After a morning of intense cleaning, I sit quietly looking at my laptop trying desperately to write. So much time has passed and I realize that I haven’t written in “Nana’s Corner” for a while. My thoughts quickly return to Gryphon and Gabriel who are on vacation with mommy and daddy this week. I know that they will enjoy going to the park and having fun at Grammy and Pappy’s in PA. It is hard for me to believe that Gryphon is almost three years old and Gabriel will be nine months this month; and yet I have witnessed their development firsthand since birth, and I would not trade those precious moments for anything in the world.
Both grandchildren have definitive, distinct personalities with Gabriel being more intense in all his movements (especially eating), and he tries to imitate and follow Gryphon in everything that he does. When Gryphon runs down the hall toward his room, Gabriel quickly crawls after him. They even wrestle together on the floor and both of them laugh and giggle at trying to get away from each other. He is taking many more steps and I believe he will be walking soon. Gryphon’s vocabulary has just blossomed and when you say something he doesn’t understand, he repeats it. For example, the other day I “jokingly” talked about the “sky is falling.” This was from a story about a chicken who thought the sky was falling. As Gryphon looked at the sky and at me, he questioningly said, “The sky is falling!” Realizing how this might have sounded to someone his age, I told him it was a “joke” and about the chicken book. He repeated, “It was a joke Nana!” He realized that the sky was not actually falling at that point. We both laughed about it.
The day is mostly filled with laughter, some “no’s”/confrontations regarding what is acceptable behavior, and also many “yes’s” as the morning and afternoon slip by. Whenever both of them are taking a nap, I try to regroup myself with “quiet thoughts/prayers” by shutting my eyes so that I can re-energize. Gryphon has such an imagination when he plays and believe me, we play hard and laugh until tears come to my eyes. Although I have had some physical issues during the past couple of weeks or so (sinusitis, osteoarthritis–had a cortisone shot in the tendon of my hand–aches and pains all over), I realize that my grandsons are both a gift from God not only to my daughter and her husband but also to the grandparents, aunts and uncles, and other relatives who will get to see how these two will grow up to learn more about God’s love and what it means to them.
As the rain begins to subside and the sun is peaking through the clouds, I reaffirm in my heart that I want to be the best Nana and babysitter–as I watch them here in VA–that I can be and to enjoy every moment with them because time is passing by too quickly. The same can be said of my daughter as well. I want to be the best mother and role model that I can be with her as well. That’s why it is important to tell your children and grandchildren that you love them every day.
Quiet thoughts for a rainy day.
Blessings,
Yvonne