Grandparents Live For This

August 27, 2012 By Lanaya

Once again we were out of town this weekend. My dad was throwing his annual BBQ for his friends and this was the first year we were able to attend since we had moved back from the East coast. Let me tell you, his parties…make a frat party look like a trip to Disneyland. Yikes! Anyways we drove up Friday night so that Reagan could spend some time with her grandpa and new grandma. My sister also made the trip so Reagan and Aiden got to play together again.

It’s funny remembering how my dad was as a parent and how her raised me and my siblings. And the difference between those times and how he is as a grandparent. It’s true though. Ask anyone that grew up with strict parents how their parents are with their grandchildren. 9 out of 10 times you will get the same answer which is “my parents never let me get away with half of what they let these grandchildren get away with.”

My dad once told me after Reagan was born that he was meant to be a grandfather. He wished he could skip right over being a parent and straight to being a grandparent. First off…thanks Dad! What the hell? But really, it is amazing how you watch a person change when they become a grandparent. Everything becomes about that child. Spoiling becomes a priority and protecting from mean mommy or daddy becomes absolute. Grandparents live for this, being just that…a grandparent.

Saturday morning after everyone woke up Dad had promised Aiden that they could make pancakes together for breakfast. A tradition every time Aiden goes to visit. Well, it has now become a grandpa, Aiden and Reagan tradition as Reagan was not about to be left out. She hopped right on that chair, moved Aiden over so she could see what was going on and rolled up her sleeves! This was about to get messy. I stood there for the next ten minutes watching the chaos in the kitchen. Dad makes pancake batter in a blender (genius really…hadn’t thought about that before.) No stirring required and you have an automatic pour spout. Reagan and Aiden took turns pressing the button to turn it on, they took turns pouring the Bisquick into the blender with the milk. They had an absolute ball.

Both of them watched grandpa anxiously as he poured batter onto the hot griddle. Smiles plastered on their faces they excitedly made swishing sounds each time grandpa turned the pancakes over. Grandpa and his grandkids, making breakfast on a Saturday morning, too precious for words! I guess grandparents really do live for this. An extension of themselves and a legacy they get to empower, teach and love. It’s pretty awesome.