Close to Nowhere

No, I’m pretty sure we’re in trouble at my house. Daughter Dana, granddaughter Merideth, grandson-in-law Tim and, most importantly, great-grandson Shepard, now 6 months old, live next door

Mere, for the time being, is a stay-at-home mom. Just until she can escape, she says.

It may be too late for all of us. Shepard has grown into a walker and is now mobile.

When we first got him a walker, his little feet didn’t touch the floor. Last week, Mom had to lift it up a level

There are a couple little yellow giraffes on a toy bar across the front of the walker, along with a zig-zaggy thing with little slidey triangles that rattle. Shepard loves the giraffes and the rattley things. He loves anything he can chew and drool on (teething bites!).

This baby is just 6 months old. It’s been too long since our granddaughters were little, so I don’t remember the exact progression of aggravations. And I don’t care what anyone says, boys are different.

I haven’t had a little boy in 43 years. I may not can cope.

Tim, Shepard’s dad, is one of seven brothers. His parents are used to boys. The last family gathering, for Tim’s birthday, only involved about three or four of the brothers and a couple of friends. It was loud, boisterous, too crowded and they were loving it.

They wrestled all over the house, hollered a lot and laughed more. It was fun!

But I’ve been thinking... I’ve already had to put up a gate in the hall to keep Shepard out of my sewing room. I have chairs straddling between the living room and dining room/kitchen. Doors are shut everywhere.

I have an old papier-mache rabbit that stands about waist high. I love my rabbit. So does  Shepard. Shepard can’t chew the ears off the giraffes on his walker. They’re baby-proofed. My papier-mache rabbit is not. I’m pretty sure Shepard could chew an ear off in no time flat.

Rabbit is now standing in a hidden corner almost behind the couch.

I have a glass vase that was my late mother-in-law’s standing beside the front door, filled with some of her silk leaves, etc. and some of mine.

It’s going to have to have a new home also. It rolls on the floor and Shepard loves it.

In my sewing room, in a little bouncy chair, he pulled over an entire stack of folded fabric -- chewed on a good bit of it.

Boys are different than girls. I may not survive.