Grandmama in the Ville

Mrs. Lula's been coming to the ville to keep Benson while I have my baby doctor appointments.   Our new OB doesn't allow kids in the office, which I totally understand, but it's pretty difficult to find somebody to play with the punkin' in the middle of the day for us to go to the doc.
But Grandmama to the RESCUE!! 

She shows up with her arms full and quickly, our living room is transformed from drab to fab.
And Benson and Grandmama spend the entire time she's here inside this tent....





Except when it's warm enough to venture outside (which it was on October 23 when these pictures were taken) and blow Grandmama's bubbles from this seemingly never-ending bucket of bubbles she brings....



And sometimes that's kinda difficult when you're three and can't control your air flow...



So sometimes it works better just to spiiiiiiinnnnnnn........



Do you see the green, lanky monkey, in this picture?  I don't think I've introduced him before.

This is Monkey Joe.  

Benson never took a pacifier.  He never attached to a blankey or lovey of any kind.

He likes to sleep on a satin pillowcase/pillowcover  (a "cool-pillow" apty named by his Aunt Missy years and years ago when his MAMA was a little girl-- because they stay COOL and when you flip 'em over are REALLY cool!)  and he likes to have his sippy cup of water when he sleeps, but never a lovey. 

On our trip to Bonita Springs Florida,  Grandmama returned from a shopping trip with this little monkey.  He immediately grabbed him and said his name was Monkey Joe.  He hasn't put him down since.

Ok.  Here's the thing about Monkey Joe...

Now, Benson thinks he can't sleep without him.  And wants to take him everywhere we go...
Which was fine.

Until we took him to Clemson and got in the car to return home.   And started looking for Monkey Joe.  And couldn't find him. ANYWHERE.

And then there were tears. (You've seen the devastation face)

And then I had tears, because it brought back memories of losing Quincy, my cabbage patch doll, the only doll I ever cared about, in Food Lion when I was four.

There's still a wound there.

So we HAD to do SOMETHING.
Grandmama said she thought she remembered finding Monkey Joe at Pier One.  So, hoping against the odds, I called the Pier One we passed on the way home and five months later, they still had one!!

So we made the pit stop and I bought two.

I pulled him out from beneath the seat and "found" him "hiding!"

Benson said we should give him a spanking because when mama and daddy call, you should always come, even if you ARE a monkey!  :)  

We're so thankful for Monkey Joe!

And for this little Monkey :)



And we're so thankful for GRANDMAMA!!!