Driving Miss Aria

This is my 3 month old granddaughter, Aria Nicole. She is sitting in her “Bumbo” chair watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on her daddy’s cell phone. Don’t worry, James is close by. He’s just taking care of some household chores. But knowing Aria is watching something Disney makes her Papa (that’s me) very happy. It’s never too early to introduce her to Disney’s “Fab Five.” This is especially true since Nickelodeon is the channel that’s usually on TV when she’s rocking in her baby seat. Sponge Bob already has the upper hand.

But developing Aria’s Disney fascination isn’t the subject of this post. It’s to express how blessed because I’ve had the opportunity to see my granddaughter on a regular basis these past 3 weeks. Over that time period I helped my son and daughter in law out by occasionally picking Aria up from daycare in the afternoon.

On Tuesday and Thursday afternoons much to my delight I’d fasten this happy little girl into her safety seat in the backseat of my Vue, turn on some children’s songs from my Ipod and off we’d head on down the road.

On a few days, after I had delivered her to her daddy at her house, I took advantage of the chance to spend some “quality time” with her. I bounced her on my knee, found out she sees me better when I wear a red t-shirt, and even got her to “talk” to me a bit. All of this was much to my delight.

This past Thursday was the last day they needed me to pick her up. As had become the routine when I arrived at the house, Penny, who takes care of her, put her in her car seat while I gather her diaper bag.

With diaper bag in hand, I went back to the baby carrier as Aria was just about strapped in. At that very second she caught sight of me and seemed to recognize me. She gave me a great big smile. She didn’t just smile. She smiled AT ME!!! (I wasn’t even wearing a red shirt)

Penny told her, “You just melted Papa’s heart” “You could have anything you wanted right now.” Both things were completely true. There couldn’t have been anything better thing to have happen on the last day I was going to be picking her up.

I don’t know if I’ll be there on Aria’s wedding day; but if I am I can promise you one thing. Out of the hundreds of memories that will run through my mind when I see her walk down that aisle today’s smile of recognition for her Papa will be among the first.

I consider it an honor, a privilege to have had the blessing of driving Miss Aria.