babies, blankets and bears

Some things are just meant to be. Today I went to exchange a duplicate gift, finally got to the service counter and handed the clerk my receipt. OMG! It was from the package I had mailed at the POST OFFICE! I apologized and before heading home for the real receipt, I strolled through the bedding department. I have been wanting one of those plush microfiber blankets ever since I fell asleep under the covers with my robe on. I slept twelve hours snuggled in that baby-soft material. The selections were brown, off white and green. I wanted blue to match my bedroom. On my return trip, I had decided I would buy the off white one. I made my exchange and went to get the white blanket, but it was gone and in its place was a BLUE one.

Yesterday, I babysat my two youngest grandchildren, 2 year old Nicole and 7 year old Nicholas. She wore herself out climbing through tunnels and zipping down slides in the play place at McDonald's. She had a tantrum when it was time to eat and also leave. When we got home, she tried her best to fall sleep. I finally laid down beside her; she snuggled up to me and was snoozing in two minutes. No better feeling in the world than the caress of a sleeping baby's breath on your cheek.

Her brother cracks me up. He has a real sense of right and wrong. He policed every kid who came near his sister in the play place. Back at our house he was reading a poster that our oldest, 20 year old Ashley, had made for Grandpa when she was five. Nick said very seriously, "Nana, if any cops come to your house, Grandpa had better watch out. Ashley has it in writing that he let her ride up front in his car. That's against the law." He is a hoot. He walked over to the jewelry display case at Sam's when Bill took him there and said, "Hang on a minute PaPa; I'm checking out what kind of ring my wife will wear someday."

I had so much fun with them. My son called me at 5:30 and asked when I was bringing them home. We'd had them since 10:30. "Soon," I said. I just had to take them to see the Teddy Bear House near Grant's Farm. Turn onto Eddie and Park Road off Gravois at Grant's Farm and it's half a block down---their entire exterior, lawn and even the interior is the most gorgeous and UNBELIEVABLE teddy bear Christmas display designed to steal the hearts and tickle the fancy of young and old alike.