Bits & Pieces

Out of nowhere, Helen Grace has started adding ‘ma’am’ to her vocabulary. But it’s not always the normal, polite ‘ma’am.’ It tends to be very emphatic with the emphasis on ‘ma’am,’ such as, “No MA’AM!” I have realized that she’s mimicking the way that I say that to her when she’s doing something she’s not supposed to do. Well…at least she’s listening!

One morning, Helen Grace was sitting on my lap eating cookies. Since she was leaving crumbs all over me and the couch, I told her that she was Cookie Monster. She said, “I NOT Cookie Monster! I Helen Grace!”

Thursday night, we all met Bubba at Luigi’s, a little pizza joint at the crossroads of the metropolis of Byhalia. It also happens to be next door to the building where my great grandfather on the Moore side (Papa Doc)’s doctor’s office was, around the corner from his home, and down the street from the house where Bubba raised her boys and years later where I remember visiting my great-grandmama on the Williams side, Mawmaw. After HG tired of dinner, Granddaddy started walking her up and down the sidewalk outside, explaining the significance of the houses and buildings they passed. I snapped this pic of Spif, HG, and Bubba having a chinwag on the sidewalk after dinner. Too bad the wiggle worm wouldn’t stay still, but it was still a sweet moment.

She spent the night with Grandma on Saturday night, and after I picked her up on Sunday morning, we headed to Kroger. In the store, she really wanted me to carry her around, and I explained to her that I couldn’t carry her and push the buggy. I eventually got her distracted by helping me pick out and count things from the shelves and throwing them in our basket. After we finished checking out and were heading to the door, I told her that I needed to pick her up since we were going out into the parking lot. She gasped, flung her little arms around my neck, and said, “Thanks for holding me, Mommy!!!!” (Like I haven’t carried her for 90% of her life!)

John had a soccer game on Sunday night, and I was struggling with how to dress Helen Grace- long or short sleeves, pants or shorts? It was 75 but damp and cloudy and would soon be getting dark. I wondered out loud to her, “What am I going to put you in?” She responded, “In the backseat.”

Her Nonono’s these days are hilarious, especially when she wags her little finger at her daddy when he’s picking on her.