GRANDPA, WILL YOU FIX THIS FOR ME?

One of the best things that happened when I recently flew out to Burbank, California recently to be at my son and daughter-in-law’s side while #1 Son had a heart by-pass was to see the difference in age and how quickly my little granddaughter Darby Shea has changed.

For someone only two and a half years of age, she is indeed a little person with an expanding mind, and the face of an angel, with hints of devilishness in her beautiful eyes.

One day after her nap she approached me with a diaper in her hand and asked me if I would change her. Not being her father I suggested she wait for mamma to come home from her visit to the hospital.

“Grandpa, will you change me?”

“Why don’t we wait for Mamma to come home?”

Slumping her shoulders; she intoned…

“You don’t want to change me, Grandpa?”

A look of disappointment crossed her face and made me feel guilty, and so when my wife called to check up on me I told her about the incident. She reminded me I was a father of little children and changed diapers on a regular basis through the years, so I certainly could change my granddaughter’s diapers.

Then the news that I should be so honored that she asked me since she resists having it changed at all!

Every now and then she would test me, once telling me she wanted to go to the bathroom; BY HERSELF!” This, of course, would have gotten me in some kind of trouble so I persuaded her not to, once again asking that she wait for mamma.

Of course, through the course of the week there was a constant need for grandpa; “grandpa, fix this for me? “Grandpa will you help me,” and "Grandpa lets' play."

Me: “You’re Grandpa and I’m Darby!”

Her: “Nooooo… You’re grandpa and I’m Darby.”

Me: You sure? You’re not grandpa and I’m not Darby?”

Her: Both hands patting her chest: “You are grandpa, I’m DARBY!”

I played mostly on the floor with her, so she and I were part of the fun, and she loves to play and play tricks on the old guy, which I taught her, in fact, she got the last laugh. I would on occasion pull a quarter out of her ear, she would look amazed then walk off with my quarter. I hate when that happens!

But the joy to me was not only all that I stated, but the very idea that this beautiful little creature would even have the time of day for me, that anyone this lovely would love me.