Wow.  It has been a long time since I blogged.  We have had some busy times and some slow times.  when we came back from Sedona Bob had a bad cold or flu.  He was sick for over a week.  So we sat for quite a bit of the time and did very little.  I just wanted him to get better.  I continued doing my exercises, but did little else.  Finally he started to get better.  Then a whole bunch of folks here in the rv park got it also.  It was a bad one.  Laid people down generally - so it wasn't just Bob. 


Then we got our long anticipated visit from the grandson.  I tried downloading pictures, but it wouldn't work, so you have to take my word for it.  The visit started with a lovely evening with Alex, Stef, and Mike, before they headed off for Jamaica.  We even built a fire in our portable fire pit and roasted marshmallows.  (When I asked Alex what he wanted to do while he was here, he said have a fire and roast marshmallows, so we did.)  Then the next day Alex and I went to the toy store and bought him toys.  I had already gotten him a small scooter and some other toys, but he got to pick out a couple of toys for himself.  He had a great time doing it.  He got a remote controlled car and a Lego batman set.  For days he would play with the remote controlled car.  Then our neighbor told him that one of the other residents, Gordy, used to be a race car driver.  Gordy is in an electric scooter and cannot walk much.  He and Alex connected.  First Alex conned him into playing a game of Sorry.  then Gordy gave Alex a ride on his electric scooter.  Then Gordy let Alex drive the electric scooter.  Then Alex started asking where Gordy was so that he could ride the scooter some more.  I couldn't tell who was having more fun, Alex or Gordy. 


We took Alex into the pool almost every day.  He started out barely getting wet.  Then he tried jumping in - his version of a cannonball.  Then he could put his head under water.  Then he was even able to swim for a good 20 feet with his head under water.  He enjoyed it and so did I.  We will have to continue taking him to water so that he can build on this new skill. 


One day I took him to the Butterfly Wonderland.  Amazing.  It started with a 3D movie about butterflies.  Then we went into this room that was just filled with different kinds of butterflies.  They were all over.  They would land on the sidewalk in front of you and you had to be careful not to step on them.  They would land on colorful shirts.  Alex kept running around telling me to take more pictures.  Beautiful.


One day we went to the Phoenix Children's Museum.  Alex LOVED it.  There were so many exhibits where he could watch how things worked, especially balls rolling down chutes and making bells ring, or flying out of vacuum tubes.  There was an area of foam noodles hanging from the ceiling really close together.  They called it the Noodle Forest.  Kids could run in and hide in the forest and try to get from one end to the other.  We spent five hours there.  I was exhausted.  Even Alex slept well.


One day we went to the Wild Animal Zoo.  They had some nice areas where kids could feed the animals.  Lots of animals and various rides.  Spent another full day there.  At one point while I was watching Alex feed the goats, a goose walked by.  The goose was guarding her goslings.  I guess she did not like where I was standing because she reached up and bit my leg.  It actually drew blood and HURT.  But I am fine now.


We went to see the new LEGO movie.  Alex loved it so much we went to see it again a few days later.  We also went to see the movie Frozen.  Wow.  I am tired just thinking about this.  By the sixth day Alex was starting to ask - "How long is a week Nana?"  I know he was missing his parents. 


On the last day we went to my nephew's house and spent the afternoon with the seven grandchildren.  We think we figured out that they were Alex's second cousins once removed - whatever that means.  He had a great time.


Then Mommy and Daddy were here, spent the night and whisked Alex away on an airplane.  I sure do miss him.


I spent that whole first day just resting  I am not used to so much activity.  but it was great having him here. 


This blog is now long enough.  I will tell about the rest of the month in a blog tomorrow.