Grandparenting is a watershed moment

We used to call up and have “hangouts” with our daughter in the morning or at different times of the day pretty much with abandon. She had her hours when she was conducting class activities, but largely she was the “free bird” that she has always been. That is, an artist has a high degree of freedom. Being a “personal trainer,” our daughter also has much self-discipline. She has a highly regulated diet, and even through pregnancy, she maintained an exercise regimen.  

Next, the babies came, twin boys. Oh my, life changed in an instant with constant life-depending requirements for feeding, changing, sleeping, holding and comforting that all comes with motherhood. Caring for one child is half the challenge of caring for two, which my daughter and partner confront.

Being disciplined and prepared professionals, they were equipped with proper “equipment” including changing tables upstairs and downstairs. They had places to sit and special feeding apparatus, etc. The twin boys have lots of clothing thanks to the generosity of friends and family. There is a steady supply of diapers and the process of preparing bottles and such is remarkable.

However, aside from supplies, there is one thing out of which everyone runs, and that is time -- time to sleep.

When the boys are out of synchronization, there are no time-gaps in which Mom and Mum can recover.

As a grandparent, I was there for some holding support. My wife was there to provide auxiliary changing and holding support. Even than, two boys can easily outstrip the capacity of four loving adults to keep pace.

Whaaa!

When the boys go off with their little cries, love is at their service and in immediate reach, mostly.

Having the opportunity to hold a grandchild is brilliant. It is a luxurious event in life. I thought that if I could just hold these boys once, life would be fulfilled because someone would document the moment so that they boys could someday see that their grandpa, Jimpa, was there to take part.

Now, I don’t want to be greedy in life, but I surely want to see those boys again and again. Grandpa’s can never get too much of seeing grandsons, and can never run out of loving his daughter, grandsons and daughter-in-law.