By the time Cooper was 3 years old we were quite good friends who found fun together in whatever we were doing. My ride at the time was a bright red Volkswagen Cabrio convertible that I loved to drive and Cooper loved riding in it. He still remembers that jellybean of a car, and asked me once why I don’t have it anymore. He likes my Night Fire Red Mini Cooper too, especially because it shares his name, but I think he loved the convertible best.
He and I were running errands together and it was a gorgeous early summer day…blue skies, bright sunshine, not too hot… absolutely perfect! Cooper’s car seat was directly behind me in the backseat, so if I ducked my head a little to look in my rear view mirror I could see him and share a smile from time to time.
We were stopped at a stoplight, the top was down on the convertible, and we each had a giant, egg shaped bright green Charms blow pop in our mouth, doing our best to suck through the sour apple candy shell to reach the bubble gum center, and we were groovin’ to the sunny summer day and the Reggae music that was wafting lazily out of the CD player. It just couldn’t have been a more perfect day in any way, and then, just before the light changed to green I heard a voice behind me say “MEMA…TURN IT UP!”
For me this story is a perfect description of Cooper’s outlook on life. If there is fun to be had this little man will find it, and he will enjoy it to the fullest. I know his parents probably don’t always get to see this side of him, but it’s always there just waiting to be revealed.
Being a grandparent allows us to share more of our playful selves, and that gives our grandchildren permission to revel in that unfettered, uninhibited playful joy that is always in their hearts…..and we get to come along for the ride.
ElleSpeak 