Growing Older, Staying Young

Since my last post, we've welcomed a newcomer to our family. He is now 18 months old, and I am experiencing my 14th year of grandparenting. My 57th birthday is fast approaching and is partially responsible for my lapse in keeping up with this blog. As my husband retires this month, we both are experiencing a paradigm in our roles, dreams, and views of life in our golden years. One of those realizations is that the young growing years are the most important for us to stay connected with our grandkids. While they are young, they look forward to our visits, and we enjoy watching them play and frolic around us. With the age span of our grandkids, we've already seen how quickly they grow. Soon enough the teenage years take them off on their own path of exploration, leaving us sitting alone in our rocking chairs. We are determined to keep each other moving, healthy, and young at heart. We will continue to enjoy our grandkids, as long as they have time for us old folks.

Playing on the Phone

This morning while I was talking with my daughter, I could hear my granddaughter sounding sad in the background. My daughter informed me that Kenzie couldn't find her little toy doggie. I teasingly said it ran away to my house, which brought her to the phone. I told her it was here visiting with my dog, Tasse but I would tell it to go home. "He'll be home soon. Maybe he's hiding in your closet." I played along. I wish I were there to play with her in person, but this was the next best thing.

Soft-hearted Sentiments

I am on the way home from visiting my older brother in Nevada. Ever since my granddaughter was born, he has made remarks that she has her whole life ahead of her and he may not be around much longer. This was the first time he met my husband and my son. I visited him 5 years ago and that was the first time I'd seen him in about 20 years. Knowing how quickly the years go by and how easily life gets in the way of our good intentions, motivates me to keep in touch with my grandkids. I hope time and life never get in the way...

Staying Connected

I've probably said this a million times, I always thought I'd be close by my kids and remain a part of their lives. Well, life has other plans. They grow up and move away, and if you are very lucky, they keep in touch. My daughter has done an excellent job of keeping me informed of their daily lives. That's the best part, the ordinary going-ons of their days. It helps me picture them there in their home. When she calls with a triumphant report of Kenzie's potty training, I hear her announce in the background, "I did it!". These little things she calls to tell me are 'big' things to me. I AM a part of their lives.

Treat Treasures

Packing for a visit with our grandkids always involves more than our personal items. I start months ahead of time collecting small gifts to take to them. Mostly books. The drive takes us about 8 to 10 hours depending how long our leg-stretch breaks take. I packed a cooler with bottles of water and our favorite Lipton Green Tea with Citrus. To minimize our stops and stave off hunger, I packed an eco-friendly grocery bag of snacks. When we arrived at our daughter's house, the bag was stashed in a corner in the kitchen. Our little granddaughter spent the whole weekend investigating the treats in that bag, each day discovering something new to taste. She'd alternately beg or sneak a bite of CHEEZ-ITs, or Reese's Pieces. Fortunately, there were still a few items left for us to munch on our return trip. When we got back home and started unpacking, I found a tiny Barbie Doll blouse in the bag--evidence of Kenzie's treat raids during our visit. Was she sharing her special things with us? Or was she insuring our return? No doubt about it, the summer cleaning projects can wait. We are already planning our return visit to meet our new grandbaby in October.

Too Big for Kisses

At the end of our Memorial weekend visit with our grandkids, I scooped up first my granddaughter then my grandson and kissed up each cheek. Little Makenzie giggled through it, and Cedric smiled. He's getting close to being too big for kisses. He tolerates it with smiles because he sees us only twice, sometimes three times a year. If we lived close by I probably wouldn't get away with it. That last night, my husband stayed up late. I hugged Ced goodnight and felt his little warm body. I teased him that he should come to bed with me to be my heater, since Papa was staying up. After I dressed for bed, Cedric came quietly in and asked if I really wanted him to sleep with me until Papa came to bed. He promised Papa he'd wake up and go to his bed on the couch when he was ready to come to bed. He is eleven, and a half. I guess he's not too big for kisses from Gubba.

Book Talk

We're visiting our grandkids for this Memorial Weekend. I brought books for the kids. I always bring books. Books for me to read, and books for gifts for them. Always books. I guess it's a grandma's job. The title of one book is "Grandma and Me". It's a lift-the-flap book. It begins by asking Who's at the door. You guessed it, it's grandma and she brought books. As we sat visiting, my granddaughter asked if she could have some Cheese-its we brought with us. I teased her that she could only have one. She said, "Only one, not too much." She kept jabbering something. My daughter explained it's a book they read. They held this whole book talk. She made a connection from one word in our conversation to a book she reads regularly with mom. Two and a half and she loves reading. She'll sit and read the new books over and over. Since I got here we've read the books twice. After each one she says, "What next?" That's the best thing about books, there is always another to read.