One Cookie Monster to Go, Please!!

For those of you who knew my father, you might say he could be a little over-zealous sometimes...A little. Back when my older sister, Michelle, was getting ready to graduate from high school, my dad became somewhat excited at the prospect of marrying his kids off and becoming a grandpa.

Many times, Dad would go uptown, running errands for Mom--half the time, he'd forget what he was going for and come back with something completely different! One such time, he came back with a talking Cookie Monster (from Sesame Street), exclaiming something to the effect of, "Isn't this great? It'll go to the first grandkid!" That first grandkid, of course, was Benjamin (Joe and Kara's boy). Ben received the Cookie Monster. A couple of years later, he shared it with Kaleb, his little brother. Upon Lucy's arrival, Kara, my sister-in-law, had the insight to send Cookie Monster on to Lucy. Thanks, Kara! As you can see, Lucy loves him! Well, she might not yet, but she will soon! He makes noises and says things like, "Yum, yum, yum! Me love cookies!"

For a long time, I've been sad to know that Ryan--and all my siblings' spouses (except Kara) will not know my dad. Likewise, Lucy and all her cousins will not have opportunity to get to know their Grandpa Atwood. Whatever the case, silly and excentric or not, Lucy--and perhaps all the grandkids, as we pass Cookie Monster from child to child--will at least have a piece of Grandpa Atwood.