Grandma-Sitting Adventures

It has been almost two years since I started this blog and the one thing I haven’t written about is being a Grandma! How could that be, when it is one of the highlights and greatest blessing of my life? So what better time to write about them and the adventures thereof then after watching them for three nights.

Let me set this up for you … Wednesday I went to boot camp for the first time in three weeks. I was also coming down with something but wasn’t sure what. My husband had a bad cold and I work in an elementary school, so it could be anything. All I know is I’m walking like I just got off a horse, my head is pounding, I am unusually tired, but here are my babies for the next three days and nights. 

The Adventure Begins

Friday was an ok day. My throat is a little sore, and vertigo seems to be knocking on my door, but little things like that won’t keep us Mom’s or Grandma’s down. The day must go on!

Gigi (my mom) arrived to help me so I can to go to work. After taking three Advil, I leave a two and four-year-old to go handle a bunch of K-5 kids screaming, yelling and not listening for a couple of hours. I left promising my babies we would take them to buy toys for the weekend as soon as I got back from work.

I return a few hours later and all was well. Gigi is pretty amazing. We get the kids in the car and head out to the toy store. We are heading down the parkway, my mom and I trying to converse, and the kids are yelling out all different kids songs they want to hear – typical stuff. I try to explain over and over and over how it isn’t Mommy’s car, and Grandma’s car can not magically play whatever song they request. This explanation, as you can imagine, was greeted over and over with a why? Why? Why?

But that was all quickly forgotten when we suddenly heard a strange whooshing sound.

We were making a right turn exiting the parkway when the door where my grandson was sitting flew open. I have no idea how it happened, but Gigi and I definitely got a few years older at that moment. Both of us breathing a sigh of relief when we turned and saw that Gavin was indeed still in his car seat attached to the car. 

After getting out and closing the door, we started on our way again, not to be deterred from our mission. In that brief moment of scary silence, I glanced over at my mom, who was stifling a laugh, and we both cracked up laughing. The adrenaline rose in our mouths and hearts were pumping out of our chest, but all was ok, so you have to laugh at the adventure of it all … don’t you? I immaturely giggle at times like this as a defense mechanism and clearly, I inherited it from my mother. 

Five minutes later we forgot it even happened. We are two women, who raised nine kids and been through so much crap, that this is just a tiny blip on the road of life.  After all, nobody was hurt.

It was rough getting them to sleep. We started at 8:30 and at 9:45, I was laying down with Abby at her request, tired, but do love the snuggles and a few minutes later, she was asleep. I limped my way to bed, took a meclizine for the vertigo and passed out minutes later. My mother always said when the kids sleep, you sleep … well, it took 35 years, but I finally took that advice. See mom … I DO listen to you! 

GOOD MORNING, GRANDMA!!!

The next morning when the light turned green, the kids came running in the room. What light do you ask? Abby and Gavin have a clock at which 7:30, a yellow light shines. Yellow means they can talk quietly. Thirty minutes later, it turns green and they are allowed to leave the room.

So how did that work out? Well, their interpretation of talk quietly is jumping up and down on the bed and slamming the bedroom door over and over while they play Ninja Turtles. But I was determined to get my extra 30 minutes in bed, rolled the pillow around my head, and thanked God for the fact that I am a little hard of hearing.

Anyway, the light must have turned green and they came running in,

“Grandma! Grandma! Grandma!”

Between the boot camp and the fact that it’s only 8 am on a Saturday, I didn’t want to move. I opened my eyes, and there is my adorable little blonde-haired, blue-eyed Abby …

“Grandma! I took off my pull up all by myself!”

Then Gavin chimed in, ” Abby pooped and clogged the toilet bowl!”

Abby explains, “I pooped on the potty and flushed and the water went all over the floor. “

Gavin concerningly says, “it made a big mess, Grandma.”

You know how when they want to tell you something and everyone is excitedly talking to you at the same time?

In my head all I can think is ok … this can’t have happened and these kids are exaggerating. How bad can a two-year-old clog a toilet? She didn’t put her pull up in the toilet, did she? So I asked …

“Did you put the pull-up in the toilet? “

She very proudly exclaimed that she did not, and it was in the garbage.

