slide 100 - nephew

Yesterday was our turn to watch grand nephew Tad. Here are the plus moments that I recall.

• Using 'nectors and plastic colored straw units he fitted together a big circle base and up and up four squares tall, like a great big bin, he called it a rocket, stretching his attention span, focus, refocus, redirect, and finish with Jan's remarks. Learning about the words vertical and horizontal. Then, instead of tearing it apart, we left it up in his living room for Granpa to appreciate later after work.

Tall empty box

• The long empty cardboard box in our couch room he figured how to grab the middle with his stubby arms and vertical haul it carefully out and down into our side yard and open it out flat.

• With prompts and exploring he enjoyed being inside the space his size. Later, hands grabbing it hiding himself and running on short legs through the grass, with peals of joy squealing as he ran, hidden shell with bare feet.

• Sword fight with weed stems. Box on end became a castle. Box parts became gold and spaghetti and helicopters and shields. Flat on hill, grab rope swing, run, jump on flat, and slide down hill. He named it "Slide 100."

• Eating most of his burger instead of just French fries. Me making over my little bites of hamburger. His boasting of big bites of hamburger with ketchup.

• Letting our tummies settle. Driving round with windows open, air flowing in. Stop beside a road sign, help Tad interpret number speed limit, round red signs, color of fire hydrant fire plugs, I see a tree, you see a car.

12 foot pool

• Our yard, our little pool, space seems small, until you close your eyes for the water game marco polo, searching, crawling in wet cool water, reaching for ankles slipping beyond reach. Animated wrist and hand mouth saying pretend "can't catch me," flopping, splashing when caught, Tad puts diving plastic colored ring over wrist and pulls Uncle Karl by the wrist around the big pool. The unannounced ceremony of water emptied over my head from toy boat, trickling down my neck, eyes closed, water up to my neck as I sit down on the pool bottom. Taking turns saying the "marco," waiting for the other to reply "polo." Jan standing, sifting floating leaves and crumbs, with her long pool handle net. Not crowded, lost in these long moments, his hugs, and giggles. Later, out and dry, flip flops on, back in car seat, four years old, and headed home to GG and Poppy. Poppy talking about the straws and nectors. Tad making piles of straws and back in box and taken home by Uncle Karl. Straws and nectors a birthday present which he treasures and shares once and a while.

bounce bounce

• Thanks to God for box action, inventing, bouncing on trampoline, Tad conversing, building, reasoning, being in moments, far from everything else, special, real as kin. Knowing there will be other new times as well. Thank you Jesus. Thank you for your care, breaking in tenderly, significant, and the composition of letters, posting, and knowing people through emails, phone calls, youth group, kansas city print society, the life you have given me to be in You, tethered strong, rocking me to sleep, second chances, and the certainty of Your love, Your knowledge of my existence, the little moments glued into my consciousness.