My parents listening to Bobby Darrin fifty (sixty?) years ago probably were content to let me splash around with a rubber duck in the bathtub. Maybe a wading pool in the backyard. As a grandparent today, I amused watching my wife shop for toys. When we pick him up from his parents a couple times a week, he already has the routine. He retrieves toys from “his” toyroom. He may direct Pop-pop to bring or push or set up a toy in the living room. In “his” room, we have balls (formerly exercise equipment), a ball pit with dozens of colored balls, a connecting tunnel and connecting “tent”; a host of squeezable froggies, “Moos” (cows), “Baabaa’s” (sheep), horses, “Woof-woofs”, and fish; and a towable Fisher Price yellow school bus that plays melodies. To make room for all the critters, Zander set all the original bus passengers aside . Anyone familiar with “Wheels on the Bus” on YouTube may note that farm animal are the featured passengers.
We have been enjoying taking him in the late afternoon to the park to feed ducks and run back and forth. At other times we play games at home. Last week, Gramma set up a toddler-sized table, toys and a basin filled with water in the living room. But Gramma had an upgrade in mind. Costco delivered the gift on Thursday. Gramma had it assembled on Friday. Babysitting for a couple hours tonight, Saturday, we had the waterpark “ribbon-cutting”. For an hour, Pop-pop, at the direction of a two year old, created the tide to move floating ducks, turtles, sheep, seals, doggies, fish and one, formerly a passenger in his “Yellow Bus” (“Wheels on the Bus”). “Mam-mam-mam” (Gramma) was given the duty to fill basins of water from the bathroom sink, filling the pool, and create the spray. Zander’s smiles made our night.
When a child is locked in the bathroom with water running and he says he’s doing nothing but the dog is barking, call 911.
Erma Bombeck
It's a Dog's Life 