Will the real boss please stand up...

We, (Ken surprised me at the airport and came with me... I was so excited and totally surprised I jumped up and down like a kid at Christmas who got the new bike they wanted.... with as little time as we get to spend with the grandkids it is nice to be able to share it together.) We had a marvelous week with Miss Mackenzie who is always entertaining. She is really into figuring out who has the power in life and campaining for it to lean in her favor as much as possible.

Every morning we walked to a little gas station for a diet coke and she got to pick out a tootsie pop. On the 3rd day she announced she was boss of the lollipops, which translated into we will buy her as many as she can fit into her fist and eat them in sucession if she so desires.

One day she helped Grandpa Ken with some clean up chores (Ken is the boss of the cleaning at our house... which translates into he does most of it) She announced she was boss of the glass table in the living room, which translated into.... you will let me spray as much windex on it as I want to. However, she did a very nice job of polishing and arranging the items on the table. I was very impressed.

We also had fun making cookies. Yes, she was the boss of the cookies and I am a less controlling grandma than I was a mother. I let her hold the beaters by herself... roll the dough out by herself and let her put the decorations on any way she wanted. (no kids, she didn't have to count out 5 chocolate chips to make the mouth)

She also enjoyed stitching with me and I was amazed at how good she was at it. Had I known it would interest her, I would have made her, her own stitching kit. That will be something fun for us to do when she visits next time.

She was also cute with her tea set. She immediately set up tea and treats. The 2 dolls became her sisters... one day I could hear her telling them.... "Do you want to be a part of this family? If you do you will not wake up your sister anymore in the middle of the night. That is just rude and I won't have it anymore." She is a very no nonsense mother. Too funny.

Colorado Rocky Mountain High

I'm on my way to Denver to see Miss Mackenzie and help celebrate her 4th birthday. I have had so much fun putting together an awesome present for her. I purchased a backpack to fill it with a tea party to go. I made a tea party quilt.... bought a picnic tea set, and play food and 2 dollies (that I got from the silent auction at For Every Body's Think Pink fund raiser. I can't wait so we can play house and fix ourselves some fancy snacks. I'm taking my pumpkin cookie cutters and recipe for soft sugar cookies so we can do some Halloween baking. Then I made us matching butterfly jammies since I will be sharing her room. It was nice of Tyler to give me a months notice. I'm also hoping to visit with a few good friends....

"You're Not My Best Friend"

We are eagerly anticipating the arrival of Miss Makenzie tomorrow (oh, and her dad, too) I can’t believe it’s been a whole year since she looked up at me…. her little feet dangling from her car seat…. looked me seriously in the eye and said…. “you’re not my best friend”.... I still laugh when I think of that sweet little voice and her little sassy demeanor. Tyler said I lost her when I tried to talk her into letting me comb her hair into piggy tales that morning…. She also looked so adorable in her “fancy smancy” blue boots that Auntie Jana gave her. The California sun was blazing down but she didn’t take them off the entire week. She was the perfect two year old.

I wonder how I’ll fare this year? Will I be the fun Grandma Niece, that helps her make cookies, and plays with her at her favorite “house” park… basically catering to her every whim? Heaven forbid, I won’t offer to do her hair. I’m a slow learner, but I won’t make that same mistake twice. Anyway I can’t wait for another chance to spoil (and bribe) my way into her friendship circle.
My favorite Mackenzie photo - Taken Nov. 2006