20130409 – Just Being There …

Sometimes the best thing about life in the sandwich and being a Grandpa is just being there.

The newly transplanted California contingent was home for a week for E’s first birthday. Yesterday, my son and daughter-in-law were working at home, son-in-law was home with his parents and a little under the weather, and daughter was visiting for the day with the grandkids. The wife was working and there I was, taxes unfinished, a pile of prep for my Chicago business trip waiting for my attention, washing the dishes after fixing fresh grass-fed beef burgers for lunch. I think the grandkids were napping.

I noticed it was kind of quiet; I looked over into the family room and there they were. My daughter, not my granddaughter, was in the middle of a mountain of toys busily building the biggest building she could imagine out of Duplo blocks (the oversized Legos for the toddler crowd). Not ten feet away sat my son, not my grandson, hard at work trying to figure out how to use every piece of wooden train track in the house to create a railroad complete with reverse loops, crossing, bridges and a pier for the little wooden freighter; a layout only a true died-in-the-wool model railroader like me could appreciate. I silently watched, not knowing whether to laugh at the juxtaposition or cry for all of the memories of my kids being, well, kids again. After choking up a little I ended up smiling and drinking in the scene, and appreciating just being there. By the way, both were successful and the grandkids loved and promptly demolished the results of their labors, and they didn’t really care! Twenty-five or so years ago they would have been crying and yelling at each other for messing with the other’s creation. Ah, good stuff, good memories.

Last Wednesday on the Californians’ arrival I heard the front door open, the patter of toddler feet in the foyer, and my favorite words, “Pop-pop?” Finally she was home, my little CJ. I dropped to my knees as she came running around the corner and flew into my arms. During the obligatory massive hug I realized she was looking past me, not at me, and I knew immediately what her next words would be. Sure enough, “Where’s Uncle Scott?” We all roared. It never fails. Not only is Uncle Scott a chick magnet, he’s a niece and nephew magnet for the whole family. If there was ever a family vote for favorite uncle, his wife’s side or his, doesn’t matter, hands down he’d be it! Oh, don’t worry about the chick magnet thing; he’s hopelessly devoted to my favorite daughter-in-law, who’s more than happy to remind them of his marital status when necessary.

And again the other day when they arrived for more family time C hugged her Uncle Scott, then danced into the family room with a resounding, “Woo-Hoo, Yaa for Uncle Scott!” Which exclamation was met with a wave of laughter and puzzlement, “Where’d that come from?” We didn’t even know she was familiar with the woo-hoo hoot common in the vernacular of the younger crowd. Just being there …

Wednesday, E took his first steps, right in our family room. He’d been one- and two-fingering it ever since February, and must have figured it was about time to throw caution to the wind. We teased him by placing the play lawnmower just out of reach until he did his junior Frankenstein impression, walked over and started mowing. By yesterday Lawnmower Man “Frankensteined” his way from the kitchen to the front door, with the occasional back step and one-foot balancing act for added effect. We were so proud of the little guy and thrilled about just being there …

Saturday night was the big event, E’s birthday party. People everywhere from both sides of the family; balloons, treats, dinner, cake, ice cream, and beverages all provided (well, Grandma did have to prepare a main dish and a fruit salad). We made conversation, gawked at E, relished the mandatory cake mashing, and enjoyed the evening; even made some new friends in the process of just being there …

Sunday night Mee-ma and Pop-pop got to babysit while the California couple had date night for the first time in who knows how long. Grandkids played for hours and watched Mickey’s Clubhouse, while Mom and Dad had dinner at Friday’s and entertained themselves with some unencumbered shopping at a few favorite establishments (whatever happened to dinner and a movie?). They loved it. And for us, playing with and watching C and E was all we needed to make it a great evening. Just being there …

Today the Californians are headed home. It’s been a heartwarming and heartbreaking week and we loved every minute of it. Except for Skype, we won’t see them again until September when, finances and schedules permitting, we’ll wing our way to the west coast.

Sometimes life in the sandwich is a matter of just being there, whenever you can, wherever you can, however you can. That describes this past week to a “T”.

Already missing them, and wishing for a little more of just being there …

-Pops