Grandparent greatness
🌷Grandma. Zeyde. Bubbe. Lolly. Gigi. Whatever names they go by, grandparents are indescribable magic for their grandchildren.
One of the first things Phil and I bonded over was our adoration for our grandparents. His, “Gran and Papa,” and mine, “Grandma and Grandpa”. Both helped raise us, in the figurative and literal sense. They were formative people in our lives. Phil’s Gran helped his mom care for him and his 3 brothers as she went to nursing school to build a life for herself and her sons. I spent nearly every weekend, and countless weekdays with my grandparents from the time I was three until I graduated high school (as my parents had their hands full with my brother).
Phil’s grandparents made sure the four brothers were well fed, had a ride to and from school, made it on time to baseball practices, and didn’t kill each other. My grandparents gave me the attention I desperately needed, were my tutors, and made sure I knew how to navigate my social world.
Phil and I credit who we both are to these foundational, lovely humans.
This week, Phil’s dad spent the weekend with us. It’s a curious experience when you start to see a person, less as a “parent” and more so “the grandparent” of your baby. I’ve had this transitional experience with my parents as they’ve built the nursery, but it was more blatant with Bruce as I don’t see him very often. This was the first time I looked at him and thought “that’s Baby’s Zeyde.” I got to show him his granddaughter’s ultrasound pictures and videos and show him her nursery. It was very surreal thinking, the next time I see this person, he’ll be meeting his granddaughter for the first time.
To make the weekend more special, Bruce brought with him three needle-pointed pillows. Phil’s Gran was a master seamstress. Her embroidery was beautiful, delicate, and perfect. She put all her creativity and love into these masterpieces. Many, many years after she passed away, a few of her pieces were found, and Phil’s aunt (Marcia) had them made into little pillows for our baby. Knowing that Baby will have a piece of Phil’s Gran with her, in her nursery, from the day she is born, is priceless. Sadly, our baby will never get to meet Phil’s Gran or Papa, but she will always know the importance she held in Phil’s life.
As important and pivotal as parents are, grandparents are as well. My life would look a lot different if it weren’t for my grandparents, and I know Phil feels the same about his.
The beautiful thing about today is, although Baby will never meet Gran, Papa, or my Grandpa, she will meet my Grandma Arlene, and most importantly, she has two sets of grandparents, (plus a bonus “Marcia” and bonus “Gigi and Poppy”) that cannot wait for her arrival. Thinking of our baby being influenced and loved by her grandparents the way we were brings so much joy to our household. And it always will.🌷
