Wednesday, November 1, 2017

The Best Thing About Being a Grandma (aka - Payback!)

When my firstborn son, Austin announced that they were expecting, I immediately imagined cuddling a little grandbaby. Yes, I'll have a cute little grandbaby! Awwww. My son continued, "So what do you think, Grandma?"

Wait what? Grandma? Grandma??? No. Oh no, no, no. I am much too young to be a grandma. I mean, I know that having a grandbaby and being a grandma aren't exclusive; it's kind of a combo deal. You have a grandbaby - you become a grandmother. But no. Just no.

When I hear the word "grandma", I think 
Nope.

I'm sure it's partly because I still have young kids. I have 3 kids who are in school. I buy their clothes, make them dinner, help with homework, drive them to sports practices, braid their hair (well, not Clay's hair.) But you get the idea. I'm still in the thick of the "mom thing." It's a little strange to embrace the "grandma thing" when you're still actively momming. (It's a word. Trust me, I'm a writer.)

Still, when I got to hold that little, minutes-old baby, I thought, You can call me whatever you want. This is pretty awesome. The best thing about having kids is seeing them grow up and have kids of their own.


But I was wrong. That is not the best thing. 

Austin sent me this text last night:





No, I'm not crying either. It's a just a little dust in my eye or something. Hand me those tissues, will ya?

This. This may be the best thing. And when his daughter hides under her bed instead of going out to catch the bus to school, or when she takes a jar of concentrated black icing color and paints herself, her sibling, and every conceivable surface in the house, I won't laugh and think payback! When she doesn't do her homework and gets a D in class in which she's perfectly capable of getting an A, when she waters your garden with a can of gasoline she found in the garage, and when she runs around the racks of bras in the department store while shouting "boobs", I won't smile smugly and think I wonder where she got that from. But as my child realizes just how hard parenting can be, I may be thinking - Been there, done that. Have fun, my son, have fun, and may the odds be ever in your favor.

14 comments:

northernmommie said...

OMG I am crying! Dang ninja onion cutters! I became a grandma July of 15 and she has become my sidekick. My mini-me. My everything! I have her more than her parents do and I love it! And, I still have one at home who is 12. This is one incredible ride and I love it!

Unknown said...

I have been momming for 16 years... my brother has been a parent for 2 months. Last week, he informed me that "Having my daughter is amazing. But, it's a lot of work." Well... NO DUH!! It took every ounce of willpower I had to not type a very long detailed response telling him how it doesn't get easier, just different, how I feel as exhausted today by my teen as I did by him when he was a nursing infant. That my love has been stretched so far that I thought I would surely snap right in half. I didn't. I simply texted back, "Yes. Yes it is." Later I quiped to my husband, "Well, I am certainly glad he warned us. Could you imagine if we had been blind sided by that one?"
Congrats Dawn... you make me laugh, cry, think, ponder, be grateful, be real... Hang in there...

Bonnie said...

Congratulations! I just became a grandma in September. It is the best thing ever.

Unknown said...

OMG I think I cried and laughed so much at this post as I did your first, the Pokémon cards. Buttpaste? You raised a good son who is now realizing what a good mom you are.

LLL said...

This is amazing!!!! I am crying and he's not even my son!!! There is hope for us slogging through the trenches everyday!

mamaduck27 said...

Congratulations, Dawn! Being a Grandma is one of the best things in the world!

I became a grandma almost exactly 10 years ago at age 46. Five of our seven children were still living at home; my youngest daughter was an auntie at age 4. When our granddaughter was about 18 months old, my daughter-in-law suggested that we be pregnant together for the next one, ala Father of the Bride 2. Hahaha, NOPE.

Since then, we have married off a couple more kids and been given five more grandchildren, all boys. And as Austin proved, not only do I enjoy the grandma gig, but I have an entirely new relationship with those children. It is an amazing time in life. You're gonna love it.

Suburban Correspondent said...

Congratulations! And what an awesome message from your son!

Kristin said...

Awwww...congratulations, Dawn! And you clearly raised that boy right! Enjoy this -- all of this!

Lindsey Wolfe said...

Congrats on your beautiful grandbaby! <3

Unknown said...

I felt exactly the same way when my daughter told me she was having a baby! Sadly, she only heard my I'M TOO YOUNG TO BE A GRANDMA part, not the excited part! I wasn't even 50 yet! But I LOVE being a grandma! And my FAVORITE word now is GRANDMA coming from my grandson's mouth.. he screams it with such excitement when he sees me!!!

Purple Quilter Queen said...

Congratulations!! That text from your son had me sobbing!!!!

You did a great job!!

Unknown said...

Wow. That may just be the best thing ever. At least up to now. I have a grandchild but from a stepdaughter so I haven't gotten anything like that. Lucky you, and in print! In our day we told our parents and they had no proof. LOL

Cindy said...

LOVED this! Being a grandparent is the absolute best feeling in the world!! But that text?!? Oh my word!! Print that. Frame that. That is priceless.

Merrie said...

My mom says being a grandparent is the reward for being a parent. That text says it all. Tears!

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