Where does all the time go?

It seems like not too long ago I was writing about my amazement that I was to become a grandma, and now, the little sprout is one-and-a-half years old and has a little brother. Like millions of my sisters, I have reached the age of looking into my past, and looking forward into my future, and seeing it through eyes that understand the wonder of new generations and wide-eyed, innocent new life. I am suspicious of the innocence though when I see the (can I get away with it?) look in little Benny's shining trusting eyes as he checks whether I really mean it when I say "no. Stay out of that box of candy."







Little Ephraim , on the other hand, has no mischeif in his sweet eyes yet, and if his wise, scrunchy little features make him look a little older than two weeks and earn him the nickname "Mr. Magoo", he is nevertheless as cute and lovable as he could be, and we welcome him with open hearts.




But when I asked "where does all the time go?" in the title of this post, I was thinking of something else -- the stretchiness of time -- and the timeless question, "what have I accomplished today?" that every mother asks herself at the end of a day when she surveys the messy house and uncooked dinner. And now I know. I timed it. The ocassion was the necessity of sewing five buttons on a shirt, a five to ten minute job. This is how it breaks down:

Finding needles and thread: 30 seconds.
Wiping Benny's nose: 2 minutes
Threading needle: 60 seconds (but it only took so long because my grandmother eyesight is not as good as it used to be).
Graciously accepting three pieces of lint from Benny's hand: 3 minutes (and giving them back and getting them back and giving them back and ....)
Knotting thread and sewing first stitch: 30 seconds.
Answering phone: 4 minutes
Cleaning up (with Benny's help) button box spilled by Benny: 7 minutes
Finding needle among the crumpled shirt cloth: 60 seconds
Sewing two more stitches: 30 seconds
Taking Benny to bathroom and cleaning up his sneeze: 3 minutes
Taking button box out of Benny's hand and putting it out of reach: 60 seconds
Playing Patty-cake with Benny: 3 minutes
Wiping Benny's nose: 30 seconds
Givng Benny some cheerios: 30 seconds
Earnest discussion with Benny on importance of not throwing cheerios on the floor: 2 minutes
Cleaning cheerios off floor (with benny's help): 2 minutes
Playing "monster's gonna get you" with Benny: 3 minutes
Finding needle among crumpled shirt cloth: 30 seconds
Catching Benny and wiping his nose: 60 seconds
Finding needle: 30 seconds
Comforting Benny who has tripped over the carpet edge: 2 minutes
Kissing Benny and giving him back to his mom: 60 seconds
Finishing sewing the first button and the other four, and putting everything away: 6 minutes

Grand total: 45 minutes and 30 seconds
.
.
.
.

Is Benny adorable? YES
Am I getting much done when he's around? NO
Do I love being a grandma? YES!!!
.
.
.
So anyways, now I know where the time goes....