Rebecca, 2013
August 20, 2013
On the weekend, during Facetime* with our grandchildren, three year old Rebecca 'read' the stories to us, in several of her books. She used to say to her mom, "I will read, and you say the words", that meant that Rebecca turned the pages and showed us the pictures, no doubt while thinking about the story on each page, and her mom read the story aloud. Yesterday, Rebecca could recite much of each story and was helped by her mom when she forgot the words. It was great fun to be the watchers and listeners and to know that she likes to read us her stories. Sometimes, of course, we read stories and sing songs to her and now to her baby brother who likes songs. Did I say, it is wonderful to be a grandparent and to be a small part of the lives of these very delightful children as they begin to live their lives? Well, it is a great love.
* Facetime is a method of video telephoning, using computers. Thus, we see and speak with our family far away, and they see and speak with us. For old me, it is very strange, but for them, it is part of life that your grandparents disappear into the computer this way, but you can still talk with them and even play with them, by each playing the same thing at either end of the computer connection. Rebecca's and my favourite is still play dough.
Also, on this same conversation, occasionally Rebecca would sidle over just enough to cover up her brother's view of us and ours of him. This happened when we were singing a song to both of them or if we were speaking to him in particular. It is not easy to have a new brother, even though she loves him very much. Her grandparents are her grandparents, and for now a difficult part of her life is to share us with him.
Easter
“Grandmum, We don’t eat these eggs,”
These are real eggs, from the re-frig-er-a-tor,
Not toy eggs.
Mum dips one into the pink water.
Grandmum lifts an egg, now blue from a cup,
How could a white egg become blue or pink or yellow?
Mum cooked them on the stove, but they are not hot now,
So we can touch them.
I want to eat them – they are right here, in our hands.
But, we cannot.
Grandmum and Grandad might not know.
“We don’t eat these eggs”,
reminding myself, and them.
Grandmum now has a red egg, I an orange.
I put stickers on mine.
Grandmum writes “Rebecca” in sparkles on the pink,
And we put the eggs in our Easter baskets,
Smile and clasp our hands, at the sight,
Jump up and down,
forgetting for a moment, that
We don’t eat these eggs.
Janet E Smith Written April, 2013
August 20, 2013
On the weekend, during Facetime* with our grandchildren, three year old Rebecca 'read' the stories to us, in several of her books. She used to say to her mom, "I will read, and you say the words", that meant that Rebecca turned the pages and showed us the pictures, no doubt while thinking about the story on each page, and her mom read the story aloud. Yesterday, Rebecca could recite much of each story and was helped by her mom when she forgot the words. It was great fun to be the watchers and listeners and to know that she likes to read us her stories. Sometimes, of course, we read stories and sing songs to her and now to her baby brother who likes songs. Did I say, it is wonderful to be a grandparent and to be a small part of the lives of these very delightful children as they begin to live their lives? Well, it is a great love.
* Facetime is a method of video telephoning, using computers. Thus, we see and speak with our family far away, and they see and speak with us. For old me, it is very strange, but for them, it is part of life that your grandparents disappear into the computer this way, but you can still talk with them and even play with them, by each playing the same thing at either end of the computer connection. Rebecca's and my favourite is still play dough.
Also, on this same conversation, occasionally Rebecca would sidle over just enough to cover up her brother's view of us and ours of him. This happened when we were singing a song to both of them or if we were speaking to him in particular. It is not easy to have a new brother, even though she loves him very much. Her grandparents are her grandparents, and for now a difficult part of her life is to share us with him.
