Hooray for Grandchildren!
Having grandchildren is your prize for surviving your child's puberty. This is especially appreciated if you (an only child) have more than one child and eventually multiple grandchildren arrive. The thought of having grandchildren some day may be the only thread you hang on to when your own children are testing their independence of you.
I have to laugh when I remember my dad telling me, "I hope someday you have a child Just Like You". I laugh because I used to think that was a compliment. The day I realized what he really meant by that phrase was the day I determined to get my own "revenge" on some future day.
My two sons tested me daily, as most children do. It's a natural product of growth. I remember waiting for them to become more independent, and when they did, I remember wondering why I wished that upon myself. That began at approximately 2 years of age for them...the terrible twos was not a misnomer.
Now I can laugh!
I remember some of those days; now I have to laugh. There was the day that my youngest son came toddling down the steps from his bedroom, a narrow plastic tube held in his mouth like a cigarette. (Neither of his parents smoked, but he had grandparents who smoked). I intercepted him navigating his way down the stairs and said "where did you get that?" as I removed the tube from between his little teeth. He pointed up the stairs and said one word, "Chris".
Uh oh, I thought it had been a bit too quiet in their bedroom. I quietly walked into the room looking for big brother Chris (who was about 4 or so at the time) and found him quietly lining things up on his windowsill. Little white mouse-shaped objects made of white cotton and tailing strings.
Yep, half a box of tampons opened, "disassembled" and placed in a line like so many little white mice. Just when you think you have everything put away out of reach.
Then there was the day big brother found a hole in a bedrest, and proceeded to pull out as much stuffing as his chubby little hands could manage out of the corduroy-covered pillow and...throwing all the stuffing on to his brother, napping in the crib on a 85-degree summer afternoon.
Like sun following a rainy day
There were lots of "rainy day" moments when I wondered how I was going to make it through mommyhood. I read lots of childcare articles and all my friends and I commiserated with each other after "bedtime". I never looked so forward to bedtime as I did during those early years of motherhood. Two babies in diapers and neither one anxious for potty-training! Oh, the humanity. And their lucky Daddy got to go to work every day!
Time passes along with all the various stages of childhood and it is at that point that you find yourself not only wishing where the time went, but wishing you could have some of it back. Before you know it your babies are in high school, college and out into the world.
My wish was realized!
In time, both sons married and children were welcomed to the family. Hooray! Kyle in 1997, and over the next 5 years or so joined by siblings Connor and Kacie and cousin Elias. Boyhowdy! Now I was going to be the Nana! That meant I could remember all those days and activities spent grooming their fathers for manhood and fatherhood, sit back and...wish I had lots of those days back to enjoy.
Being a grandparent means you relive the days when you were just a "parent" and wondering if you were ever going to "get it right". It's when you become a grandparent, look at your adult children, and really see if in fact you DID get it right. I am truly blessed to be able to say that with a lot of help, the babies who grew into little boys and then adult men are now both amazing fathers to their own children. There are many people in that journey to thank including the boys' father, the grandparents, aunts and uncles, friends and teachers. Every person in their lives contributed a bit to who they are today.
Even today, both men are still listening to and even accepting some advice from their parents, step-parents and even a great-grandmother! As I said, I am truly blessed!
The summer week that is just beginning...and the one I am dreading to see end
Connor and Kacie's flight arrived from Orlando to Philadelphia where they were met by one set of grandparents. They stopped by our house to say "hi", play with Mollie and visit with their Great Grandma. It's always so exciting to see them! Fred and I haven't seen them since Thanksgiving, and Connor has had a major growth spurt!
Both he and Kacie are, well, they are both truly extraordinary..intelligent, talented, goal oriented, and so personable! OK, maybe I am just a teensy bit prejudiced! Hey, if you do not believe your own grandchildren are the best and most precious things alive today, then I have serious doubts about your motives.
Their week here in Pennsylvania will be chock full of activity, and much of it has already been planned out for them by the eager grandparents. I don't know who is more excited for the fun to begin, but we are going to have absolutely wonderful adventures! As the week progresses I will be able to add our own experiences with them. In the meantime, we have a little photo to display of Kacie, their Great Grandma (my mom), and Connor. Bring on the
fun! More photos to follow!
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| Kacie, Great Grandma, Connor 2014 |
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| Kyle, Connor, Kacie 2010 |
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| Elias, Dave, Great Gradma 2013 |
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