Grilled Grandma: Nina

How many children do you have?

Two sons, ages 28 and 27. 

 

How many grandchildren? What are their ages?

I have two beautiful grandsons, ages 5 and 3, to my oldest son and wife and one gorgeous granddaughter, age 6 mos., to my youngest son and wife.  Also just found out oldest son and wife are expecting their 3rd in July.  We're very excited. 

Any great grandchildren? Ages?

Not yet!

 

What do your grandchildren call you? The two boys call me Nina (my real first name).  I referred to myself as "Grandma Nina" when they were babies because they had 6 grandmothers including greats and great greats.  As they got a little older they couldn't say "Grandma" so they just stuck with "Nina".  That's fine with me.  When someone hears them call my name they are surprised, but we all think it's cute!

My youngest son refers to me as "Grammy Nina" with his daughter and what do you want to bet that "Nina" will stick with her too?

 

How often do you get to see your grandchildren?

The boys live in the same town so I see them several times a week, almost every day, but my granddaughter lives in Spokane, Washington, clear across the country. We've been out twice and they've been back home twice in the last six months.  In fact, we just got back from Spokane last week and DIL and granddaughter will be home in January for 2 weeks while my son is away for work.   

 

What is the best thing about being a grandma?

Everything!  I have much more patience than I did as a mother.  It is just the sweetest feeling to have these precious little kids run to you and hug you and tell you they love you.  And the love my husband and I have for them is so amazing.  I have a lot more fun being a grandma than I did being a mother. 

 

What is the most challenging part of being a grandma?

Not agreeing with something my son or DIL may say or do with the grandchildren and there is nothing I can do about it.  I have a real hard time holding my tongue, but I work at it (most of the time). 

 

Describe a recent time one or more of your grandchildren made you laugh out loud.

We were all sitting around and testing the 3 year old on his colors.  We had him tell each of us what color our hair is.  He was correct with black, brown, red, blond we had to explain, and then when we got around to my husband (Bobby, again Grandpa Bobby abbreviated) who has brown hair but now with quite a bit of gray, we expected him to say brown, but he said gray.  We didn't think he would know gray and when Bob said, "yes, it's gray with brown", in his sweet little voice he said, "No Bobby, it's really gray" we all laughed so hard. 

 

What is your favorite thing to do when your grandchildren visit your house?

We like to bake cookies together.  The best cookies are chocolate chip and then when they are cooled down we put ice cream between two of them for ice cream sandwiches. 

 

What is your favorite thing to do when visiting their house?

We don't visit their houses that much, but when we do they usually show us any new toys or games or movies. I mostly just hold them and kiss them as much as I can. 

 

What do you most want to pass along to your grandchildren?

Any wisdom that we have so far.  We are always talking to them about good from bad and right from wrong.  We want them to feel a strong sense of love and family and develop a high self esteem. 

 

What is one word you hope your grandkids think of when they think of you?

Happy

Visit Nina at her blog, Grandma Nina.

Grilled Grandma: Ann

Ann (center, in green) with most of her grandkids and two great grandchildren in 2001.How many children do you have? I have seven children, ranging in age from "39" to 39 (for real, my youngest).

How many grandchildren? What are their ages? I have twenty grandchildren, ages thirty down to the youngest set of twins, who just turned fourteen.

Any great grandchildren? Ages? My four great-grandchildren range from ten years to eighteen months.

What do your grandchildren call you? Half my grandchildren call me Gramma, the other half call me Nonnie (due to a beautiful, hard-headed little girl who influenced  everyone younger-- she's now twenty-one).

How often do you get to see your grandchildren? I get to see my some of my grandchildren every couple of months, others only every few years, due to long distances and family circumstances.

What is the best thing about being a grandma? The best thing about grandchildren is seeing the faces of my own beautiful babies, only better, and their characteristics displayed and re-born into a new generation is positively glorious.  Besides, now my children will eventually understand just how THEY made me feel, all those years ago.

What is the most challenging part of being a grandma?

The most challenging parts of grandparenting are those aforementioned long distances and family circumstances.

Describe a recent time one or more of your grandchildren made you laugh out loud. I think I laughed the hardest when, shortly after my stroke, I had a table full of grandchildren for dinner and was trying to cut up chicken for little Ravenn, who was sitting to my left.  I must have pressed too hard with my basically uncontrollable left hand holding the fork and the chicken flew off the plate and bonked Ravenn in the head.  Across the table sat Coltan, Ravenn's twin, and he laughed so hard he fell off his chair and, cackling like a hen, he said, "Let that be a lesson to you; you can't sit close to Nonnie's "Crazy" hand or you'll get hit in the head with a piece of chicken."

What is your favorite thing to do when your grandchildren visit your house? My favorite thing to do with my grandchildren, either at my home or theirs, is to listen to their recent activities, their plans, and their dreams.

What do you most want to pass along to your grandchildren? I would like most to pass on a dependence on God for all things good and an ability to rely on Him and thank him for all good things, large and small.

What is one word you hope your grandkids think of when they think of you? There are actually two words I'd like to be remembered with: love and laughter.

Grilled Grandma: Debbie

How many children do you have? 2

How many grandchildren? What are their ages?

1 granddaughter, Makaila, age 8

Any great grandchildren? No

What does your grandchild call you?  Grammy

How often do you get to see your grandchild?

