Grandkids

Honestly, Grandkids are the best! I've heard that they are your reward for not killing your kids. It's true! Ok, so 99% of the time I had no desire to kill my kids, but each of them had their moments. There are times when you wonder if they will ever grow up to be a responsible, productive, sensible adult capable of holding down a job and living on their own, let alone able to raise children of their own. Yet, somehow, they are all on their way. Even better, two of them are now parents. Now it's their turn to go through those joys and anxieties.

As the Grandma, I now get some of the best parts of parenting, without the tedium and late nights. I absolutely love playing with my grandkids. It is so much fun to sit on the floor and play Noah's Ark, hide and seek, crawl and chase, tickling, bouncing, jumping on the tramp, etc., etc., etc. Ok, I did some of that with my own kids, but they grew up and I wonder if I spent enough time playing with them. There were so many other responsibilities, especially as a single parent. But as Grandma, I can set aside time to play with them and really be with them and enjoy every moment of it. It does help that I know they (or I) will go home. It does help that I know I will get a good night's sleep whether the grand child does or not. It also helps that I have time away from them, to keep up on my own responsibilities.

I get to spend time with Zoe on Friday nights. Two weeks ago I went to her house and boy did we have fun. We played Noah's Ark, the animals were talking to her and trying to have a conversation, which is difficult with a 15 mo. old, but we tried! We put the animals in and out of the Ark, open and closed the door and took the top on and off. We played hide and seek in the hall as well as tag. We laughed and tickled and cuddled and had a blast!! This week she came to my house and learned to play the kazoo. She picked it up really fast! We also played outside. She really like the new concrete at Ansje's house, tried repeatedly to give Tara hugs. Climbed up the stairs to both back doors and climbed the front concrete stairs repeatedly. We read books, and had lots of cuddle time. It was great!!

When I spend time with Tyler and Henry, we do many of the same things although the boys are definately more active. More running and hiding and chasing and bouncing. I got to jump on a trampoline way more than I ever have before. Okay, so I had never spent more than about 2 minutes on a tramp before. I learned to give Tyler a bounce so that he would go up more that I did. I also learned to do a sit and stand jump. Tyler loved playing on the tramp with me. Henry wasn't so sure. It is harder when just keeping your balance on the tramp is still a bit of a challenge.

I got to watch the two boys while Amy and Vaughn went to Seattle for Amy's half marathon. That was such a blast. Henry is really a mommy's boy at this point in his life. If mom is around, grandma falls to the bottom of the list, Dad is obviously next most popular and Grandma Nelson is way up the list too. He just doesn't know me as well, so it's okay. (Grandma Nelson obviously has the advantage of time with him, but I think all the good food she offers is also part of it. Henry likes to eat!) But when it was just Tyler, Henry and I we had fun. I got lots of Henry cuddles!

Tyler seems to remember me each time he sees me. Some of that probably goes back to the time they lived with me and I had the opportunity to spend lots of time with him. Each time I come, Tyler gives me lots and lots of great cuddles! I love it!!! He and I also spend LOTS of time reading books. I think we read every book he has! He is such a great kid! It is so fun watching him grow.

Okay, each of my grandchildren are awesome and amazing individuals. And individuals they are! They are very different from each other and I rejoice in their differences. They are so amazing! I wish I could spend more time with each of them, but I rejoice in the time I get. It is all the more precious for its rarity. As I already stated: Grandchildren are the best!!

Don't worry Scott and Stephanie, I will love your children just as much as I love the 3 I have now. No hurry!

P.S. Disclaimer......this does not in any way diminish the love I have for my own children and their spouses, who are also my own children! You are each amazing in your own way and I am very proud of the things you are doing with your lives. Thanks for being willing to share your children, present and future, with me!

Please don't pass away from the shock!!

Okay, so this is what, my 3rd blog in 8 months? What a challenge this blank space is!! I love reading my children's blogs. I learn so much about their lives and what is happening, what they think about things and how they're doing. Yet when faced with my own empty space my mind goes blank!

It's summer and I love it. I love to get up in the mornings and go sit outside with my dogs, pull up my pajama pant legs and pull up my sleeves and get a little sun. It just makes me happy. I put on my hat; bring out my breakfast and a book. I pet my dogs for a while, usually not as long as they think I should. Then read a little while I eat my breakfast (usually a slim fast or a Luna bar). I don't stay out there very long, but it helps to get my day started.

After that I really should get busy, there is so much to do, but dang it all, it's summer! Shouldn't there be time to read, play on the computer, exercise, rest and relax? So I keep doing that and don't get my "TO DO" list done.

Next fall, I will be working full time and taking 9 credit hours of graduate school. I know that if I don't get things done now my life will be way more stressful and it's going to be bad enough! In the last 2 years I've noticed that I've gotten sick a lot more than is normal for me. I'm sure it is because I'm stressed by graduate school. Then to top it all off I got shingles which is a for sure sign of high stress. So I NEED to get some things organized for fall.

I think the problem is that the list is so long I sometimes feel like it will never go away and I might as well play or there will never be a chance. I have 3 categories. School - meaning things to do for High School; Personal - things to do around the house, exercise, hobbies, etc; and Graduate School - things to finish up from last semester when I had shingles and getting ready for my senior recital in February. Some things overlap. Music I pick for my graduate recital will be sung by my high school students, so I need to plan for that. A quilt I want to make will hang at school if I can ever get it done. As I organize things in my house I find things I need for my notebook for last semester, although I've lost some papers and can't find them anywhere, so I finally broke down and redid them. So, you get the idea.

I'd rather sit in the sun, cuddle my dogs and read a book!