"Inappropriate Grandpa"

A few months ago we came up with a little catch phrase that seems to have backfired into a comic routine which we visited several times a day, sometimes the most unlikely of places. As you know what a child hears, may very well be repeated, so one must be careful what they say – unless they have been deemed- Inappropriate Grandpa. Yes, I'm talking about my husband. If you know him or our children you will know where I'm coming from.

    At the end of the summer Steve and I , were enjoying an evening with our grand-daughter Savannah
at the Lamar Fair. Crowds of people stirred in all directions , but I held her hand firmly as we made our way across the court house lawn toward the rides. As we walked we talked about all the rides, which ones were her favorite and which one she would like to try first. She pointed and said, “The dragons are my favorite!” “ Daddy spins me round and round, “ forming tight fast circles with her finger. I said , Oh, that's fast ! She said , “ Yeah -but not too fast.” What else do you like, I asked her. As if to lay claim to all the rides she wanting to ride that night, she looked around and started naming them one by one. “ I like the bumper cars, the tug boat- that makes my tummy tickle, the....ya know the thing that goes up and down and its green!” “You mean the caterpillar roller coaster?” I asked. “ Yeah!” “ and the.... fun house …...,” she was going to go on, but , now on the other side of the fair grounds where the big kid rides were, Grandpa asked, “How about the Ferris wheel ? ” And pointed, to the lit up monster in the sky, “ it was my favorite when I was a boy.” “ Still is. Will you ride with me and grandma?” “No!” I hate the Ferris Wheel !” Savannah said coldly. “ Its scary.” Grandpa, always knowing the right thing to say, said flatly, “ Ya know, know your right – but only eight people were killed on them last year.” and left it at that. Her brow furrowed and then she looked at me questioning the validity of this comment- I told her he was kidding and just being inappropriate. Then he giggled.
 

Kids say the darn-est things- well , apparently grandpa's too.   These little quips happen so frequently I cannot even begin to recall them - perhaps I should note them  for future reference. I was looking for a photo to exemplify Steve and his eternal wit- this is what I  found- Kinda says it all.  We were on vacation in Utah with our daughter and I was having him pose for the camera with his friend- after about the sixth retake of cheesy smiles - this is what happened next.   We have the best time in our home saying silly things- laughter is the best medicine.   When Savannah was little she would point to pictures in a book with her middle finger - I suggested she point with your index finger- showing her how. She asked why she couldn't use the other one,  I said it was just proper to use her first finger.  Her Daddy  later explained - it's a grown up joke- but you shouldn't do it.  Over time Savannah learned she should not use "that finger"  "that's inappropriate!" she would say .