Grandma shares a brush with the blues... and greens and reds

I landed in the desert Tuesday afternoon with two big suitcases jam-packed with fun stuff to share with my grandsons (gotta love Southwest's free baggage policy!). I kid you not when I say I packed into my bags more stuff to share with Bubby and Mac than I did clothing or toiletries for my five-day stay.

Now, my Grandma Bag is a given when visiting my grandsons, so that was squished into one of the two suitcases. And I'd recently received some Halloween review books — lots of books, heavy books — plus several review toys, DVDs, and other goodies. Those were packed, too.

My grandsons enjoy books just as much as they enjoy toys, so I knew the books would be a hit. I knew, too, the toys and games were sorts that would make them smile. What surprised me, though, was the response from grandsons when I shared with them a toiletry product I'd received in the mail mere days before my trip. I received it not for review — so this is not a review nor a sponsored post — but just to try and soon share my thoughts on the product with the makers and marketers.

So, despite all the crafty, creative, cool goodies I'd toted the 800+ miles from the mountains to the desert in hopes of entertaining my grandsons, what impressed them immediately and utterly was this:

Yes, that's toothpaste.

Bubby and Mac begged — and I do mean begged — to brush their teeth as soon as I showed them the colorful package. When they were finally allowed to use the special paste from Gramma for bedtime brushing, there was no stopping them.

Bubby and Mac tried every color, every flavor combination. They brushed fully and completely several times before finally accepting there'd be no more brushing for the night.

The first thing they wanted to do when they got up Wednesday morning? You guessed it: brush... with each color. Twice.

I still have several books and crafts and toys left to share from my suitcases (a grandma has to pace herself when sharing the spoils). I doubt any of those items yet to be enjoyed, though, will come even close to pleasing Bubby and Mac as much the colorful and tasty toothpaste that dazzled and delighted.

Their unexpected enthusiasm over toothpaste — toothpaste, of all things — dazzled and delighted me.

It also made me consider I've now paid my dues for foisting upon Megan and Preston the sugar-high aftermath of the farewell gift I presented my grandsons last time I departed the desert after a visit.

Added bonus: As the package of toothpaste included three full-size tubes, I'd say I'm protected from penalty for whatever sweet and sticky goodness I dole out to the boys upon leaving Saturday, as well.

Be afraid, Megan and Preston, be very afraid.

Today's question:

What is your toothpaste of choice?

Wherein Grandma rethinks the family bed

Our kids climb into bed with Jim and me each morning. Their sole goal? To get us to rise and shine, get up and give them breakfast.

Now, that may seem strange considering our three daughters are adults and don't live in our house. But it's not our human kids I'm talking about, it's our cat kids.

Early each morning, Abby and Isabel hop onto the foot of the bed and meow their way all the way up to our heads, demanding we notice them, love them, and, most importantly, get out of the freakin' bed and feed them. Abby in particular is the alarm kitty. If I ignore her pleas, she heads on over to my iPhone cord on the night stand and starts chewing on it, for she knows darn well that will have me up and at her in a split second.

Yesterday morning when "the girls" got into bed with us, I mentioned to Jim how crazy it would be if we let our dogs into the bed with us, too. Mickey and Lyla have their own bedroom, though, with a baby gate put up each night so they can't get out — which means they can't climb into our bed in the morning, like the cats do.

"Just think if they did," I said to Jim. "We'd have all our kids in bed with us."

Which led me to immediately mention that our real kids — our human kids, our daughters — never climbed into bed with us in the mornings. Never.

Why is that? I wondered out loud. It's not like the girls weren't allowed in our bedroom, weren't welcome to join us if they felt the need.

I remember one night in particular when Andrea definitely felt the need. It was during the summer between her fifth- and sixth-grade years at school, a scary transitional time that caused her to have nightmares. After several failed attempts to calm her fears in her own bed one night, she took me up on the offer to sleep in a makeshift bed on the floor beside ours.

That didn't work. Andie still couldn't sleep, still was afraid.

So I told her we'd turn on the television in our bedroom to the Cartoon Network — at a very low volume — to take her mind off scary things.

Regardless of volume level, though, the George of the Jungle Marathon running on the network that night was the stuff of nightmares, at least for Jim and me. ♪George, George, George of the Jungle, watch out for that tree!♪ kept us awake — and unhappy — for hours.

After a several episodes, we'd had enough. Andie apparently had, too, for she didn't balk too much when I led her back to her own bed. Where she did finally fall asleep.

Jim and I, though, couldn't fall asleep for we couldn't get ♪George, George, George of the Jungle♪ out of our heads, out of our dreams.

Never again, we told ourselves... and our girls. To this day, mentions of George of the Jungle elicit groans and grins from Jim, Andrea and myself as we recall the nightmarish marathon.

