Ginger and Basil up to speed

I spent the weekend visiting my son’s family in New Orleans. Both the little girl and the baby boy are in phases typical for their ages.
Their momma told me her 3-month-old bouncing baby boy of bliss, laughs and coos at me as long as I talk with him. If I turn away to do something else, he starts crying.” Saturday night, she handed him to me, “Would you hold him while I go do something?” He was a big fussy, but not quite ready to sleep. We went outside. I showed him the shadows of the trees against the moon. I sat down propped him up on my legs and began talking with the laddie. He looked at me, smiled, wiggled and pursed his lips and vocalized an amazing range of coos and ahhs. He told me all the exciting things he had been learning, how interesting the the world was to him and how much he really enjoyed it al. We only stopped talking when his mother said it was time for him to go to bed.
Other childhood phases require as much adult interaction, they just aren’t as much fun. My 2-year-old granddaughter definitely acts her age.
She and I were up early Sunday. We ate toast, stirred up some baked good and colored a picture while the rest of the family slept.
He mom, dad and brother woke up and the next thing I knew she was whining and bumping into her mother, pulling her mother’s clothes for attention and pushing her mom away when she gave in.
Momma popped the toddler into her bedroom saying “you can come out when you are quiet.” Her momma closed the door. She went about her morning routine of preparing coffee, feeding the baby and setting out clothes for the daddy. She barely flinched as the toddler kicked, pound the door and screamed against the injustice of not being allowed to rule the family. It was a rather impressive tantrum.
Twenty minutes later a very subdued child dressed for the day came to the table and slumped in her booster chair.
She spied the soda her mother had brought home from grocery shopping the night before. “Soda.” she pointed eagerly.
“First you eat some cereal,” hr mother left a small glass of soda at her place and went to dress the baby for the day.
The toddler slumped in her booster chair, staring at the soda, ignoring the bowl of cereal. She stayed there a good 10 minutes, just string at the glass of soda.Her daddy and I went to the kitchen for something. When we came back, she had slid out of the booster chair and was sitting in her mother’s chair. She turned triumphantly raised her hand holding the small glass of soda and announced, “Soda!”
“Yes and your momma said you had to eat cereal first, so open your mouth,” I said picking up the bowl and spoon.
She twinkled a big smile at me, opened her mouth without protest and ate spoonful after spoonful of soggy cereal without stopping. I left for home after breakfast assured that both children are doing great and are performing well for their age level.