First off before I get to today’s post I want to remind you about our Book Club. I’m inviting you to join us in reading the book The Winemaker’s Wife by Kristen Harmel. You can read about the Book Club HERE.
There is plenty of time to join in. We’ll have our discussion about the book on May 1st.
For a heads up. I’ve selected the next book, but haven’t formally announced it, and that is The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain. That will be our June book. I’m hoping to have one book each month if I can find some good ones. This one was good. I’ll make a formal announcement about it towards the end of April but thought I’d give you a heads up in case you need to be on a waiting list at your library.
Now to today’s post…
I am very much enjoying the step back I took from doing full-time childcare. I don’t know that I’ve been getting a ton more done, but I’m loving my time with Gannon.
It just so happens that things have worked out in a way with Kalissa’s work schedule that I have Gannon a lot for two weeks and then not much at all the next week. These last two weeks have been my busy weeks. For those of you who are new, Gannon is my daughter Kalissa’s boy. Kalissa has an older son, Carver, and is expecting in the fall.
The extra time with Gannon only has been so fun for both of us. When it’s just Gannon here I can check emails. I can make supper in advance. I can do my taxes. I can do lots of things and still incorporate or interact with him while I do. He’s still getting some educational care but not in a formal way…and I love that.
We do silly things like count my socks when I’m folding laundry. He finds the magnetic letters on the refrigerator while I’m folding. It’s all just simple things but I love it and I think Gannon does too.
One of our biggest challenges is the potty. Some of you might remember that Gannon went through many problems as a youngster with pooping. He was to many doctors and specialists. Things are better and he’s not seeing a specialist. Things are working…but Gannon has had trama with pooping so we’re doing what we can to help him with that. Here was a successful day and he’s getting a treat out of my treat drawer for a job well done.
Gannon is a big time… builder and loves activities like playing with my Transportation sorting objects. First, he sorted them by color and then by type of transportation vehicle. While he’s working on this I’m often at the table putting together packages for charity quilting that need to go out. I can chat with him and still get some of my stuff done. It’s made life so much easier for me as I don’t feel like I’m formally working and need to give the kids my undivided attention. Now it’s much more laid back Grandma care.
On this day Gannon played under the ironing board while I was cutting things out on the kitchen island. Rosie was playing peek-a-boo with him.
Another great thing about just having Gannon here is that he is totally predictable when it comes to nap time. It takes him about 15 minutes to fall asleep. He sleeps for a minimum of 2 hours. That’s when I write blog posts, answer emails and take care of blog stuff. I’ve been so much better with email…at least the day-to-day email. The backlog I’ve still not caught up on.
Gannon is currently obsessed with a Lego police car I bought him to play with at my house. We’ve been working hard on letters and letter sounds so as he’s been playing I’ve been saying. P-P-P Police car in an effort to get him to learn words are made up of sounds. All week long we have expanded on that.
So Kalissa came the other day to pick him up and I told Gannon to tell Kalissa five P sound words. Gannon said:
P-P-P Pickle
P-P-P Pink
P-P-P Pizza
P-P-P Purple
P-P-P Police car
The other thing we’ve been working on is the names of his parents. So I asked him what is Daddy’s name?
Craig.
What is mommy’s name?
P-P-P Kalissa.
Then he turned to me and said, “Grandma Joey, What’s your name?”.
He’s just so cute. He has me laughing all the time.
What some of the people who are new to the blog might not know is that Gannon was born when Kramer, my husband, was sick with lung cancer. Gannon was born in February. Kramer was diagnosed in January. Here he is in May with Kalissa’s family. This was after the cancer had moved to his neck and ate away a bone there leaving him with a broken neck. You can see that Gannon was just a little guy.
Kramer ended up passing away about a month after this on June 2nd. Through all of this, it was Gannon who was my rock. So often it was little Gannon that help me hold it together.
Kalissa was at our house a lot. She’s a nurse and a chunk of Kramer’s care landed on her. I can’t tell you how many times I grabbed little Gannon, took him to the rocking chair in the other room, and rocked him. I just needed to get away from it all and Gannon was the perfect excuse. Gannon saw me cry more tears than anyone else in the family. He was just the solace I needed to help me have the courage to watch Kramer die.
