"When I Retire, I Want to Spend More Time With My Grandchildren."

Today is day 20 of our month long stay in Florida.

It is also day 7 of having grandchildren (and their parents) stay with us.

Ah, the chaos of young children.

A brief list of things I had conveniently forgotten about a 24-7 stay with infants, toddlers and preschoolers.

  1. Your day starts early.  Good news--you will get to see the sun rise.
  2. Your day ends (relatively) early.  You watch the sunset at the beach, go home, have a snack, take a bath, read stories...you know the drill.  Bad news--you miss all those network television shows you follow.  Good news--this will force you to learn how to download the apps so you can stream them and watch them later.
  3. Noise, the ever lovely chatter of children, is a continual background stream.  Good news--there is no reason to turn on the television, so you can blissfully live without knowing what our President has done to make you not so proud to be an American (paid political comment).
  4. Your once pristine rental townhouse with the creamy white walls and enameled white wood work is full of tiny handprints, so you are somewhat of a maniac trying, on the sly so no one feels badly you are doing this, wipe them off before they set in and you potentially lose your damage deposit.
  5. You are constantly on the move.  Good news--getting in those 10,000 steps a day becomes decidedly easier.
  6. Because it is a hassle to load car seats into the car, everywhere you go is within walking distance.  Good news--since we've been here, we have only used 1/2 a tank of gas.
  7. The washer and dryer are always being utilized.  Good news--this is not part of your water/electric bill.
  8. There is joy in this rhythm: slather (with sunscreen); douse (with salt water); nourish (lunch at the pool); respite (naps for all); ocean air, water, beach.  Good news--if you want to develop a rich, golden tan, you will have ample opportunities to do so.
  9. Cooking the NY Times?  Unless macaroni and cheese, peanut butter and jelly, burgers, and dog food (preventing the toddlers from indulging is a daily activity) count, not so much.  Do I miss it?  Sorta.  The chance will present itself again all too soon,
  10. It no longer matters how many crossword puzzles there are in the Tampa Bay Times.  You have time to do none of them.
  11. How much do you love them?  And your children, their parents?  The preciousness of it all is beyond imagining.  Thank you again to my mom and dad for establishing the winter out of the Midwest tradition and the invitation to their children and grandchildren to visit.  I feel their approval and spirit, every day, every way.

And now I must keep my oh too lovely and even more inquisitive Georgia Rose from chomping on the phone cords.

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