We traveled again this weekend, back to my parents’ mountain cabin that we love so much! This time, we went with family and actually got to drive with my parents.
I’ll let that sink in. I was NOT alone, trying to drive safely while entertaining 2 and 4 year olds for 4+ hours on the road. Instead, I was chatting with my parents and responding to work emails while my mom entertained said 2 and 4 year olds.
It. Was. Great.
The trip? Oh the trip was awesome too! But this post is about the drive. Specifically, the drive back.
A couple of conversations came up during the drive home where Lilly’s mind was blown! Like, you know that face you make when the most shocking thing ever happens? She made it. A lot. For the following reasons:
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In addition to us, my parents, and my sister and her family, my grandparents were in the mountains too! We had such a great time visiting with them, and hope they are enjoying some peace and quiet now that we left. On the way home, I told Lilly that grandma and grandpa are HER grandpa’s mom and dad.
Now, she gets that her grandparents are MY mom and dad. And her other grandparents are her daddy’s mom and dad. (Zac does not get either one of these things and, in fact, corrects me loudly when I call one of my parents “mom” or “dad”)
However, the idea that “Grandma Barbara” and “Grandpa Pop” are her grandpa’s mom and dad Blew. Her. Mind.
I believe her exact quote was, “WHAAAAAT?!?”
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Along those same lines, anytime we talk about Grandma Helen (my mom’s mom, who passed away before Lilly was born and who Lilly takes after in both middle name and many personality traits) she is blown away.
She is blown away when I tell her that Grandma Helen loves her independence. Loves her stubborn side. Loves the fact that she sees shapes in clouds (which she was doing in the car) and has an imagination bigger than anyone, child or adult, that I’ve ever met. She asks if Grandma Helen is watching her, and when I confirm that she is, she is blown away. Happily blown away. Every single time.
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Finally, Lilly talks about her birthday relentlessly enough to make you want to stick candles in your eyes a lot. I was tuning out only slightly listening when she was chatting up my mom about her birthday in the car. Then… somehow it came up that she was BORN on her BIRTHDAY. Again, it was, “WHAAAAAT?!?”
She asked when Zac was born. On HIS birthday?!? “WHAAAAAT?!?”
When were grandma and grandpa born? On THEIR birthhdays?!? “WHAAAAAT?!?”
The things we assume. She was so excited to run to school today and tell her teacher and friends that she was BORN on her BIRTHDAY!
All I can do is shake my head. And giggle. A lot
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How do you entertain children on a road trip?
Those were the best conversations EVER!!! It was so cool to see the utter amazement and wonder on that little girls face when she learned things!! And it was equally funny to hear Zac loudly correct each of us if we addressed each other in a way that wasn’t in his frame of reference!!! What a way cool weekend!
What a stange coincidence because we blew Spencer’s mind this weekend. He asked my mom (Gramme) if she had a baby in her belly too. She told him no. Then we told him that uncle Nick was the last baby to be in her belly. Whoa. Mind blown. Then we had lunch with MY aunt and uncle. We further blew his mind when we explained that grandpa and Great Uncle Terry had been in his great grandmother’s belly. Whoa. No mind left.
LOVE it!! Glad you had a wonderful trip and fun Lilly, convo memories too.
I am dying. How cute is that?!?! She’s adorable!
It took cami a little bit to get, but she understands it all now. She even pointed out a picturei had shown her of my grandma and said it was grandma’s mom, then asked where she was. Not sure I answered her.
LOVE the story! We just get, “When I was a baby…” a lot. He’ll say, “When I was a baby, I liked that,” pointing to his cauliflower, and we have to say, “So eat it!” He also thinks he lives on Mars part-time too, has a baby sister there, and has an extra set of a Mom and Dad there. That makes me say, “WHAAAAAT?” like Lilly.
Too stinking funny!! It is so so wonderful to see understanding click on their little faces! It’s so great to see you pay attention to these little things.
Also, next time tell her that you were in the same room as her the day she was born! Watch her mind blow again. Tee hee!!
Hahahaha, all of this makes me giggle, too!