Almost every weekend.  My daughter works Saturdays so I keep her Friday overnight and take her to her Hula lesson on Saturday then we go shopping!

What is the best thing about being a grandma?

I get to laugh and do "kid" stuff again.  She keeps me young!  I get to do things with her that I feel that I missed with my own children.

What is the most challenging part of being a grandma?

Making sure I do not interfere with the rules that my daughter and her husband set with Makaila.  Also, trying not to spoil her too much.

Describe a recent time that your grandchild made you laugh out loud.

Just last weekend we all went bowling. 

What is your favorite thing to do when your grandchild visits your house?

I watch "her" movies with her and we talk about what is going on at school.

What is your favorite thing to do when visiting her house?

She lives in an apartment right now so I don't really go to her place a lot.  But when I am there, she wants me to play her Wii games with her.

What do you most want to pass along to your grandchildren?

Their Hawaiian culture and heritage that they get from me.  And to treat everyone as they would like to be treated.

What is one word you hope your grandkids think of when they think of you? Loving.

Grilled Grandma: Nina

Nina with her mother, daughter Christi and granddaughter Natalie.How many children do you have? 3

How many grandchildren? What are their ages? Two: Spencer is 1 1/2 years old and
Natalie is 3 months old.

Any great grandchildren? No

What do your grandchildren call you? Well, Spencer can almost say 'Grandma'
and Natalie of course can't speak yet.

How often do you get to see your grandchildren? We see our granddaughter at
least once a month. Since our grandson lives a little farther away we see
him about every other month.

What is the best thing about being a grandma? Hugs and kisses from the
grandchildren.

What is the most challenging part of being a grandma? Doing things the way
their mother wants things done (e.g. Putting them to sleep on their backs,
being careful to feed them 'approved' food, etc.)

Describe a recent time that one (or more) of your grandchildren made you
laugh out loud. Last week our grandson was playing the drums of our Beatles
Rock Band. He was so funny as he played them.

What is your favorite thing to do with grandchildren who visit your house?
Play with them and read them stories

What is your favorite thing to do when visiting grandchildren at their
house? Watch them play with their toys and play along with them

What do you most want to pass along to your grandchildren? The knowledge that God loves them

What is one word you hope your grandkids think of when they think of you? Love -- and then fun!

Visit Nina on her activity-inspiring blog, Grandma Ideas.

Grilled Grandma: Mae

How many children do you have? Seven: three daughters, three step-sons and one adopted son.  When I was first married, I had a miscarriage and my doctor told me that I would never be able to have any children, so my first husband and I adopted a little boy.  He passed away on his 21^st birthday – he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.  My two oldest step-sons are also deceased.  My two oldest girls were born during my second marriage and my youngest daughter from my third.  All three husbands are deceased.

How many grandchildren and what is the age range? A total of 23 grandchildren. Darlene has 3, Leonard has 1, Raymond has 2, Jane has 6, Bobby has 4, and Ann has 7.  The oldest one is Jeffrey – I think he is 50?  51?  The youngest, Kevin, is 32.

How many great grandchildren and what is the age range?

A total of 55 great grandchildren:

Becky (2 children, 2 step-children: ages 28-35)

Lisa (3 children: ages 24-27)

Jennifer (4 children: ages 12-21)

David (5 children: ages 3-18)

Susan (5 children: ages 13-24)

April (5 children: ages 6-16) 

Jason (2 children: ages 6-9) 

Kevin (2 children: ages 9-13) 

Jennifer (2 children: age 15 – one died at age 6) 

Arthur (4 children: ages 7-29),

Paul (2 children: ages 9-13),

Tammy (1 child: age 25) 

Paula (1 child: age 17)

Paulette (5 children: ages 4-16) 

JanieMae (1 child: age 16)

Connie (1 child: age ?) 

Jonathan (3 children: ages ?) 

Joseph Lee  (2 children: ages ?)

Bobby Leroy, Jr. (?)*

Charlie Vance, II (?)*

Vera Lorene (Sissy) (3 children: ages 13- 21)

*Bobby Leroy, Jr. and Charlie Vance II have been missing from the family tree since 1968.

And great-great grandchildren? Age range?

14 great-great grandchildren:

Becky (6 grandchildren: ages 6-15)

Lisa (1 grandchild: age 17 months)

Arthur (3 grandchildren: ages 1-8) 

Bobby (3 grandchildren)

Connie (1 grandchild)

What do your grandchildren call you?

A variety of things.  When I first became a grandma, I wanted to be called Mammaw.  Now I think that everybody calls me Grandma or Grandma Wiggins, with the exception of my youngest daughter’s grandchildren.  They call her Mema and I’m the Great Mema.

What is the best thing about being a grandma?  Having grandchildren, of course.

What has been the most challenging part of being a grandma? Not getting to see them and get to know them because they live so far away.

What do you most want to pass along to your grandchildren? A Christian life because it would make their lives happier.

What is one word you hope your grandkids think of when they think of you?  Love

What advice would you give to new grandparents?  Have lots of patience, love and understanding but don’t let them get away with things they shouldn’t do – you’ve got to have discipline, too.

Is there anything else you'd like to add about being a grandma/great grandma/great-great grandma?  I don’t think that I was very much of a grandma like other grandmas were.  I never asked to be able to keep any of the grandchildren at my house, such as an overnight visit.  I would do things differently if I could do it over and spend more time with all of them.  I guess we all have regrets.