Back in those childrearing years, I was thankful the girls rarely asked to sleep in our bed and that they never woke us in the mornings by crawling under the covers with us. But now it saddens me.

It saddens me because as a grandma, I realize what Jim and I missed. The mornings when I'm visiting my grandsons and they crawl into bed with me — which is every morning when I'm at their house... and usually before the sun even considers creeping up over the horizon — are some of the sweetest moments shared with my beloved boys.

Which is one of the more important things Jim and I failed to learn when our girls were little.

There's no going back, though, no way to remedy that error we made with our children. But we can, as grandparents, make the most of the moments when our grandchildren crawl into bed with us.

I will do exactly that with open arms next week, when I'll be sleeping one room away from Bubby and Mac.

Next week I'll have four mornings to relish the slow creaking open of Gramma's bedroom door as the boys together peek in at me, then the pitter-patter of little feet scampering over to my bed while I pretend I'm asleep. Then I'll lift the covers, make room for Bubby on one side, Mac on the other. We'll snuggle for just a bit, and once they've done all the snuggling their wiggly little boy bodies can handle, we'll discuss our dreams from the night, recite our plans for the day.

I didn't get it with my girls, but I now realize with my boys that such times truly are the best part of waking up when there are children in the house.

As a parent, the family bed was never my thing, for I didn't want to be continually awakened by little kids.

As a grandparent, I can't imagine any better wake-up call.

Today's question:

Did your kids climb into bed with you in the mornings? Do your grandkids?

18 things my grandsons miss by not visiting their grandparents

My grandsons haven't visited my house in more than a year. It's been 15 months, to be exact, with no plans to visit in the next... well... I don't know how long. 

Though I'm thrilled to pieces that I'll get to see them soon at their house, there's plenty they miss out on by not visiting PawDad and Gramma at our house. Things found only at our place, things I'm sure they'd enjoy.

Things such as these:

Their special bedroom we call The Boys' Room, despite Bubby having slept in it only a handful of times and Mac having never slept in it — yet...

Exploring our back yard and front...

Playing at the food stand again...

Hunting for treasure PawDad hides in the sand by the waterfall...

And swinging with Gramma in the swing made for three...

Not to forget: the basketball hoop that's just the right height for boys to dunk balls — with a boost from PawDad...

And the bouncy house Bubby and Mac have never even seen — though it delighted other pint-sized friends of Gramma's...

Plus the popcorn machine for treats once the bouncing is done...

And there's Rock Dog and their Glo Worms and lions that stand guard from out front...

Plus, they could play on Gramma's piano (I promise to share)...

And the mini desk where Bubby loves to sort through Granny's nesting frogs...

Beyond Gramma and PawDad's house, there's fun and adventure found just out the door — like ITZ, the North Pole, Pikes Peak and more...

Most of all, though, what my grandsons miss out on more than anything are hugs and kisses and attention from their Colorado family — folks who miss Bubby and Mac to their core...

I truly and wholeheartedly understand that travel with little ones taxes Megan and Preston's body, mind and budget, too. And I do know Bubby and Mac will eventually get to visit Gramma and PawDad's house. Eventually.

I just hope it's before my grandsons reach the age that what they'll most enjoy about Gramma and PawDad's house is having a beer at our patio bar.

Even then, though, I'd be delighted to have Bubby and Mac visit our house.

Today's question:

What did you most enjoy about visiting your grandparents' house when you were a child?

Grandma's good fortune

I reside at the far end of "fortunate" when it comes to being a long-distance grandma. Reason being that despite my grandsons living more than 800 miles away, I get to see Mac and Bubby several times during the year.

I fully realize that is more often than a lot of long-distance grandparents get to see their sweet ones. It's even more often than PawDad, my partner in grandparenting, gets to see his grandsons.

How and why I've gotten so lucky is beyond me. Visits with my grandsons in the past couple years — pretty much since Mac was born — usually close with me unsure of when I'll get to see them again. Then somehow the semi-miraculous occurs and I end up with an unexpected trip to the desert landing in my lap.

Well once again the semi-miraculous has occured. This week the flight details have been finalized, the reservations have been made, and I'm off to see my grandsons midway through October.

As I considered the timing, I quickly realized that October isn't one of my favorite months just because I have few celebrations to plan, but more so because I've had the privilege of seeing my grandsons every October since Bubby was born.

There was last October, when PawDad and I visited together — then I went again alone two weeks later:

 

And the October before, when Megan and the boys visited our house (and we all visited the North Pole):

 

Plus, in October 2010, the month we learned Bubby would be a big brother, I visited sans PawDad:

 

And October 2009:

 

And, of course, there was October 2008, Bubby's very first October:

Yes, October is a very good month for visiting grandsons. I look forward to adding October 2013 to the list.

