entertaining the grandchild

We went to my son’s to visit and help out. We ended up alone with the grandkids. The men made good use of tools from early morning to late afternoon. I dragged my daughter-in-love out of bed to go to the garage sales where she found baby clothes and a much needed cedar armoire. I entertained the children while she bought groceries for a birthday party that evening with their adult friends. Considering the demands of a 9-month-old and 2-year-old, we offered to take the bambinos and pickup thing they needed.
My son carried his 9-month-old son to the car. As his daddy slid open the mini-van door, the kid howled his protest against car seats. His father held him firmly in place, snapped together the belt and left me with a screaming child and his watching sister.
I handed him a bottle of milk.
He pushed it away angrily. I looked for something to distract him and found a carpenter’s tape measure.
“Look!” I pulled out the metal strip.
His eyes opened, his mouth closed. He reached out and touched the yellow strip with numbers.
I pressed the button. It snapped into its holder.
He stared silently. I stretched it out again.
His sister grinned and reached to pull it out.
I let her pull it out 18 inches. “Okay, now let go.” She grinned. I snapped back into place. Then it was her brother’s turn again.
Our tape measure game sustained their quiet during our ride across the suburbs of New Orleans to the lumber yard warehouse. My husband and I each carried a baby inside and plopped them into a huge orange cart.
While grandpa shopped, the babies and I started to tour the store. WE stopped near a mounted display of locks and latches. The toddler quietly opened and closed them one after another. Little brother only watched a moment before pulling himself up and joining her. Together they opened and closed latches. I moved the cart so they could check out different sizes and shapes of latches. I moved the cart so they could check out different sizes and shapes f latches. The children had discovered something new. They were quietly absorbed trying to understand it. We saw little else in the store.
When their grandpa was ready, the baby snuggled down in my arms, ready to accept his bottle of milk. I held him close. He relaxed, barely protesting when I slipped him in his car seat.
After buckling myself into the front seat, I turned around and patted his leg gently until he closed his eyes in sleep.
I wanted to stop and check out one time at a nearby department store. Grandpa said he would drive around the parking lot with the bambinos. The toddler didn’t protest having to stay in the car. She wasn’t quite asleep when I returned, but she was by the time we got her home.
The guests were still seated around the table. With momma’s help we slipped the babies into bed and she quickly returned to the party.
Afterwards, my daughter-in-love marveled at the novelty of entertaining without children. I marveled at the simplicity of entertaining children with a tape measure and door fasteners. We both had had a pleasant evening and weekend.