweet, chubby goodness! ;-)
What a smart boy, too, to figure out that two hoses is twice the fun!
Praying Mantis' FREAK.ME.OUT. They are just so HUGE and intimidating. If Feisty were to ever get near enough to one to see what it was, she'd probably go into anaphylactic shock.
Love this post, and love the pictures. You have a GREAT weekend =))))) ((((Hugs))))
I love praying mantises. They're so cool - but yes, intimidating too. Cameron's just adorable - those eyes getcha, don't they!!
It's always the simple things isn't it? Bugs, water hoses, smiles . . .
p.s. Praying Mantis scare me - I always seem to be working away in my flowers and suddenly something I had been thinking the whole time was inanimate - MOVES! Yikes!
Even though being with 3 of them all summer every afternoon has been exhausting, I just can't ever get enough of their huge "GRANDMA!" every time they see me - especially at church on Sunday morning. Even though they see me EVERY DAY. It's still special every time!
"Nana would never, ever let that finger take him somewhere scary."
One of the sweetest statements I've heard... and what a blessed little boy to have a Nana who loves him so much!
What a sweet little boy a blessed nana you are. You are correct. Family is the greatest blessing ever.
Awwww.... I can so relate....Being a grandma is the most wonderful thing in the world - next to being a mom.
Hugs!
PS that bug was kinda cool looking ☺
Sniff. Sniff. Sniff.
Beautirul photos of a beautiful boy. Beautifully written.
Three of my grandchildren (3 out of my 9) are arriving tomorrow for the week. Can't wait to get my hands on them.
Hugs!
Kat
You sure do have your priorities straight! And for the record, it seems that Cameron has his priorities straight too.
Love that smiley blond head!!! What a cutie!
How sweet! I do wish we lived close to one another because Cameron and Caleb would be great friends, in all their blonde-headed cuteness!
He's just beautiful, Barb. And yes, I am partial to boys.
Oh Barb what a wonderful and poignant post. It is so good to have you back. I have missed you. Your journey into give aways left me wanting for your content, your heart expressed. I am so grateful that you have such a journey and trust. It is a sacred trust and in it I live vicariously. It is what each life might have been afforded if Elders wore their lives like the crown you do. Rise and shine, and rest a while.
In His Loving Arms
Be Embraced.
What a sweet post, Barb. It must be so nice for Krissy, as a mom, to know that Cameron is welcomed with open, loving, trustworthy arms as yours. Cameron is a blessed boy to have so many grown ups around him who love him. Avery or Kyle will be just as blessed. And...I know those blessings are the best kind because they come around again to the person who gives them.
Cool praying mantis. I found a live and a dead baby snake this a.m. Eeew. Who knew. Garters, thank goodness!
Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!!
Aw, so sweet!
Made me think of Bailey (son age 13) and Emelia (9) ... when bailey sees a bug he calls Emelia to come and get rid of it. He is so funny. I actually say, "you're a boy, take authority over that bug.." but, he just doesn't like them up close.
pray you get some rest
sometimes I find it hard to take photos of Daniel hes always on the move
LOVE the photos of Camerson and the pool
and that last photo of Cameron is melting my heart
hes one handsome little man
praying you get a restful weekend
Cameron is so lucky to have you as his Nana. He's just precious.
Have a happy birthday!
Barb he is getting so big.....and those eyes...WOW!!!!!!I think he is so precious. Just sweet. 2 water hoses....we get by with one.
The love is just oozing from this post. He is such a cutie and I adore the pictures from the two water hose day.
If you need an older boy to grab the bugs for, I can spare 3. ;)
This is such a sweet post. The pool and two hoses looks like a great way to spend a hot August day!
Awww! Just the sweetest Barb and such cute pictures!
Trina
Cameron is such a doll! I miss my grandbabies being little.
I saw a baby praying mantis on our back door yesterday. Then, I realized he was dead, just sticking to the door. Must have been this awful heat and no water. Been ranging between 100 and 105 all this week. 105 yesterday and 102 today. But, we did have a HARD rain around 3AM this morning.
Another cute and sweet post, Barb. Your little Cameron is just precious.
HAPPY - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!
Enjoy your extra special day!
Lots of love,
Renee
Hey that looks like the praying mantis that was in our backyard...I posted the pictures in this post: http://mdbeau.blogspot.com/2006/10/because-i-havent-posted-enough.html
what a touching post on being a grandma!
my sentiments exactly!! "sniff sniff"
I hate to tell you this..but Cameron's face is looking a bit big boyish these days...good thing you have another baby coming along...:)
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