Our grandbabies own us. We know it and they know it. My husband and I love having them come to spend time with us and we try to keep the house stocked with toys, books, craft supplies and their favorite snacks.
They love to snuggle under blankets and watch movies with us and invariably they’ll say, “Grandmama, will you heat my blanket?” I’ve heated their blankets for naps and movie-watching since they were babies. It melts my heart how they snuggle into the warmth–and up close to me or Granddaddy.
We’ve tried to child-proof so things are safe for them and they have the full run of the house. The play room of toys is upstairs and when all of them are here, our house is filled with the oh-so-wonderful sound of giggles and little feet running from one end of the house to the other. Sweet reminders of the days when their daddies were little and our house echoed daily with those same sounds.
Each of our grandchildren has a unique personality and interests, and it’s always enjoyable to see where they head when they first get here. Some of them are predictable. Four-year-old Jack has always made a beeline for “da big bear” a large stuffed bear that sits on a bench in my foyer. They’ve been buddies since Jack was tiny.
The two-year-old twins, Eden and Ethan, love the bouncy horse and that’s usually one of their first stops. Ethan enjoys driving trucks on the rug that has roads and a village painted on it. Eden heads for the baby doll, cuddling it in her arms, making shushing sounds as she rocks her baby.
Seven-month-old Nolan is still too little to discover his favorite things so he just sits on our laps and gives away sunshine smiles and precious little chuckles.
Five-year-old Anna always wants to have a tea party and she goes straight for the pink and cream table and chairs that Granddaddy brought home for the girls for just that reason. She dispenses tea with a regal air while wearing a tiara.
Three-year-old Ava likes a number of things. She’s my curious adventurer, and she plays with things that none of the rest of the grandbabies notice.
She’ll spend hours dressing her Barbie dolls but she also loves playing with the box of Hot Wheel cars that belonged to her daddy when he was little. I love watching her drive those cars while wearing a princess dress.
I can’t tell you how much joy it gives us to do or buy things for those sweet little ones. We enjoyed doing the same for their daddies when they were little boys–and we still like doing that now that they’re adults. In fact, I can’t think of anything that makes us happier than making them happy.
When our sons were growing up, they had no hesitation in letting us know what they wanted or needed. “Mom, I need some new shoes.” Or one of them would say, “Dad, could I have one of those new Carolina basketball shirts?”
Now that the grandbabies are getting bigger, we get phone calls from them. Anna called recently and said, “Grandmama, I think you and me and Granddaddy should go on a date and go out to eat for beans and rice and mokie (guacamole) and then go shopping.” Guess what we did?
While talking to Ava, she said, “Grandmama, can we go to Whole Foods and buy me another pink cupcake?” Of course we can do that for our little cupcake queen.
We love it when they ask. So why do we hesitate to ask our Father when we want or need something?
Sometimes we forget that we have a God who enjoys giving things to us and doing things for us. Do you need something today? Is there something on your heart that you’d like to do or something you want that would bring you great joy? Then ask the Father who delights in you.
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! (Matthew 7:11)
