2X4 Fun

This has nothing to do with timber or wood -- really!  This past Sunday, we gathered at my daughter's house and celebrated the birthdays of Benny, who will be 2 on July 20, and Niland, who is 4 today, July 19.  When Bob and I arrived, we were greeted, as usual, by the dogs, and that has to come first or you can't get past them to everyone that really matters.  Upon seeing me, Benny raised his arms, indicating that he wanted me to pick him up, but I had to tell him that I had to sit down first, and he was perfectly content once on my lap.  We spent the late afternoon playing, swinging, and watching Dori's chickens, five of them, and the boys are simply fascinated by them.  I helped Niland pull fresh grass and stuff it through the fence for the chickens, and Benny was soon helping us as best he could. 
Dinner was the usual chaotic event, with Julian, who is almost 3 months old, needing to be fed, causing mom and dad to eat in shifts, their usual arrangement.  Niland ate all of one bite of his hotdog and a little watermelon before he announced that he was "stuffed"; Benny ate almost all of his hotdog, albeit without the bun, and a heap of watermelon and chips. 
For the first time since May 2 when my disc went out, I held Julian while walking to a chair.  The little guy is into being entertained and loves to have his arms moved back and forth, up and down, and his fists tapped to his face, which literally makes him laugh, so I had an fabulous time entertaining him on occasion. 
Benny went 'missing', and I found him in Cami's room, trying to lock himself in.  He's figured out that pushing the buttons on doors makes it so no one else can easily get into the room, and he does this when he has to go poop.  So there he was, pushing the door shut with me on the other side preventing him from doing so.  I asked him, "Benny, are you going poop?" 
"No." 
"Are you done?" 
"No." 
"Do you want me to get mommy?"
 "No."
Need I say that 'no' is his favorite word?  I called down the hall to Bee, who was in the kitchen, and she came and tended to Benny, who had definitely gone poop.
After dinner, the boys and Cami went swimming in the hottub on the deck.  The temperature is turned down for the summer.  Niland and Benny have spent a lot of time in the water lately, both at the beach and in a swimming pool while on vacation with Bee's family in Florida, so they are really into swimming right now.  They have floaties that hold their arms up, so after getting ready, in they went.  Cami is such a little mother, and she watched over those 2 little boys, especially Benny, in such a grownup way.  Nate was right at the edge of the tub, but Benny pretty much floated on his stomach by himself and moved around freely, perfectly comfortable in the water.  Niland's thing was jumping and going under water, which sent waves crashing over the side and onto Nate's shoes.
Cake and ice cream followed, and then gifts were given to the boys.  Julian fell asleep in Bee's arms, and soon it was time to go home.  I took Benny and Niland to their minivan and asked Benny if he could climb up into his car seat, and he did.  Once seated, I started strapping him in, and he said, "Buckle" as he pointed to it.  He's getting so many words now -- can't wait for sentences to follow!
Niland said, "Nana, come buckle me in."
"I don't know if I can make it all the way back there."  Niland sits in the back seat (third row), as Benny and Julian sit in the middle seat, and I honestly didn't know if I could get back there.  "I'll try though."
I started heaving myself through the side door and toward the back, and Niland offered this as encouragement.  "Don't worry, Nana.  You can bring your whole self back here."
And I did.  I clipped his seatbelt, gave him a final kiss, and slid back out the way I went in.  Such an accomplishment.
Sleeping Julian was soon in place, and I'm sure all three boys were sound asleep by the time they arrived home.
Birthdays -- they come like clockwork.  The little girl inside me can't believe that I'll be turning 62 in September; it just doesn't seem possible.  But then I see all of my wonderful children and grandchildren, and the truth hits me that I'm the oldest generation now.  I'm the "old" person. 
My prayer is that my body will heal sufficiently so that I can do those things with my grandkids that I did before so they can see -- and remember -- that age is a state of mind, not a number.  Even though I may be gray and have elephant skin, I can still be active and fun. 
Happy birthday, Niland and Benny!