Manny Times - July 29, 2017
(Note: I have permission from Manny’s mom to share this story. 😊)
The name Emmanuel means “God with Us” – though I expect Manny’s parents, Tammy and Glen, were wondering if perhaps what they had was a Tasmanian Devil (à la Bugs Bunny.)
Not that our grandnephew Manny was mischievous – not in the least – he has always been a sweet child. But I had never seen so much energy, fearlessness, and appetite in a baby, toddler, and tot.
Our daughter and son-in-law, Anna and Neal, looked after 18-month-old Manny while his mom and dad were in hospital having his brother Nate (Nathaniel.) Manny could climb out of anything, including a crib that was more than a jail cell. He could play soccer with anything that wasn’t hammered down, and could skate using toy trucks and cars.
We went with Anna and Manny to get Emma (our granddaughter) from Junior Kindergarten. Once out of his stroller (which he didn’t need but we wanted to lock the child down,) he made a beeline to the climber and scrambled up it before we could get there ourselves. He fell off it – thud – onto the sand (not concrete.) We were horrified. He shook his hair to get the sand out - he has long curly locks – said “Brrr” and immediately started back up the climber – this time with two spotters (us.)
The next spring and summer we saw even more of Manny – we had settled into St. Catharines by then – and would occasionally take Emma and him out on jaunts. We chose safe places like Happy Rolph’s and Port Dalhousie beach. By safe, we mean lots of room to run, and lots of sand and grass to land in.
It worked fairly well. Emma liked to lead us around – she has “leadership potential” (what we used to call bossiness. Just kidding Anna!) And we two adults would try to contain Manny. Always the risk that he’d toss himself into Lake Ontario, or fall out of a tree. The only way we could convince him to be happily strapped back down in the van was with promises of Tim Horton’s Timbits. He’d have his three gone while Emma was still looking at hers.
This summer, Manny is the big four and a hefty 70 pounds. And thankfully, he’s grown out of his Tasmanian Devil stage into what I call a “Wandering Angel.” He’s very cherubic, but he still likes to wander off – just at a slower pace. There are so many sweet incidents with him – but I’ll limit myself to four.
At Sunday School, Emma, another student, another teacher (Julie), Manny and I were heading down some stairs. Manny stood at the top and made a backwards “C” motion with his hand and said, in a deep voice, “After you…” Julie and I just chuckled and said, “It’s OK Manny, you can go.” He then gave us a look like we were foolish puppies, made the C motion even larger and said in a deeper and louder voice, “AFTER YOU!!!!” We got it this time.
Manny got some birthday money and his mom asked him how he would like to spend it. He said, “I want to buy flowers for Emma.” Tammy waited to see whether or not this was a passing fancy, but he was certain. “I want to buy flowers for Emma!” And so he did. (Aww…)
We looked after Manny the other morning while his mom had a doctor’s appointment. I asked her to send a lunch along in case he didn’t like our food. We’re used to our granddaughter Emma who eats very little and is very limiting in what she will eat. (No big deal. Anna was like this at Emma’s age.) Tammy assured us he would eat anything, but would send us some Kraft dinner. I was expecting one of those little individual serving packages. It was a whole box!
I thought I should offer him a choice – Emma likes choices – so I offered Kraft dinner or baked beans. “Actually,” he said, “I’d really like some meat.” Laurence and I just hooted – we’re vegans.
I said to Laur, “I’ll just make up half a box – I don’t want to waste it.” Laur said, “I don’t know about that...” So, I made the whole box. When it came time to put on the mix and margarine and cheese, I didn’t add any cow’s milk because we don’t have any. I added a little extra boiled water to it. Manny says, “Hmm. That’s not how my mom makes it!” I sat him at the kitchen table. He took one big bite and said, “That’s delicious!” He then finished off two big bowls in a few minutes, leaving just a tad left (that Laur looked at nostalgically, I must say.)
I put some songs from Veggie Tales on while he was playing with various toys. What could be sweeter than a four-year-old boy with a deep voice singing along to “Oh where is my hairbrush?!” Especially since his Trinidadian curls cannot be brushed, only combed and “picked.”
*****
Manny now has two adorable curly-haired siblings. Nate means “to give” – and he is a very nurturing child. Loves to help his mom and dad do chores, and treasures his baby sister Vivian. We don’t take him out with us because he’s at that age where he wants to only be with his mom and dad. No problemo. Our son Tom was like that and he turned out to be our world traveler.
Vivian is also well-named. Her name means “full of life” and she is a going concern, to put it calmly. If anything, she is toddler Manny times two. She learned to walk a week ago, which means by now she’s tearing around the house on roller blades.
