Visiting with the Little Man.

The Little Man has been sharing germs.  Consequentially 2 homes are down with the lurgy ~ which did not stop T1 from ringing to ask me over as he was behind on work & was getting our DILLY to help out, which meant, of course, they needed someone to take on the Little Man.

I had been battling sinus & tonsillitis since my last visit but what are mothers for if not for helping out when things get stressed?  So off I went. My DIL did not leave for work until the Little Man went down for his morning nap which meant I had 2 good hours to get things done in.  I made soup for dinner: this one. It is healthy, light & refreshing but surprisingly filling ~ & I had ODD about to deal with the gas & find me a bit pot to cook with.  And the bonus is it doesn't take forever to make.  Making it early meant the lemon had plenty of time to season the soup & extra to be added later. Washing in & folded.  I'm not even this good @ home in my own house! ☺

By the time the Little Man surfaced again I was all organised so off to the park with dog Teddy.

We have done the little slide but we tried the big slide ~ which is designed for children, not aged grandparents, & involved climbing & shonky wooden bridges & heights.  We were both a little unsure by the time we sat down & prepared to fly down the slide.

The swing was much more the Little Man's deal.

However the Little Man decided that an afternoon nap was completely out of the question even though his mother had come home specifically to put him down. I said not to worry, we would manage ~ & so we did.  We hung out ODD's washing.  We watered the garden & pulled weeds. When he began getting tired we walked down to the highway & watched the traffic.  I have no idea why the Little Man likes sitting in his stroller & watching the noisy cars & trucks, buses & trains but he does.

I gave him his bath early so his parents didn't have to deal with him, fed him & was just settling down with a book when his uncle arrived. There is always great excitement as all the Little Man's extended family begins arriving home & it must be wonderful from his point of view.

After nearly a year I think we are beginning to manage a relationship.  The Little Man knows I will take him out ~ quite a lot.  He gets very excited when his stroller makes an appearance & now he is walking was down the steps & underfoot as I tied Teddy to the stroller in preparation, all the while babbling at me excitedly.

He is 1 in a fortnight ~ getting old enough to remember from visit to visit that I am good for certain things even though I am not his mother.  And after 30 odd years & 5 children I am used to doing things with a child in tow ~ & at a child's pace.  If only I had been as wise as I am now 30 years ago!!! ☺