Did I mention my amazing good fortune?

Today's question:

What month for you features more time with family than any other?

12 things I'm not that I hope my grandchildren will be

1. Fearless

2. Musical

3. Able to swim. Or run a mile.

4. More educated — especially regarding history and geography

5. Unflappable

6. Tireless

7. Well-traveled

8. Multilingual

9. Civic-minded. Or (more) politically aware.

10. Able to parallel park. Or change a tire. Or drive a manual transmission.

11. Green-thumbed

And most of all when mulling over what one may not be:

12. Self-compassionate

Today's question:

What are you not that you hope your grandchildren (and children) will be?

Priorities and Grandparents Day

In light of what I shared with you yesterday, I learned this week that some things simply take priority over writing a wise or witty blog post. Or even a stupid and silly blog post.

So I didn't write a post today.

That doesn't mean I don't have a post for you, though. No, no, no — you're not getting away that easily.

While I didn't write anything wise or witty — or stupid or silly — I do have this for you in celebration of Grandparents Day, which is Sunday.

Best wishes for a fantastic Grandparents Day!

Today's question:

What are your Grandparents Day plans?

8 ways to tell a grandchild 'I love you'

Sure, you tell your grandchildren “I love you” each time you end a telephone conversation or hug them goodbye. Here, though, are ideas for expressing the sentiment at other times in extra-special, unexpected ways.

Chalk it up. Turn the tables on chalk drawings and make one for your grandchild instead of the other way around. Grab some sidewalk chalk and cut loose with a heart-filled message of love your grandchild will see — and appreciate — next time she visits Grandma’s house. Long-distance grandmas can take a photo of their chalk masterpiece and send via text messaging, Facetime, Facebook, or e-mail. Or go the old-fashioned route and print it out then pop it in the mail.

Set a date night. Institute a standing special evening, weekly or monthly, with your grandson or granddaughter. Ideas for your time alone are unlimited: dinner and a movie; taking a class together; hitting the gym; attending a concert; playing at the park. Mix it up or make each date the same. Having several grandchildren make for a full calendar — and full hearts for all, too. Facetime, Skype and Google+ chats/hangouts save the day (and date night) for long-distance grandparents.

Make a mix tape. Okay, it’s not really a mix tape you’d be making, but compiling a playlist of songs that make you think of your grandchild then burning it to CD relays the message o’ love just as effectively (and emotionally) as cassette tapes of days gone by. It’s unlikely your grandchild will listen to your compilation on a CD player. That's okay, though, as it’s simple for him or her — or Mom or Dad — to pop the disc into a computer’s CD drive and transfer the songs over to iTunes or other audio programs for creating a playlist that will work in whatever high-tech way the kiddo chooses.

Crash the cafeteria. Surprise a grandchild by showing up at school to have lunch with her. She’ll be happy to show off Grandma or Grandpa to her friends, and even more excited to lead the way through the lunch line. Or consider bringing lunch to her, takeout or something from her list of favorite dishes made by Grandma. Whatever’s on the menu, be sure to get permission and clearance for the visit from parents and the school in advance.

Show up. In a vein similar to a cafeteria visit, consider taking time off work for a school (or preschool!) event you wouldn’t normally be able to attend: an awards ceremony, science fair, book fair, sporting event, performance, spelling bee. Show up unannounced — to the youngster, that is; again, get permission — and root for your little one. Be sure to remember the camera for capturing the ear-to-ear grins sure to follow when your grandchild spots you in the audience!

Blog about it — together. Create a private blog that only you and your grandchild (and Mom and Dad) can read and post on. All you need is a free gmail e-mail address and a few moments of time spent setting up a free blog on Blogger, making sure to mark the blog settings to be visible to only those invited. Even novices should have an easy time of managing a high-tech way of sharing news, photos, thoughts, concerns…and love. Little ones will need help from Mom and Dad to add posts, pictures and more, but older grandchildren will enjoy the challenge — and likely teach you a thing or two not only about blogging but also about themselves in the process.

Send them searching for it. Use Discovery Education’s Puzzlemaker to create a word search filled with all the things you love about your grandchild. Use your own title and input your own words for a one-sheet puzzle to print directly from the website for sharing with word-loving little ones — or big ones, too. Include an appropriate (and sharpened) pencil to double the fun. (And don’t forget to print out the key, too, just in case she can’t find all the loving words you set out to share.)

Just say it. Don’t reserve your “I love you”s for the end of conversations or visits; proclaim them at unexpected times, too: midway through reading a bedtime — or any time — story; via a midday text; at the closing of grace when sharing a meal. The time is always right to simply say, "I love you!"

Today's question:

How do you like to express your love for your favorite kiddos?