MELANCHOLY DAYS

I'm late in life for watching my first grandchild leave her family for college. She drove to Athens yesterday to have a goodbye lunch with us and then spend some last hours with two of her friends who are beginning their college careers at UGA.  

Monday she heads north  to Syracuse with Muzz and a van full of stuff.

I'm going to digress a little.  When Emma was born, one of the obvious little problems was 'What do we call that extra mother?"  Remember the little wooden legless people who rode the yellow school bus for Fisher-Price?  When Amy was little, she called the woman in the blue dress with the blond bun the "muzzie."  Marykay liked that name, so with a swish of her wand she became Muzzie, now frequently shortened to Muzz.  Amy got to be Mommy.  

Although Marykay would  probably prefer to be called Mom now (too many explanations)  Muzzie is certainly unique, and I'm afraid it's hers for life. I can vacillate between Marykay and Muzz, but it's harder for the kids to re-assign Mommy.  I've noticed they are able to discriminate settings, when it's best to call Marykay 'mom' or 'my mother,' and when it's ok to use the old endearment.

Therefore I repeat, Monday, Emma heads north to Syracuse with Muzz and a van full of stuff.  And while they move forward, I move backward  to reminisce.

I was privileged to spend Emma's first week at home with Marykay.  Amy got the play times after work when we were exhausted from standing over her crib all day.  Among the group of interested parties, it could be said that she had many hoverers.  

She was, of course and no doubt, the prettiest, smartest, most angelic baby ever born.  But she did what all babies do, she grew up. Our  luck was to be able to watch her grow. It was a great journey.  Now she begins a new life at Syracuse. Everything will be tainted with orange, where basketball is king.

Birthday Cake with  g and  g

Crazy Dancin' Grandpa

Cooking with Mom

It's Frosting

We've watched her through eighteen years: she's still the prettiest, maybe smartest, but angelic? 

Thank goodness she's not, and we like her just the way she is, just a tad . . , uh, not angelic.

Mommy and Emma

When she was four she was  invited to a fairy tale birthday party. They let me make the dress. She wanted to be Cinderella.  (Who wouldn't?)              
                                      
                                          Then she changed her 

mind and wanted to be Snow White. Panic ensued.  Everybody knows Snow White wears navy blue and white.  I was deep into pink.  The day before the party she called me and left a message, "Gramma, you make a Cinnerella dress ammorrow?" Whew. Saved again.  I'd been through this scene before with Wes involving Batman and Spiderman.  I don't do that stuff any more.

Only Emma could get away with this.

Fabulous Aunt Bam

Emma and Muzzie

High Five

Lovely leaves

Little Brother, Charles

 Secret Science Lab in Athens Kitchen

Aunt Amy and Emma Planning Something

That's enough reminiscing for today. The other pictures show a few of the many facets of her personality .  There are so many.   

I'm going into the corner and cry now.