It's so easy to fall in love... by Harper's Honey

A little recap of Harper's first vacation from her Honey:

I was fortunate to have the world's best grandmother. Minniemama was a small, softspoken woman who lived simply and never complained. She had three granddaughters and each of us grew up thinking we were the ones she had loved the most. What a gift to give a child, and Minniemama did it so effortlessly. I still miss her and I've lived 35 years of my life without her.


Oh I wish Harper could have a Minniemama. Small, quiet, loving the simple life and never complaining--oops my grandmother I am not! The one thing I do hope is that one day each of my grandchildren might find themselves saying about me is “she loved me the most!”

Now after spending 6 full days and 5 sleepless nights with our youngest I must say I have learned much more than I ever dreamed possible about caring for a baby in 2011.

1. There is a reason why young women have babies and older women don’t. This is all a very good and well thought out plan. God is Good!


2. Lugging a baby, even a small, lightweight baby around in that incredibly heavy car seat is enough to give even Jane Fonda a work out. I swear we didn’t have car seats that industrial!


3. Baby monitors will drive you crazy. My babies lived without baby monitors. We were never actually sure of every peep, moan, twist and turn they made. Babies cried and parents often didn’t have a clue. Nights were easier in the good old days, we slept…and all of you reading this blog survived!

4. Dr. Brown baby bottles! What is up with these things?!? What happened to good old Platex screw on the nipple and be done with it bottles? These new things need a manual to put them together and then you have to wash, and I do mean WASH each and every teeny tiny part. (See I do complain.)

5. Brooke, The Bath General, and Bath Time. Now a little history here. I have been a very diligent grandmother. While Harper was in the NICU I went with Brooke and Jared to a special CPR course just for babies with special situations. I went to that course a confident, capable mother, grandmother, caretaker. I left that course scared to death that while in my care someday Harper or one of our other 4 grandchildren would choke on a pea or hotdog or whatever and I would have to turn them upside down and hammer on their little backs till the object dislodged and popped out. Next, they might turn blue and while dialing 911 and having to give all the important information I would also be pumping on her tiny chest and blowing puffs of air into her nose and mouth--YIKES! I was jello. I soon forgot the terrifying CPR course because I spent two instructional bath lessons with my daughter, aka THE BATH GENERAL. It takes four wash cloths, warm to luke warm bath water, 2-3 types of liquid soap. You must use the rough side of the wash cloth, you squirt 8 pumps of this soap on this rag to wash this body part, 3 pumps of shampoo to wash her hair (Have you seen this precious child? She has no hair!) Steve made the comment bathing Harper was much like going through the deluxe cycle of a car wash!


6. Bed Time Rituals...Holy Moley! Harper is a very easy, laid back, sweet placid good baby. But, she really loves her mommy when it’s bedtime. Tried as I could we stuck to the ritual of “once down, stay down...no picking up just consoling and replacing the dreaded pacifier when necessary until calm” routine. Until one night when Uncle Brent was visiting and Harper decided routine smoutine. She was bathed, fed and sound asleep for about 30 minutes when she decided she was ready to get up. Fussiness, then howling pursued and there was no consoling. Finally Steve stepped in to replace the pacifier and before I knew it she was up and in his arms...OH NO routine broken. The rage grew and continued for an “eternity”. Brent was sure she was in critical condition. Steve and I sounded like snapping turtles (do they make noises?) Finally, Steve suggested a little more milk, I adamantly opposed, while standing my ground did sneak down, grab a few more ounces and within minutes she was fast asleep. I hate it when he’s right! Brent’s eyes were huge and quietly after all was said and done just kept repeating, “There was nothing fun at all about any of THAT!” The good part was the next morning she was back to her happy self and Uncle Brent was laughing and playing with his little niece once again.



7. Fortunately, the important things I have learned are that nothing will make you laugh more than to watch your precious little grand baby open her mouth so wide while waiting for you to spoon in the next load of prunes. Nothing gives you more joy than witnessing her breakout in a huge smile because you have just walked into the room. Listening to her babble incessantly can give you endless hours of entertainment. Finally, when she lays her head on top of your heart,burying her little head close to your chest and her eyes close as her tiny fingers clamp around yours, why then I found she had forever won my heart. It is then I knew I would do anything in the world for her for the rest of my life.

Brooke asked me before their trip if I thought I loved Harper as much as I loved her and her brother, Brent? I thought briefly before answering and then told her that indeed I did. I think to love someone as much as you love your own children is huge and seldom happens in a lifetime—the exception, grandchildren. And oh how quickly we can fall in love with them!


So now little Harper is back home where she belongs. While Grandy and I are catching our breath I find we are a little lost without our tiny shadow around. We find ourselves wondering what she’s doing, if she’s sleeping, eating, smiling. But the best part is we are fortunate enough to be able to drive a few miles down the street and take a peek and grab a snuggle any time we get lonely.


No, I may never be Harper’s Minniemama, but one thing I know for sure, I love her just as much as Minniemama loved all three of her grand babies!

With all my heart,
Honey