What every grandparent knows is that the offspring of their offspring are the most talented, most special little people that have ever walked the face of the earth. My Fab 5 are no exception. I would never have believed that I would be this crazy over five kids under the age of 12, but there you have it. I have often said that I was enchanted by and head over heels in love with each of my daughters the very first time I laid eyes on them. That hasn't changed to this day. What I didn't know was that these feelings would be multiplied times infinity about my grandkids!
The firstborn, Erin, is such a combo of Paige and Matt, but yet very much her own person. She is at the present time a Tween. Gifted in dance, she is breathtaking to behold on stage and will render you speechless and to tears at her ballet finesse. Erin is limber and agile as a cat, and where she gets THAT is a mystery to us all! She is smart, witty, and headstrong. Competitive to the bone, Erin LOVES to play games, any game and she really likes to win! She takes her family and sisterly responsibilities seriously. Erin has inherited our family's, shall we say strange sense of humor. What fun we have when she and I are together, laughing at things only we think are funny. Oh, to be Erin and know what you want and how to get there at such a young age.......
Then there is Olivia. The lyrics from the song in Sound of Music - "How do you hold a wave upon the sand?....How do you hold a moonbeam in your hand?" could have been written for Olivia. She will turn 10 this summer and like her cousin, has talents that most of us can only wish for. By the time she was 2 and could hold a pencil or crayon in her hand, it was evident that Olivia could draw. Her daddy, James, was a wonderful artist and Gabriel showed her own talent in her high school and college art classes, so Olivia comes by it naturally. What is so endearing about Olivia is that she has such a quick wit and can make you laugh at the drop of a dime! She wants to be famous someday! Wise beyond her years and bubbly and vivacious, Olivia captures your heart with just a funny line and her own special charm and laughter. One day she will have her own art studio!
Ok, so the first two granchildren were girls. I am one of 5 girls in my family. I raised 3 daughters. Girls I know, girls I can handle. But then, SURPRISE! Along came 3 grandsons! And they are animals of a different sort..... literally.
Carson is next in line. He has so much of his Daddy in him. I know that James would be so proud of Carson, as well as Olivia. Carson is a jokester and makes us laugh with guffaw! He tells terrible, but funny, knock-knock jokes that are made up on the spot. He plays a mean game of soccer and is getting better at the sport each season. And like his sister, he is quick-witted. He is eager to please, gets his feelings hurt easily, and at age 7, still loves his Thomas Trains, Cars and likes to read, watch movies and cartoons. He detests meat unless it is a hamburger, hotdog, chicken nuggets or pepperoni on pizza, but loves salads and vegetables. Go figure. He loves to wrestle and tease his grandfather. And like most boys, he is a clown and a disaster waiting to happen! One thing is for sure, he loves his family!
And then there is Walker. Walker is our heart. At age 3, he was diagnosed with Autism. But don't let that label fool you. Fortunately, Walker is not severly autistic, for which we are all grateful. Almost seven, he is smart as a whip, has a wicked sense of humor, the best laugh in the world, and he can be as stubborn as the day is long. There is nothing better than to go to Paige's and Matt's and have Walker come bounding up to us so excited that we are there. He loves watching funny movies, Star Wars figures and playing imaginary games with them. He LOVES vacations and never wants to go back home. Walker is the hardest working little boy I know and his schedule would put most adults to bed. He gets home from school about 1:30 and has ABA therapy from then until 6 in the evening. What strides he has made in two years! When I think about how much he has progressed and how hard he has worked, it brings tears to my eyes. At his birth, Walker was very jaundiced and when he came home from the hospital, he was given light therapy. Under his blue glowing blanket he looked like a little turtle. He captured my heart and he will always be my "little turtle" boy. Walker is sweet and loving. Somewhere in Walker's future is a companion dog to help him. Keep working, Walker!
(Side note and shameless pleading: For Walker and all the others like him, please support Autism Speaks. The numbers are frightening: one in every 95 boys are diagnosed with Autism or somewhere on the spectrum. The numbers are almost as bad for little girls. Help us make everyone aware of this growing epidemic in our country.)
And last, but in NO ways least, there is Cale. Cale, Cale, Cale - I say that shaking my head and laughing. What a hoot our Cale is! He is part monkey and part tasmanian devil! At 5 years old, Cale has the makings of a comedian, a time management engineer, an actor, a stunt man, circus performer, or lawyer. He climbs, he rolls, he asks a million questions an hour. He is dramatic and funny. When Art Linkletter said that kids say the darndest things, he had to have been talking about Cale. That boy comes out with the funniest, most hysterical words of philosophy and wisdom I have ever heard! He is obsessed with time and schedules. He is a good brother ,and though he is the younger, he often takes on the role of big brother to Walker. A whiz at wii games, he would play for hours and hours. Fortunately for Cale, he has a mom that makes him earn wii time or he would never stop! He is a never-ending source of amusement and embarrassment for Paige! Cale, never, ever stop being you!
Well, there you go! My FAB 5 are a never-ending source of delight and amusement for me and their DaDa. I wish for all of you to have something or someone that brings you as much joy as these five have to me. I can't get enough of them; it's a lovely addiction to have. They are the heart of my world! Love ya, kiddos!
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