Suzy, Santa, Barbies and a Little Red Wagon
Ah, the innocence of a child. How I wish I had some of that innocence, but
then, don't we all?
We walked into the Rainbow for breakfast Saturday morning with our granddaughter
Taylor (my Suzy), 3
years old, and who should be there, but Santa Claus. An unbusy Santa who had
5-10 minutes to spend with just her. She was so happy and so tongue-tied, like
children get. He never stopped asking her questions because she
didn't seem to be able to find many words. She did, however, tell him she was
sure their chimney was too small for him.
Later, somewhere along the line, she asked Granddad if Santa would come to our
house again since she now has a house of her own for him to come to, but
believes their chimney is too small. She knows he can find her at our house, he
has before.
We put the tree up the other day, and her ornaments might be two, three or
four-deep on one branch, but
by golly, they're on the tree! She's not real excited about the fact that her
Barbie ornaments have to be Taylor's "Nana's house Barbies" and for the our tree
only, but we have gotten past that. She now has the "I don't like you" and "I'm
not going to spend the night with you anymore" business down pat, but we're
working on that, too.
Then, once we've expressed our anger and hurt, we get over it and the hugs come.
Works for me.
We went shopping the other day and came across the little red wagons. We
discussed getting one then decided against it, for whatever reasons. As we were
coming home I got to thinking about wagons and the purposes they served. In our
backyard we have the Stallman family wagon, which means it was at Grandma
Stallman's first, then moved to Reliance when Victoria, Sandy and Eddie moved
into town. I would venture to guess a lot of groceries were hauled from
Hank's Market to the house in that wagon. After Victoria passed away, the wagon
came to my house; I couldn't let it go on the auction block.
A "Red Flyer," I believe it is. I believe every Stallman grandchild has, at one
time or the other, ridden in that wagon or pulled it across the farm yard loaded
with all sorts of treasures ... children's treasures, or adults ... we all have
them.
It was a life saver for Victoria; many times as she hauled things to and
from St. Mary's Hall or St. Mary's Catholic Church, or even from the house to
the barn in the back yard. My grandchildren have pulled each other around in my
back yard and I've tried planting flowers in it, but it is too shallow. It is
always in the way when mowing time comes, but that's OK. It's getting pretty
rusty and tired, but that's OK, too. I get a warm fuzzy feeling when I see it
there.
So, as I thought about the little red wagon in the store, I wondered just how
much joy a child gets out of wagons anymore. Would Taylor get our money's worth
of enjoyment out of it, or would it just be in the way.
Mrs. Speck often spoke of the times she put her children in a wagon and pulled
them to town for groceries, or whatever. Loads of com cobs or pieces of wood
hauled to the house for the fire, buckets of water pulled from the
barrel to the house. Wagons were an investment as well as a gift to a child.
Why, shoot, I bet children even actually enjoyed hauling com cobs, coal, wood or
whatever, in their new wagon for Mom or Dad ! Well, the first few times,
anyway.
And, the "bang boards'! My gosh, didn't they fancy up a wagon? A kid could haul
twice as much stuff once the bang boards were put on the wagon and the toddler
didn't fall out anymore if you turned the comer too fast.
What a wonderful idea.
So, would Taylor like to have a wagon? My gosh ... I bet she would ... she could
put all 30 Barbies and their clothes, cosmetic bags, combs and brushes,
overnight bags, and surf boards and cars... whatever it is the fashion-
able Barbie has to have these days, in the thing.
And, do they still make bang boards? Maybe Ken could go along, too!
Later ... Christmas was good and yes, Ken gets to ride in the wagon with ALL
of the Barbies.
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