Cousins

In the autumn of 2023, our youngest grandchildren - Zachary and Margot were born just nine days apart. They were due on the same date but these so-called "due dates" never seem to work out do they?

Today, Shirley and I had the pleasure of looking after both of them together for several hours. Ian had come up from London to attend the funeral of  the mother of one of his best friends. She was only sixty three. Meantime, our daughter, Frances, was down in London to attend a reunion of former work colleagues and to visit her friend Kira who recently gave birth to a second baby girl.

For us, it was a double whammy. Two two year old grandchildren for the price of one.

Physically, they are pretty different. Zach is a slender, copper-haired livewire who can play endlessly with little toy cars and diggers - whereas Margot is a sturdy blue-eyed cherub who, without encouragement, has shown an affection for dolls. Perhaps it is a nascent maternal urge. When it comes to physical development charts for two year olds, she is most definitely in the very top percentile. She is a couple of inches taller than Zach and much heavier too.

With Zach living down in London, the two little cousins have not met up very often so today was quite special. At the top of this blogpost, you can see them sitting on my computer chair watching yet another YouTube version of "The Wheels on the Bus". They also enjoyed versions of "Old Macdonald had a Farm" and "Incy Wincy Spider".

Later, Shirley had the two of them on her lap in her easy chair in the dining room. They are enjoying a book together. Grandma is probably their favourite human and it is a role that she thoroughly enjoys...