Grandmas get all the glory around here. Yep. Nothing gets the kids more excited than the statement, "Grandma's coming over!" That simple phrase is followed by wide-eyed excitement, jumping and shouts of "YAY!", multiple trips to the window watching for the special Grandma vehicle, and Tubby walking around the house calling out, "Mah-Mah! Mah-Mah!", as loud as his little two-year old lungs will allow. And no matter how long or short in between visits, the excitement level is always top notch.
My mom has been coming over at least once a week for the past few months to help out, let me rest, and to play with Laura and Tubby during the day. This has been the biggest help, as Laura spends most of every day begging for someone to play with while all the kids are at school, and somehow becoming perfectly incapable of finding something to do on her own. She is also one of those kids where you "give her an inch and she takes a mile".....so the days that I succumb to her pressure of play, even with solid limits on time, become a never ending tyraid of "let's play this, let's play that", and so on. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE playing with my kids, and I WISH there were nothing else in my day to get in the way of that. But, I do NOT have a maid, a cook, or a laundry service, or someone to wheel me around from place to place on a mobile bed, so bummer on a world of constant playtime. While we have been going to Abbott 2-3 times a week, Grandma has been meeting us down there(sometimes with Grandpa,too), and miraculously keeping the kids entertained in the boring hospital for hours on end.
Grandma fits the bill of a perfect playmate. She somehow has the energy to be enthused, captivated, and entertaining.....for hours at a time. She is fun, kind, loving, and funny. Not boring, like Mommy! She will read books, play dollhouse, make believe with stuffed animals, play with cars, and even play video games. And she's even good at it!! She also brings treats, buys McDonald's for lunch, and other great after school snacks. Oh, and when Grandma gets to sleep over, the girls' excitement bubble is almost enough to lift the roof! She does the dishes, scrubs floors, and would do the laundry if I had any organized to go. On therapy days, she makes dinner for everyone while Melissa and I are gone until dinner time. A few weeks ago, Melissa stated she liked it when I was in the hospital for so long (more than two weeks). Because then Grandma comes over to take care of them and makes them breakfast before school. I guess she is tired of Zbars and granola she needs to inhale in the truck every morning on her way.
Grandma ? drops by when she can, and is greeted with the same enthusiasm. She is immediately attacked by little arms pulling her this way and that, demanding her attention and playing talents. She will go anywhere....upstairs into the messy pit of danger (their room), the basement to ride plasma cars, down to the park to play in the dusty rocks. No rest for her at this house. No visit is complete without one of the kids begging her to take them back to the farm for a few days.
Both Grandmas are terrific supporters of kids' activities (as are Grandpa and Lyle when they are able to make it)....and the kids are usually treated to a nice sized cheering section, even without their own siblings in the audience. They come to plays, hockey games, long-winded school concerts, special days at schools, special fundraising events, award ceremonies, you name it.
Grandmas are pretty great......I look forward to being one someday. I only hope I have even half as much energy as these two do!!!
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