Dad Entry #30

Michael had a great week at Gramma’s. It’s Papa Mike’s house too, but Gramma gets top billing, kind of like A-Rod gets a little more attention than Jeter now at Yankee Stadium. Both are still All-Stars. But even with Gramma, Michael had his moments; their relationship was stressed a few times in their 8 days together. At one point Michael declared he and Papa Mike should “put Gramma in jail.” That was after Gramma ended playtime in favor of bedtime. Or maybe she made him ‘go potty’ which Michael refuses to do until his eyes water and he pees “like a firehouse” as Papa Mike recalled. Michael asked every night how many days he had left, followed by negotiations for more. Michael cried on Saturday when he realized the clock was ticking down on his last day.

Megan and I joined Michael and company for the weekend. Uncle Bill drove the boat fast at Clear Lake! The kids loved it, but Megan was especially breathless when recounting the details to Mommy! Both kids swam and played in the sand so much we’re still finding grains of it in places like ears, scalp, under nails, in every crack and crevice. Actually, that’s not true, the sand is gone since I scrubbed the heck out of them immediately afterward. But it was indeed trapped in many places.

With Gramma and Papa Mike, Michael did the movie theater, the aquarium, the zoo, the Mall of America amusement park, Cleary Lake (not to be confused with Clear Lake farther south in Iowa), and Aunt Jenny and Uncle Scott’s house with Alissa and Elle. Michael and Alissa play well together, as do Meggie and Elle. Cute. Michael and Alissa scuffle and scold each other on occasion, but based on the many hours they chose to play and swim together, they are fast friends. Good times.

There were four big dogs at Clear Lake though, and I don’t blame Megan for not trusting an animal that bit her. She wasn’t afraid of Belle at Gramma’s, but Belle is the most passive pet in the world. You can steal Belle’s food, tug on her ear, and poke her in the eye and she will only smile. Megan loves Beller-Feller (and doesn’t do any of those things to her, I was only making a point). Megan’s even forgiven Zeke, I’m told. But she screamed whenever a dog sauntered too close to her, or stood in her way, at Clear Lake. The cabin there is pretty cozy, so this was nearly 100% of the time. She swatted at them a couple times which I observed with raised eyebrows, pleasantly surprised. I like the fact she wasn’t submissive or defenseless! That-a-girl, you swat anything that bites you! Of course I didn’t want them to ‘swat’ her back. But I was right there, she was swinging at them with one arm while clinging to my leg with the other. I do love it when she clings to me!