Margot was born in November 2023 and Phoebe was born in January 2021. These little girls have enriched my life more than words can say. Only a few days ago, I said to their father, Stewart, that I can no longer imagine a world without Phoebe and Margot in it. We are so lucky that they live just nine minutes walk away. In addition, we are privileged to be able to play a key role in their care and upbringing. Not all grandparents get to do that.Of course, down in London, our only grandson - Zachary continues to develop. We hope to go down south to see him this month. Apparently, he is ahead of the game with his mobility and can even crawl upstairs. I see smartphone pictures of him and short videos too. It is sad that we cannot play a larger part in his upbringing. But that's just how it is. At least he is not in some faraway country like Australia or Canada.
Margot loves to be picked up and cuddled but you need to be wary of her paws for she often threatens to rip one's face off. Her chubby little fingers dig in and if she can get them in one's mouth - all the better. Similarly, Phoebe has a forceful personality and a rare ability to get what she wants.
See the image above. Phoebe refused to sit there when asked to do so by her mama but when I promised to give her a piece of chocolate she was up there on the sofa like a squirrel up a tree.
One of her top questions is "Please may I watch something?" She loves to see "Bluey", "Peppa Pig", "Hey Duggee" and "Trotro" and once she is in front of a screen she can become very reluctant to be parted from it. I look back to when I was a small child and my family didn't even have a television set. There was no screen time at all. I have no idea what extended screen time does to small children - how it affects them in the long run. But what I do know is that it's not Phoebe's fault that those shows I mentioned even exist. In this regard, it is not easy to know what's best.
Assuming that there are no tragedies along the way, Phoebe and Margot will be sisters until they are old ladies. I hope they will always be there for each other, keeping in touch, riding the roller-coaster of life. Sibling love can be very special as the years pass by. Friends may come and go but you can never quite shake off a sibling relationship. It never goes away - not even if you might sometimes feel that you want to terminate it.
If we're not very careful the little guys can train us and get what they want. However, as little people they are very special to be around.
ReplyDeletePhoebe has got me well-trained.
DeleteIt seems generally that grandparents enjoy seeing their grandchildren grow and spending time with them more than they did their own children. No doubt time has much to do with it, and that they are handed back to their parents.
ReplyDeleteYou see things in better perspective the second time round.
DeleteI know what you mean but I still stand by my former comment.
DeleteI wasn't denying your first comment Andrew.
DeleteSibling relationships can be trying at times, but they often turn out to be one's longest relationship.
ReplyDeleteI remember you talking about your brother as your dad approached the end of his life.
DeleteTruth.
ReplyDeleteRemembering Wayne. R.I.P.
DeleteI hope they are good friends. I'm not close to my sisters and I wish I was but I do have friends whom I have adopted as sisters.
ReplyDeleteHow often do you speak to your sisters?
DeleteAs you know, my sister and I are very close. We were so from the start, then came a period during which we didn't spend quite so much time together, but after Steve died, this changed again. Then when during the pandemic it wasn't allowed to do much more than go for walks, we did that a lot - almost every day. Of course the worries and care for my Dad, and assisting our Mum after he died, meant more time spent together, too.
ReplyDeleteWe don't always see eye to eye, but we love each other dearly. In three weeks, we'll be in Ripon for a fortnight - there aren't that many people in the world I would like to spend a holiday with.
Hopefully, Phoebe and Margot can have that closeness, too.
Your sibling relationship is a wonderful thing to have... for both of you.
DeleteSuch beautiful blue eyes in such beautiful faces. I hope they will stay close as they grow up and always look out for each other. I am very glad you get to see them so often and wish I lived closer to "my" twins.
ReplyDeleteHow far away are your grandtwins Elsie?
DeleteAlmost an hour and a half each way, two buses to get there and two buses to get home again.
DeleteA pain but still do-able.
Deleteextended screen time impairs speech development, although that may be related to care givers using screens and not talking to children. It also sometimes produces ADHD like symptoms but they go away when screens are removed.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I hope Phoebe and Margot have a long and close bond.
I don't know what counts as "extended screen time" Kylie.
DeleteWe try and keep the TV off when our grandchildren visit, they don't often ask to watch it, but at home it's on all the time. I do love Bluey.
ReplyDelete"Bluey" is brilliant but it's not as good as finding woodlice under rocks or lying on the lawn watching clouds drift by.
DeleteSuch sweeties and so lovely they are not far from you so you can see them regularly. It's a shame about Zachary in London, but at least you can pop down to see him reasonably often. I didn't have siblings and often wish I did, but then again being an only child has its advantages too.
ReplyDeleteI need to keep going down to London to give Zachary Yorkshire lessons.
DeleteA wonderful photo of your grand children YP.
ReplyDeleteI hope you have grandchildren too Dave... one day!
DeleteMany parents find that grandchildren are their favorites.
ReplyDeleteCertainly these two grandparents follow that trend.
DeleteWhat beautiful girls. And their time with you and Mrs. P is as enriching to them as it is to you. The bond between grandparents and grandchildren is pure love.
ReplyDeleteI never expected to fall in love again.
DeleteThere were similar concerns about mass novels and the wireless. However, I am thankful not to have had a television until I was 12 or 13. We were one of the last by then. It meant I read a lot and had hobbies to develop practical skills, knowledge, and creativity. Television tends to take over your attention and displace these things. Of course, you can learn from it, and gain enjoyment, so getting the right balance is key. Playing with children and being creative helps a lot. I remember enjoying simply "helping" my dad make brown paper covers for worn books. I consider smartphones a step too far. They block out experience without replacing it with much that is useful.
ReplyDeleteI often think of smartphones as dummies for grown-ups. Many people seem hooked on them to the exclusion of what is around them.
DeleteSuch beautiful and adorable girls. They are lucky to have you, and you are lucky to have them. On your last post, thanks for the Coldplay "Fix You" video. I love them and always enjoy watching them perform. Chris Martin is indeed a showman.
ReplyDeleteThey played a brilliant set at Glastonbury on Saturday night. I watched it all and maybe you should too - if it is available via YouTube.
DeleteThanks! I think I will.
DeleteBeautiful little granddaughters! You are blessed to have them so close by.
ReplyDeleteAnd what is more, I fully realise that.
DeleteThey are cuties for sure, Neil! I hope they always get along. My sister and I are close (she lives not far from me) and are always there for each other.
ReplyDelete