What Sound Does Papa Make?

In the realm of fart noises are always funny, I taught Hadley how to immitate her grandfather by making *pfft* noises. It only took about a day of positive reinforcement to produce this behavior. And once it started, there was no stopping it. On repeat, driving around in the car. "pfft *giggle* PAPA", she would say, over and over like a broken record.

When we were in Connecticut visiting my parents, my Dad captured her on camera in her priceless moments. You can see the video here.

Actual Conversation

This is an actual conversation that took place last night during dinner while talking about the potential of playing badminton on the outdoor court of the Mountain View Grand.

Mom: I will beat your butt so bad at badminton that it will make your head spin.

Me: Are you kidding me? I could tie one hand behind my back, be 9 months pregnant and still kick your butt.

Dad: Oh yeah? Well I could stick the badminton racket up my butt and kick both of your asses.

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

From Mother to Grandmother

NOTE: Here is our first guest blogger, MY MOM! This is fresh off the presses from my parents visit this past week-end. The minute Nana stepped off the plane and sat next to H. in the back seat, she and H. were new BFFs. All week-end it was Nana this Nana that, where's Papa and Mom who? Little know fact, my mom is a Reverend, and I'm a PK (Preacher's Kid). Suddenly you are thinking, this explains a lot.

I have never understood how grandparents could just up and leave their homes to move closer to their families. Until now.


My daughter, son-in-law, and first grand baby live 2,000 miles away from us. My son and daughter-in-law live 10,000 miles away. 2,000 or 10,000, it doesn’t make any difference. It is too far. Long ago and far away families all lived within a few miles of each other. Now, in the 21st century, that is no longer the case. Employment opportunities call us to different places now. We are a less localized society.


But then a grandchild comes along and it makes the distance even harder. We try to see H., our first grandbaby, every three months. So far we have been pretty successful at that, but it is still hard to be away from her for periods of time. She would forget us if it weren't for video Skype. Even with video, it is not the same as seeing her every day or every week. But we do the best we can and we love every minute of our time together.


The other expression I’ve never understood is this: “If I knew it was this much fun, I would have had grandchildren first.” I have actually seen this on t-shirts. It is a lot of fun to have grandchildren. But I had a lot of fun with our own children. They made me laugh every day (except for some of those teenage years). They are/were so full of life and joy it was contagious. Christy began talking very early and was a regular motor mouth throughout the day (and into the night in her sleep) and Michael began to walk when he was 6 months old which is why I didn’t gain weight for awhile. Of course we had the usual worries with one child who climbed over a gate as soon as it was assembled and proceeded to fall down the steps and another who had a couple of hospital trips for tonsils and adenoids – really minor things in comparison but nonetheless worrisome to ignorant parents such as us. Being a grandparent is a little easier. Poopy diaper? Must be someone else’s turn. Cranky baby? Hand off to Daddy.

Spending this last week with our grandbaby made me realize once again that millions of grandparents across the country are raising their grandchildren and they are exhausted, understandably so. We are blessed that our granddaughter has capable and loving parents and we get to hold, cuddle, read stories, play and then hand her back to Mom and Dad. I just want to do it more often than every couple of months.

The Chicken Dance Revisited

Upon request, Grandpa pulled out the accordian yesterday and played the chicken dance for Hadley to her great delight. She shook her booty and gave the "more" sign when he stopped. Some people may consider the chicken dance a cruel form of child abuse. But she LOVES it. Really, it's more abusive to us. Luckily my tolerance for repetition is high.

Since I don't have a video, here is Myron Floren from Lawrence Welk playing the Chicken Dance.

Grandparents

Hadley's grandparents came to visit this week-end for cousin Bloom's 4th birthday. Even though they were in demand, we were able to get them for three whole nights! We were very excited and so was Hadley. Grandpa got her to clap her hands for the first time. She was so excited over the loud congratulatory attention, that she then proceeded to applaud herself for the rest of the day, causing a splattering of food during dinner. A small price to pay for the fun of clapping. Other milestones include playing peek-a-boo with a blanket in her hand, covering her own face and whipping the blanket down repeatedly. She also pulled herself from a seated position to standing, get this, twice. Yeah we know, excessive monotonous baby details followed by lots of proud parental gushing.

Hadley Loves Her Grandpa

The previous evening, before bath time, I brought naked baby downstairs to parade her in front of her grandparents. When my Dad asked to hold her, I warned him that in her naked state she could possibly pee. Sure enough, as my Dad was playing with her and holding her over his head, she started to let him have it. Luckily, he didn't take it to the face, having learned from me when I was 4 months old above his head and peed on him. However, he promptly pushed her towards me, holding her over the rug. Being the practical mom, I covered her tush with my hand which started the sprinkler effect and pushed her back over my father. I mean seriously, I didn't want to get it on the rug or couch. Grandpas are good for that.

Things Grandparents Do

Hadley loves it when Nana reads her stories. She stares intently at all of the pictures.


Nana and Hadley have great conversations.


But when Nana puts this bow on Hadley that she got her for Christmas, Hadley is unsure of how 1983 she looks. The bow was promptly removed when DG came home. "It's burning my eyes, my eyes." It burning MY minds eye.


Here is a much better use of the bow. Now Gibson and Tica look like Chippendales Dancers.


Lap dance anyone?

I Love Me Some Nana and Grandpa

A week ago, when a friend came over, Hadley got the giggles and laughed her head off for several minutes. It's like her funny bone took over and shook her whole body in fits of belly giggles. It is probably the cutest thing I have EVER seen.

For the whole week following, I did everything except stand on my head and sing showtunes to get her to laugh like that again. I blew raspberries on her belly, tickled her feet, danced around singing songs about butts. Nothing. I was her own personal cartoon character. Nothing. A caricature of myself. Nothing. "Am I not as funny as I think I am?" I asked myself? How could this beeee?

Then her grandparents came to town, and one day while her Nana was holding her, David said the word Bazooka to her, which got the giggle factory going. I then followed it up with every B word I could possible think of. Each word, worked her up more and more into an hysterical giggle fit. Bumble Bee, brassiere, Booby, Brown Bunny, Barbara, Bling, Banana...I tried to fit in a few P and D words too, but they did not elicit the same response. I'm hoping to get this on video some day because when you watch it, you won't be able to say you've had a bad day.

Nana and Poppa at last!

My dad was afraid that Hadley would lose that new baby smell before they arrived. But really sour milk and Dreft doesn't wash away easily.