The Visit - January 29, 2020 @goldenoakfarm

I have a proxy grandchild who had a 4th birthday on Tuesday. We went up to her house in the hilltowns on Wednesday to bring her present and spend time with her. We’ve had trouble getting together because of work schedules and illnesses.

As we left the valley where it seems very like spring, even to the extent some trees have budded out, and moved up into the hilltowns we again entered winter. There was plenty of snow up there and her dad has taken my grandchild out cross country skiing a couple times.

She loves birds so I had made her a bird mobile. She was fascinated with it and knew the names of most of the birds.

She got the hang of only holding them gently and making sure the sticks stayed level. She saw if she pulled, they “broke” and someone had to fix them so they’d spin again.

Her favorite was the big cardinal at the top, but she couldn’t reach him, so the little one at the bottom sufficed.

When I wasn’t lifting her to reach, she would climb the stool and gently touch the white snow bird.

You’d never know it from these pictures but she is a giggly little live wire. She spent a lot of time climbing over the back of the couch and falling down by us as a “wiggly worm”. This, of course, got her tickled gently, and that brought on more giggling.

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She and I played a board game called Hoot Owl Hoot and she was really good at moving the pieces and playing well. It was a nice cooperative game and just right for her age.

She’s in preschool now as she is an only child and this has helped her in the social graces. It had been a while since we’d seen her and she and her hair had grown a lot!

Before I left I made sure the mobile was far enough away from the stair railing so as not to invite climbing and reaching.

It was lovely to spend time with her and her mom after such a long while. It will be a good while before we see them again as they are going to the west coast to visit real grandparents.