DOWN HOME: Nobody home but us guys & the dog

The Great Moment finally arrived for Ezra, my one and only grandchild, and me. His mama, Lindsay, and grandmama, Joanna, left us home alone together under the careful supervision of my dog, Topanga.

This was not the first time I stayed home with a 15-month-old child. That happened in 1968, when I babysat my brother, Martin.

We were born almost 11 years apart. When Martin was tiny, Mother and Daddy hired an older babysitter a time or two. Then I told them: "I don't see why you hire a sitter for Martin. I have to do all the work, anyway."

So, they quit. I don't recall them paying me to keep Martin, but since I got free room and board, it probably was an even trade. Besides, we always played ball and generally had a grand time when our parents left us to ourselves.

Years later, I picked up valuable experience when Lindsay and her sister, Molly, came along. Being their daddy is the best, most fun, most rewarding thing I've ever done. So, I always enjoyed my time with our girls when Jo was gone.

And I only really messed up once. Jo always was great at telling the girls exactly what was about to happen. I never figured they paid that much attention, so I ignored that lesson.

But one night, while Jo attended a meeting up at the church, I stayed home with Lindsay and Molly. Suddenly, I remembered the garbage collectors were coming the next morning. We lived in a split-level home, and the girls were upstairs, and the trash barrel was downstairs in the garage. So, I decided to drag it out to the curb without mentioning I'd be outside for, oh, two minutes. By the time I got back, Lindsay realized I wasn't in the house, and she had whipped herself and her little sister into a tear-gushing, snot-blowing panic. At least I learned a lesson about kid communication.

I'm happy to say nothing like that happened when Ezra and I stayed home together. We had a blast playing with blocks and explaining the names of things. I called them "finger,"?"nose," "door," "TV" and "ceiling fan." I can't pronounce Ezra's words for them, which mostly consist of the sounds of consonants and the letter U.

We also took Topanga for a long walk, with Ezra riding in the stroller and pointing at cars, trees and squirrels that caught his interest. I taught him the "boy names" for some objects, but since he's too young to repeat them, I probably won't get in trouble with his mama. Yet.

To be quite honest, I didn't think I was ready to be a grandparent 18 months ago. Grandparenting is for "old" people. But from the moment I heard him wail his welcome to the world, Ezra owned my heart. That bond grows every time we're together, as his self-awareness expands, opening territory to deepen our relationship.

Sometimes, God gives us blessings we don't even know we need.