“I Don’t Know What To Do”

This past summer I had the very special opportunity to spend some extended time with two of my granddaughters.

It seems strange to say that because for what has seemed like quite a long time,  I only have had two granddaughters.

Now I am blessed with four little girls and one sweet little boy .

Because Marta, Anna  and now Maria Leena live on the other side of the Earth their time here with me usually comes in large chunks,  rather then the more normal days or weekends.

 This past summer Marta came for almost a seven week visit.

Not long after she returned home,  her new baby sister  Maria Leena was born, and not very long after that  it was Anna’s turn to visit with her Mimi and Popa.  Anna came along with her Issi (Daddy) to spend about three or so weeks with us.

This was Anna’s very first time solo on such a big trip.

Anna has never lived here,  and because of that her English is not as good as Marta’s,  so this was going to be a bit different for all of us. 

We did all the usual things we went to the beach (we had great weather) we got ice cream, we went to the movies, the Aquarium, the Library, the playground, and we went SHOPPING !

 We visited with family and helped to celebrate Uncle Ian’s 40th birthday.

 We had some really nice times, and yes we had some not so nice times.

 One night for whatever reason Anna just wasn’t tired.

Perhaps she had slept in late that morning,  but I know one thing  for certain ,  she didn’t have a nap.

Anna had her bath and seemed extra cranky….. no she didn’t want to read,  no she didn’t want a “nice massage with soothing Lavender lotion.

No Mimi “I don’t like massage” she said in her best cranky voice.

Okay then Anna  I said how about you just sit on our bed and watch the news for awhile,  thinking  that she would be bored and pass out at any minute.

No she said,  she wanted  ”childrens TV ” .  I’m sorry I said sweetie, but  all the children  here are sleeping now and so we don’t have childrens TV programs on this late.  We have 24 hour childrens programming,  but she so needed to go to sleep,  we really needed to go to sleep, and it was now 11:45 or 23:45 depending where you live.

At some point I turned off the light and pretended to be asleep … she didn’t like that at all,  so she got up off our bed in a big huff and looked at me and said  

 ”I don’t know what to do”  in this pathetic whining , wailing voice.

Then she started pacing back and forth at the foot of our bed with her stuffed bunny under one arm,  and a large white horse under the other.

Now her complaining had become louder,  and more like a chant or mantra…

“I don’t know what to do” she kept repeating over and over  all while walking back and forth at the foot of our bed.

This weeping and complaining went on for a good half hour,  and it was now long after 12 am and she was still whining, loudly , and chanting “I don’t know what to do”….”I just don’t know what to do”.

 

Hannah our dog was shifting around on the floor next to Popa’s side of the bed.  She was making  making grumpy noises,  as she too yearned for some much needed  peace, quite and oh my god, sleep !

 

Popa and I just kept looking at one another in utter disbelief, exhausted and amazed at her stamina we tried not to laugh at the  loud drama unfolding at the end of our bed.

 

Finally Popa, (Anna really loves her Popa ) sat up and yelled in his best Popa voice……

” You don’t know what to do Anna,  I’ll tell you what to do… go to sleep, now!”

 

 She just looked at him and quietly came over to my side of the bed,  jumped up and snuggled up next to me,  along with her beloved  soft  Bunny and Cinderella’s white  horse,  and very quietly fell fast asleep.

 

 Who knew……. that this was all we needed to do…

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