Then how bad could it be? So I took my time getting up, confident God would not do this to me.

I sent the kids downstairs so I could brush my teeth with a modicum of peace. A few minutes and a deep breath later, I put on my robe and slippers and hobbled my way to the bathroom, ever hopeful, but with legs that still don’t want to walk. The meclizine worked and no vertigo, so that is good news!

When I reached the bathroom, I peered in to see that indeed, there was a lot of poop and toilet paper in the bowl. The pull-up was in the garbage just like she said so that was good! As I perused the bathroom, I saw the bathroom rug was a little wet but didn’t think much of it. I hadn’t any coffee yet, so my brain is not quite at a functioning level.

I flushed to see what would happen … please just let it go down …

OH SHIT, was undoubtedly the words that came out of my mouth as the water slowly rose above the toilet and cascaded like a fountain down the sides of the bowl. It probably took about ten seconds before the gravity of this truly sunk in and I ran to the closet to get towels. My head is thinking, she is only 2! How much poop could come out of her?!

Five big bath towels later … I left the bathroom while the water was being soaked up and went to make myself a cup of coffee. I can deal with anything after I get some caffeine in me – I know the moms and grandmas are feeling me!

Sufficiently caffeinated, I went back upstairs to clean up the towels and Clorox the bathroom. I even took a big bbq fork to the toilet and unclogged it. Anything is possible with coffee! That crisis is now over and upon further research, I chose to blame my husband. He bought this really thick toilet paper and kids wipe their ass to death, so it’s all his fault if the water eventually comes through the living room ceiling.

(I did take a pic of the clogged toilet too, but figured I shouldn’t post that – your welcome!)

The day was expected to be warm for January – a balmy 60 degrees – and my friend’s brother was opening a Duck Donuts. So today’s adventure is going to be donuts for lunch! What can go wrong? 

Well …

For starters, I missed the exit and ended up with a 45-minute ride, instead of 15. It wasn’t the little ones complaining, but the 18-year-old wouldn’t stop. When we finally did get there, we noticed the line was a little long – almost an hour to be exact. The kids were afraid of my friend in the duck costume so I don’t have any pictures, but I have me and Joe! Gavin and Abby were total angels, waiting patiently the whole time. Also, those donuts were worth the wait! I don’t eat donuts, but I had three of these – I guess I said Fock it!

This isn’t my first rodeo, so after we buy the donuts, we are going to eat them at a playground to run off the sugar. Hopefully, the kids will crash on the way home and take a nice nap. The kids started playing after eating the donuts. At some point, I realize Abby was trying to get up the climbing wall with her legs clenched and butt sticking out. It was four hours since the first bathroom incident and I completely forgot to ask if they had to go before we left the house. I didn’t even think about it the hour I was waiting for donuts. So while at the playground … I may or may or may not have had to find a private place for a girl to go.  

I will tell you that there was a nice long nap that afternoon. The kids went to bed on time and all was right with the world!

The Last Day of Grandma-Sitting …

Sunday could not have been any better! It was close to 70 degrees in New York and we took advantage of it. My body was still sore, but a little more pliable and no illness manifested. It was a beautiful, relaxing day …

I can’t even explain how much I love these kids. Being a grandma is an honor and one of God’s greatest blessings. I have to remember never to take it for granted and be there for as many of the moments I can. I went to a funeral this week and when my friend spoke of her father, she mentioned how he was always there for his grandchildren to help out and go to all their events. That is how I want to be. This is how my mother has been for her grandchildren and now her great-grandchildren. The moments and memories are the things you can take with you. This is why I write this blog, so I can document and remember for myself and my kids.

No matter how crazy or difficult the day may be, one thing hasn’t changed since I had my own kids: when they are sleeping in their beds looking like perfect angels, none of the rest matters.

All you know is how much love you feel in your heart for the sweetness and how they love you with their whole heart.

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Much Love and Happy Sunday,

Sandy

#enlighten #empower #inspire #educate and always #BeKind #grandma