Interlude #3: An Evening Measured in Small Steps

Joe and I stayed with Oliver this evening while Jeremy and Megan enjoyed a date night in Minneapolis. Playing with Oliver is a lot of fun, and we both came home amazed at how many steps we logged. Most of Joe’s came from following behind Oliver as he free-range crawled around the house, exploring every corner. My steps came from getting dinner on the table, cleaning up afterward, and spending time crawling around with him in the play area.

Our babysitting gig started at 5:00 p.m. and lasted until about 8:30. Oliver was a happy baby for most of the evening. At one point, Grandpa Joe stepped out of the play area for a few minutes, and I was immediately rewarded with Oliver’s unhappy face and the small cry he uses to let us know something isn’t quite right. I told him Grandpa would be right back. The cry stopped, but the sad face stayed. Oliver sat in the same spot, facing the kitchen, waiting. The moment Grandpa came back into view, Oliver lit up with a beaming smile. He really does love his Grandpa.

Right around 8:00 p.m., I fixed Oliver a bottle and sat down on the couch with Grandpa. Oliver snuggled in close, drank his bottle, and reached out with his free hand to play with mine. It was such a simple, precious moment - one of those you wish you could tuck away and revisit later.

Oliver will turn one year old next Wednesday. Our granddaughter Charlotte turns ten on Monday the 19th. Somehow, they keep growing faster than my heart can keep up with, and evenings like this are gentle reminders to soak it all in while we can.