I just love being a grandmother

It's 8am Sunday morning, and I'm up early to do some laundry before we head out for the day. The temperatures this morning are in the mid-30's -- such a change from the 80's of last week! The Fall Season isn't just "in the air", it's clubbing us over the head and screaming "Watch out! Winter's right behind me!" LOL Jeff took Friday off and we had a yard work kind of day. He trimmed hedges and bushes and trees, and Brayden and I got out our wheelbarrows, work gloves and rakes, and did the cleaning up. In a comment last week, someone mentioned that Brayden seemed to be very focused on projects at hand, and I have to say, I did notice that this weekend. He's 2 1/2 years old now. While we worked outside, this little guy actually worked hard by my side for 45 minutes. He seemed to feel very grown up when I put the little tiny work gloves on him, and mimicked whatever he saw me doing. If I raked under the shrubs, he got his little rake and raked up the leaves under another shrub -- and did a good job! He raked his leaves into a pile, picked up all the leaves and put them in his little wheelbarrow, and followed me down to the woods behind the house to dump the leaves. He didn't complain, he didn't whine when leaves fell out of his wheelbarrow. He just worked. I've just never seen anything like it. It brought to mind the comment that he focused well and now that I'm looking, I would say yes, he certainly does. And he seems to have pride in doing a good and thorough job as well. I find that fascinating! I wear a silver chain with a charm on the end. The charm has the three morality monkeys - "Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil." I collect these monkeys and have since I was a child. I have worn this chain and charm for years and years, and like to live by the lesson they teach. The world is a big bad place these days and it's a tiny tiny bit better if I don't invite bad things into my house (via TV, Internet, etc.) and if I don't contribute to them by speaking bad things. I'm not sure if that makes sense, but it's something I believe in strongly. Brayden and I were sitting outside on the grass, and he was playing with the monkeys on the chain around my neck. (A wonderful, snuggly thing to do.) I asked him if he knew what the charm was, and he said, "Monkeys". I showed him, by putting my hand over my eyes, then ears, then mouth, about the "Hear no, see no, speak no evil" and we talked about it a bit. I explained, in two year old detail, that "evil" means "bad things". "Speak no evil" was the last one I explained, and I when I put my hands over my mouth, Brayden said, "Don't say bad words?" He got it. He actually got it. He said, "Sometimes Mama says bad words." And I explained that yes, sometimes big people say bad words when they get mad, but they shouldn't. I told him it was the ONE time he could tell his Mama "no" -- and told him to say, "No bad words please, Mama." LOL That will probably surprise her! When I went to put Brayden down for a nap on our bed, I layed down with him for a little while. As soon as we layed down, he said, "No more talking?" which is what I tell him at nap time. I said, "That's right - no more talking." He closed his eyes and quietly said, "I luvvvvv you, Umma." And I said, "I love you Brayden". He smiled at me and said, "No more talking?" LOL I said, "That's right." And he closed his eyes again... and "I luvvvvv you, Umma". This little cycle went on until I realized he was joking with me to get me to talk!! LOL I laughed and looked at him and said, "OK, that's enough. This time really no more talking." He picked his little head up, put his fingers to his mouth and did the "lock it, turn the key, throw away the key" thing! LOL! He's got such a funny sense of humor! Today, we're taking Brayden to a Pioneer Festival. He got such a kick out of the Appalachian Festival we took him to in May, that we thought we'd do it again. He loves clapping his hands and dancing to the music, and watching people play banjo's and guitars and dulcimers. The weather is perfect and I'll pack a picnic lunch to take with us. Hopefully, I'll take some photos, too! Those who know my family know that this little guy has been through some very traumatic times in his short life, thanks to his "father". He's had bad things happen to him that never should have happened, he's had scarey things happen to him, and he's been severely injured by someone who should have kept him safe. But this little guy can light up the world with his smile, and make you gasp with how much common sense he exhibits. If I sometimes sound a little too mushy about him, it's because we have been through these traumatic events with him and know how easily we could have lost him. He's a funny, intelligent, loving little boy who needs to know and understand that the same world that holds bad things can also hold a lot of love and a commitment by his mother and his grandparents to keep him safe. If you ask Brayden what Umpa's job is, and he says, "He works on a 'puter at XXXXX (company name). Ask him what Mama's job is, and he says, "She works at XXXXX." Ask him what Umma's job is, and he says, "To keep Brayden safe." From his mouth to God's ears.