Tammy’s and Glen’s last name is “Peters” – which means “the rock.” With baby Viv now mobile, they’ll need to be made of solid stuff! 😊
The name Emmanuel means “God with Us” – though I expect Manny’s parents, Tammy and Glen, were wondering if perhaps what they had was a Tasmanian Devil (à la Bugs Bunny.)
Not that our grandnephew Manny was mischievous – not in the least – he has always been a sweet child. But I had never seen so much energy, fearlessness, and appetite in a baby, toddler, and tot.
Our daughter and son-in-law, Anna and Neal, looked after 18-month-old Manny while his mom and dad were in hospital having his brother Nate (Nathaniel.) Manny could climb out of anything, including a crib that was more than a jail cell. He could play soccer with anything that wasn’t hammered down, and could skate using toy trucks and cars.
We went with Anna and Manny to get Emma (our granddaughter) from Junior Kindergarten. Once out of his stroller (which he didn’t need but we wanted to lock the child down,) he made a beeline to the climber and scrambled up it before we could get there ourselves. He fell off it – thud – onto the sand (not concrete.) We were horrified. He shook his hair to get the sand out - he has long curly locks – said “Brrr” and immediately started back up the climber – this time with two spotters (us.)
The next spring and summer we saw even more of Manny – we had settled into St. Catharines by then – and would occasionally take Emma and him out on jaunts. We chose safe places like Happy Rolph’s and Port Dalhousie beach. By safe, we mean lots of room to run, and lots of sand and grass to land in.
It worked fairly well. Emma liked to lead us around – she has “leadership potential” (what we used to call bossiness. Just kidding Anna!) And we two adults would try to contain Manny. Always the risk that he’d toss himself into Lake Ontario, or fall out of a tree. The only way we could convince him to be happily strapped back down in the van was with promises of Tim Horton’s Timbits. He’d have his three gone while Emma was still looking at hers.
This summer, Manny is the big four and a hefty 70 pounds. And thankfully, he’s grown out of his Tasmanian Devil stage into what I call a “Wandering Angel.” He’s very cherubic, but he still likes to wander off – just at a slower pace. There are so many sweet incidents with him – but I’ll limit myself to four.
At Sunday School, Emma, another student, another teacher (Julie), Manny and I were heading down some stairs. Manny stood at the top and made a backwards “C” motion with his hand and said, in a deep voice, “After you…” Julie and I just chuckled and said, “It’s OK Manny, you can go.” He then gave us a look like we were foolish puppies, made the C motion even larger and said in a deeper and louder voice, “AFTER YOU!!!!” We got it this time.
Manny got some birthday money and his mom asked him how he would like to spend it. He said, “I want to buy flowers for Emma.” Tammy waited to see whether or not this was a passing fancy, but he was certain. “I want to buy flowers for Emma!” And so he did. (Aww…)
We looked after Manny the other morning while his mom had a doctor’s appointment. I asked her to send a lunch along in case he didn’t like our food. We’re used to our granddaughter Emma who eats very little and is very limiting in what she will eat. (No big deal. Anna was like this at Emma’s age.) Tammy assured us he would eat anything, but would send us some Kraft dinner. I was expecting one of those little individual serving packages. It was a whole box!
I thought I should offer him a choice – Emma likes choices – so I offered Kraft dinner or baked beans. “Actually,” he said, “I’d really like some meat.” Laurence and I just hooted – we’re vegans.
I said to Laur, “I’ll just make up half a box – I don’t want to waste it.” Laur said, “I don’t know about that...” So, I made the whole box. When it came time to put on the mix and margarine and cheese, I didn’t add any cow’s milk because we don’t have any. I added a little extra boiled water to it. Manny says, “Hmm. That’s not how my mom makes it!” I sat him at the kitchen table. He took one big bite and said, “That’s delicious!” He then finished off two big bowls in a few minutes, leaving just a tad left (that Laur looked at nostalgically, I must say.)
I put some songs from Veggie Tales on while he was playing with various toys. What could be sweeter than a four-year-old boy with a deep voice singing along to “Oh where is my hairbrush?!” Especially since his Trinidadian curls cannot be brushed, only combed and “picked.”
*****
Manny now has two adorable curly-haired siblings. Nate means “to give” – and he is a very nurturing child. Loves to help his mom and dad do chores, and treasures his baby sister Vivian. We don’t take him out with us because he’s at that age where he wants to only be with his mom and dad. No problemo. Our son Tom was like that and he turned out to be our world traveler.
Vivian is also well-named. Her name means “full of life” and she is a going concern, to put it calmly. If anything, she is toddler Manny times two. She learned to walk a week ago, which means by now she’s tearing around the house on roller blades.
Tammy’s and Glen’s last name is “Peters” – which means “the rock.” With baby Viv now mobile, they’ll need to be made of solid stuff! 😊