GOODBYE, FOR NOW

Watching Grandpa read to
the Little One was a great experience.

The Little One had to say goodbye to Grandpa today. Well, for the time being, anyway.

It was a really nice four-day visit, but this morning Grandpa left to head back down to North Carolina. It's weird how that works. You plan a visit and let the anticipation build, and then in a blink of an eye, it's done and over with.

You wonder how well a baby can recognize the family they don't see very often. If the last few days are an indication, the Little One knows them well. The moment he saw Grandpa Saturday morning, he smiled, and he didn't really stop throughout the visit.

This morning Grandpa could hug the Little One. By the end of the day, they will be 650 miles apart again.

I realize as I typed that last line, I got a little choked up. As a matter of fact, it's pretty damn dusty in this room. I'm going to have to talk with the Wife about that. 

For whatever reason, it is hitting me hard how life has a way of changing really fast, in good ways and bad. I always envisioned getting to see Grandpa reading a book to our baby, which he did last night. I never imagined the range of emotions I would feel watching it happen.   

There wasn't anything that could dampen the visit. When we got some surprise snow Monday morning that canceled our initial plans to take the Little One to a park for a walk, it didn't matter. He and Grandpa stayed inside and played. Not sure which one smiled more, but there was an awful lot of laughing on both ends.

The same holds true when Grandma Marti comes in from Pittsburgh (540 miles away, in case you were wondering). Or when she Skype's with The Wife, and the Little One hears her voice.

There's no question Grandpa, Grandma Sue (his wife) and Grandma Marti all wish they could be around the Little One more often. 

I'm not sure how well he understands the concept of time just yet, but I'm sure the feeling is mutual for him.