We made it through our several days of having the grandchildren with us. It was wonderful. By the time they left, we were just getting back into the swing of handling two young children. We were getting up bright and early, and had the schedule down pat. We were just beginning to be able to decipher the three-year old’s language. She was very patient with us, and repeated herself many times, and even figured out how to explain herself so we could understand her. The baby had a teething diaper rash, which we had finally gotten under some sort of control after a trip to the store. Just for future reference, the new-fangled organic non-greasy creams don’t do much of a thing. You get that old-fashioned thick, gooey Desitin ointment, and that stuff takes care of a diaper rash!
We returned the kids to their parents last night, and took everyone out for dinner. The kids were as thrilled to see mom and dad as mom and dad were to see them. Especially mom. Do you have any idea how much stuff is necessary for the care of two young children? I do. I packed the car, including two box fans, a laundry basket of stuff for each child, a booster seat, safety gate, bumper pads for our crib, two car seats, and miscellaneous toiletries such as toothbrushes. Oh, and the dog with his food, bowls, leash, and treats.
We sang songs on the ride to their house. Well, I guess I did most of the singing. They were entertained for the most part, as we were stuck in traffic. Even the dog seemed to find it amusing. Ga (their name for me) is a funny lady!
When mom took the oldest to the bathroom at the restaurant, she took her mother’s face in her hands to look directly at her and told her mom very seriously “Ga’s going to miss me very much. But it’s okay, we’ll see her again.”
How true.
Just My Life 
Our car has a duplicate set of car seats for the grand kids… easier than taking the damn seats out and installing them back and forth in different cars.
When my wife and I are out and about, I wonder what people think when they see this “older” couple getting in/out of our Camry with child seats in it.
By: Robert the Skeptic on June 30, 2010
at 7:03 pm
I hope you do not have to wait too long before you see them again. You sound to have been a great hit!
By: sweffling on June 30, 2010
at 7:33 pm
Dang it! is someone cutting onions in here….sniffle sniffle…..Glad you had a good time with the kiddo’s…..sniffle sniffle…..damn onions!….
By: redriverpak on June 30, 2010
at 7:59 pm
Young kids require an extraordinary amount of “stuff.” I was so happy to leave behind the car seat years!
By: secret agent woman on July 1, 2010
at 9:00 pm
Me, too. It’s amazing how quickly they have returned!
By: chlost on July 2, 2010
at 8:18 am
AWWWWW. What sweetness.
I am totally envious that your grandkids get to have you in their lives; my mom has been a startlingly absent grandmother, and it’s been hard for me to accept what she is able to give. So I admire–LOUDLY–grandmothers like you, who show up and help out the middle generation in the ways you can. Wow.
My mom comes next week for a 9-day visit, and I’m already talking to myself about how her yearly visits are nice, but they end up feeling mostly like we have three children instead of two. She does say “thank you” when we bring he food out to the hammock where she’s reading, though.
Kudos to you.
By: Jocelyn on July 2, 2010
at 12:01 am
My mom was like that with my kids. I want to be a different kind of grandparent than she has been. She actually moved away from us when our oldest was 6 months old. No weekends with the grandkids for her-or them.
By: chlost on July 2, 2010
at 8:21 am