Our family loves babies. It wouldn't be much of an exaggeration to say that we worship them. I remember my mom saying that poor people had so many babies because they brought happiness into a life that didn't offer much more. As a young mother with five kids--and one more who was born when she was 40--she didn't have a lot of time to enjoy all her "happiness." But when the grandkids came along, it was a different story. I can still hear her laughing at the funny things they did and said. She got a lot of joy from them, from the time they were babies until well into their teens.
Mom taught me the Rules For Being A Grandma:
(1) Always say "yes" when asked if you can babysit, even if it means changing your plans.
(2) Hold an infant as much as you can, because no amount of snuggling is too much.
(3) Always let them see you smile and hear you laugh so they know how happy they make you. (And I've learned that it's okay to let them see your tears, too. Children are compassionate.)
(4) Let them eat what they enjoy. Contrary to what my daughter will tell you, it's up to their parents to be sure they get nutritious meals. Grandmas are supposed to be "sugary."
(5) If you don't want to spoil them with toys and treats, buy them a book. Never say no to a new book.
(6) Have them sleep over once in a while, and tell them they are your favorite. (If you have more than one, tell them not to tell the others.)
(7) Lighten up. Let them jump on the couch and climb on the counters. Just because your kids weren't allowed, it doesn't mean their kids shouldn't.
(8) If they cry when you have to reprimand them, tell them you were only kidding.
(Okay, that last one was mine. Mom never taught me that. She also didn't let them jump on the couch or climb on the counters.)
Mom never got to hold her great granddaughter, but I feel like she knows Charlie. She would have been a great great grandmother. I tell Charlie stories about her. She knows that I treasure the things I have from Great Grandma Rose, and she does, too. She's inherited a few things herself--her strong will and determination, her insistence that something be done the right way, her sense of style and her middle name--Charlotte Rose. Mom would be so proud.
Here's Charlie with the raccoon I crocheted for her birthday...
...and here's the glitter/glue picture of a birthday cake that Charlie started, because another Rule For Being A Grandma is that it's never too late in the day to start a messy art project. Maybe we'll even finish it someday.
Happy Birthday, Mom and Charlie. My heart is full.
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