Expanding Family

Our oldest child turned 27 yesterday. It put me in a reflective mood. When we were starting out as a family I don't think we put much thought in what our family would look like over a quarter of a century later. We didn't look at that little bald headed bundle of joy and think about who he would marry or that someday we would be grandparents. We were just overwhelmed with the thought that now we had to be responsible for someone so dependent on us.
We were lucky to have all four of our parents available to turn to when we had questions, were worried or needed a babysitter. We also had the first grandchild on either side of the family so there were lots of waiting arms eager to hold him. I had always thought family was important but suddenly they became even more so. My mother became the wisest woman I knew. My sisters became my closest friends. My dad was the best and thought the sun rose and set in Matthew. What is really interesting was that he had this feeling for every single one of the grandchildren that followed. You could ask any one of them and each would tell you that he or she was Poppa's favorite. He had a nickname for each of them and listened to all of their stories with interest.

My mom became Granny. Each of her grandchildren knew without a doubt that she loved them. She was always thinking of them. She bought little treats and trinkets for them to give them when they came to visit. She made bets with them on the World Series. She had them stay overnight for "New Years' Eve parties" and she baked them brownies for Christmas. She was also the go to person when they had earaches, tummy aches, fevers, and needed hugs.

And so here I am, a grandma.
I think being a grandparent is something that you evolve into. You are refined and retrofitted and remodeled along the way until suddenly there you are. I'm definitely not the apron wearing cookie baking type. My favorite cookie recipe is a bag of Oreos. I'm probably not the wise old sage type that can be turned to for soul searching wisdom. I'm also not one of those trend setting grandmas who will zip my grandchildren off to fancy restaurants to teach them the finer art of dining out.
So here I am starting out on this new pathway. I'm Nana. I like that. My children had a Nana. They loved her with all their hearts and she loved them. She cooked for them and drove them places and documented their lives with photos. That's one thing I've already started to emulate. I'm the picture taking grandma. I'm the historian.

Hey, that sounds like a super hero.... I am Nana the Historian. Boy, my grandchildren are going to think I'm cool.