Oma Time

Today I went to a well-baby appointment with my granddaughter and her mother. I am amused at myself as I write this, because now that I have grandchildren, they are always greeted and/or referenced before their parents. I love their parents dearly, but the love I have for the children of my children is entirely different in nature. I am besotted by those little people, ages 18 and 6 months. I remember the babyhoods of my own children, and I was besotted with them too, but it was tempered with so many other concerns around providing for them and raising them to be good people. These babies I can just enjoy, as I try not to break too many parental rules. I wonder if all grandparents have as big a problem remembering the parental rules as I do. Sometimes I feel like a little child, admitting my transgressions when I mess up and waiting to see if I will be disciplined, or if mercy will be shown toward my grandparent fueled disobedience. Luckily, my children are very merciful, and I have only been in serious trouble a few times, although I am aware that I have caused severe frustration on multiple ocassions. The doctor's visit went well, my granddaughter got her shots, took them like they were minor irritants, and growled (yes, growled) in the most adorably fierce way at the doctor for having the temerity to stick her. She got what amounted to an A+ in her progress, and my daughter was happy. I just followed them around everywhere, even out to get weighed and measured, because I didn't want to miss anything. I am such a living cartoon of a grandparent, and I don't care. My grandson comes to visit Oma and PawPaw almost every weekend. He is such a joy to us. He follows us around, "helps" sweep the floor, bangs the pots around, dances and spins circles in the floor, and points to the door to go outside. He does not have many words he can use yet, but he makes his meaning known very well with hand movements. It would not surprise me if when he does start talking, he sounded like a college professor, merely having waited long enough to be able to form all the words correctly. Often I think about the little babies out there who are not well loved and protected, and think how I would like to take them all in and care for them. My husband would object, however. He loves children too, but is much more practical about the amount of work that they require. Still, I would like to do more, and feel so incredibly grateful that our babies are so well loved and have such a strong support system around them. We are truly blessed.