The funny thing is…I think Gannon did the same for Kramer. He was his solace too. When I look back at pictures, there are many pictures of Kramer holding baby Gannon.
When Kramer passed, Gannon was only 3 months old. Gannon still was my rock. I still whisked him away and headed to the rocking chair to get away from it all. He still saw me cry. Gannon was always a safe person for me. He didn’t judge my tears. He didn’t tell me to get over it. He didn’t tell me to move on. His expectation of me was simple…love me. Oh my, I sure have.
I love all my grandkids. I love them all a lot. Gannon will always hold my heart in a special way. I think I bonded to him just because I needed him so much. Even though he was only a few months old, he really was my rock.
And now that little boy is growing up. I’m so thankful that he lives just across town and that I see him so often. I’m glad that most days it’s just the two of us.
In the fall, he’ll go to preschool. Oh, I’m going to miss him. I am thrilled to see him growing up and making his way out of our world into the big world but a part of me will always miss this time in his life.
thank you
God knew what He was doing when He sent Gannon to you when He did!! A special relationship with grandchildren is definitely to be cherished and appreciated! So glad he lives close to you! No rules about calling Kalissa and asking for one of the boys to spend the night with Grandma Joey just because!!! You are blessed to have them so close!!
Jo, I know that your daughters are nurses so they might already know this but as a much older adult I know that apple juice helps me in the morning also a small amount of ground flax seed works wonders when needed.Love your blog. I’ve got you on my prayer list.
This post means a lot to me. My father died of cancer when I was two months old (he was 36). My mother told me that he only got to come home from the hospital once and hold me. It’s nice to hear that just holding an infant might have been a comfort to him. I think I’ll save your post and re-read it over and over again. Another thing that you are doing so wonderfully is keeping Kramer’s memory alive. My mother didn’t like to talk about my father because it made her so sad (and I really didn’t want to push for that reason), so I don’t know very much about my father. I’m 63 and I still cry when I think about all the losses there. Tell them everything about Kramer, even the bad…and even if you think they aren’t listening. They are. It means so much.
I’m so happy you have grandchildren near.
When you cross stitch on 40 count, do you use one strand of floss? Do you just stitch over one thread? I’m making a Changed World. Thanks.
On 40 count I use on floss strand and I stitch that over TWO threads of linen.
Jo, I’m so glad your days are a bit easier now that you are not doing full time daycare. The P-P-P story is a treasure to enjoy for years to come! Tell Gannon I like the way he sorted his transportation shapes. We had a little Lego/cars & trucks boy at our house, too…he still is, just much older with bigger toys! It would be fun to read your Grandma Time Tales anytime. Hmm, sounds like a good children’s book!
Jo, I’m new to your blog. What year did you list your husband and gain gammon?
Hi Jane…
Three years ago in 2019 I gain two grandchildren, Gannon and (his twin cousin born a week later) Georgia. It was a year of joys and sorrow.
I was going through a rough patch when our first grandchild was born, my Peyton Lynn. She and I have a very special deep bond with one another. While I love our other two Grands my little Peanut holds a very special corner of my heart and I in here. There is nothing like a trusting unconditional look of love on an infant’s face when we are going through trials. I feel this blog post deeply in my heart and spirit. We are truly blessed women, Jo. Thank you for sharing this with us all.
Your sweet angel rescued you in your deepest grief. Special indeed. Babies always bring light into the storm. :-)
Hugs Jo.
Gannon is a cutie and his color line up of vehicles makes me smile. Its wonderful that both you and Kramer found him to be special when his health was getting worse. The circle of life. I so appreciate that you talk about him and that your kids also talk about him, keeping him your family.
In the Little House On The Prarie books, every time Pa was away or in danger Ma would get the smallest child and sit in the rocking chair with them. I never really noticed that detail when I read the books as a child, but once I had children of my own I understood. There is so much comfort in giving comfort to a little soul. It builds a special relationship
I also have a grandson who was my rock. He and his dad lived with us while mom was deployed. He would come into my bedroom every morning to wake me up – I was awake most of the time and just waited for him. He’s 13 now and growing into quite the young man including a moustache! :-)
Love and prayers
I’m getting the book and looking forward to the discussion. I’ve never been in a book club and this sounds interesting.