Photobucket
My Photo
Name:
Location: United Kingdom

Yes...this is ALL about me, and mine. Marvellously self indulgent, feel free to tell me how splendid I am, leave comments, nice ones please, I have little kids and teenagers who can do the rude stuff. I am a grandma, to the glorious Joshua, I'm allowed to look frazzled and weary, I earned it. The older I get, the more I see that hanging on and being patient is worth it! They ( whoever 'they' are) are so right when they say you never know what is around the corner, it isn't always an articulated truck! It is vital to make the time for making memories, friends are the greatest treasure, I love mine. I am rich!

Saturday, August 01, 2009

I'll say it again...

Being a grandma is just too different from being a mum. Totally different, impossible to explain how different, from the emotions to the ability to care for this baby...different, not the same, at all.
Being a mother brings what I imagined to be the most fiercely protective emotions....oh my goodness, wait til you are a grandma. Being a mum, you are protective but you also have to back off and enable your child to learn and grow, not to smother and restrict.....grandma? GET AWAY FROM THE BABY!! Do not TELL THE BABY OFF! QUICK!!! Catch baby, don't let baby fall, uh oh CLIMBING BABY....stop must not let precious baby hurt self.
My children were climbers, especially Sophie, SHE was a real climber, an out of upstairs window climber ( aged 15 months) I don't remember my heart being in my throat quite as often as it is whenever I am left alone with Joshua.
I KNOW I did things as well as watch my children, I was alone with them all the time, my house was spotless, my family was fed, I shopped and cleaned and cooked....when I have Joshua, the world comes to a grinding halt, it is impossible for me to do anything but watch this child and save, rescue, repeat.
I have Joshua on fridays so that Mel can work, just one day a week, earn some money for herself, get a break and just do something other than be a mummy.
Yesterday, I thought how ridiculous this inability to do anything else but watch him is, I have given up trying to have him in my house, too many computers, the boy loves computers, he loves to bash and thump and click and swipe....so I stayed at his house, easy, lots of toys, house is set up for him, will be easy.
Yes.
Or not.
We went shopping ( and I managed to buy fish fingers and some steam in the bag veggies before QUICK! LEAVE SHOP! BABY IS BORED... must not let baby CRY!)
Very good, have dinner for him, 2 minutes in the kitchen ( right next door to living room, door open, what could happen?)
He was quiet, Joshua doesn't do quiet, not ever really....

Photobucket
Oh, not too bad, chewing a pen.......

Photobucket

While standing ON THE TABLE! Argh...

Rescue, put down, run into kitchen and check dinner.....

Photobucket

Ha!!! HA HA HA! I got daddy's laptop! Look at his red face from belly laughing, that would be because I was STERN! Yes I was..."HEY!!! NO!"
HA! HA! HA! Gramma you are funny when you do that! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Look, I didn't have a computer when my kids were little, certainly not the big ones, we had one as Seth came along but I really didn't use it too much, I wrote an online journal for Seth ( which disappeared, sad because there were 2 years of great memories in that) but other than that, no real time spent online.
I simply cannot see how anyone with a little person can spend hours online during the day, on fridays I can't even touch a computer, if I even try, this little fellow is right there..he loves to bash and grab, see and interfere, in order to be online, I would have to fend him off, send him away, push him out of the way..... the thought of doing that makes my skin crawl.
Being online, especially on the places I like to go, facebook and online forums takes time and concentration...back and forth chatting, responding, checking back on replies I might have. I didn't give it too much thought until recently, my boys are older, we go out, we are busy and when we come home, they are playing, I can do what I do without it interfering with what they need.
I can't see how anyone with a baby, toddler or children under school age can ever get online in the day unless it is naptime, which is when I would have my frantic burst of cleaning / cooking / catching up.
I am so glad I didn't have the online distractions that are there today, when my children were little. I think they would have missed out somehow. I wonder if I would have the restraint to stay away from all the fun and games that are right here in this little box, or if I would find myself neglecting what should be done while I indulge.
Children grow so fast, every day matters, every hour matters.
I like being a gramma. I am ready for the gramma times and every time I spend a whole day with Joshua, I realise that the Lord knows how to do things. I am too old for this everyday.....

Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

And when reinforcements arrive...oh how happy we are!

Photobucket

Photobucket

Both of us!

5 Comments:

Blogger Tired Mom of Six said...

My mother in law has said the same thing about being a grandma. She said that with your own kids, it is almost like you have a 6th sense about them - you know their limits & their very core and can usually 2nd guess what will happen. Not so much with the grandchildren. :oP

He is VERY cute. And when I say VERY cute I mean that I could eat him up with a spoon. You are so blessed, Helen.

12:08 pm  
Blogger Ms. Sarah said...

my mom says the same thing about being a grandma. How stinking cute is he!!!

1:37 pm  
Blogger Leah said...

I feel that way with my little niece! She is almost 3 and since I have an almost 7 year old, you would think that I could easily handle her, but she scares me!!

4:08 am  
Blogger Cathy said...

Between computers and phones, it is impossible to pay attention to your little ones and the electrical devices.

I am usually more active on work days...I'm sure that makes my boss sooo happy!

4:28 am  
Blogger Cathy said...

and I came back again to see if you had blogged and I'm not sure if you it shows you who was on your blog so I wanted to leave another post cause I love you..and I didn't want to look like a crazy stalker ;)

1:19 am  

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home