Mimi and Paw Paw

I read back over my post from yesterday (as I'm wont to do when I'm paranoid about my mashed potato brain making typos or not making sense in general), and you know, I realized that I left something important out. Well, truthfully, I knew I had left it out...it was a purposeful omission...because it's a big something and it's hard to put into words. But, you know, after reading back over it, it's an omission that is so glaring and ridiculous that it demands inclusion. It's like, the whole post doesn't make sense without it. So, here it is.

In the 'Henry's favorite things to do' paragraph, I truly should have inserted about eight thousand words about how much he loves to spend time with his grandparents - my mom and dad - his Mimi and Paw Paw. As most of you know, they live a few streets over, and we are fortunate enough to see them just about every day. We don't even really call our time together 'visits,' because it's become such a part of our life that we just feel like their house/street is an extension of ours.

Many days of the week, my dad will call me to see what we're doing...and if H is awake, he'll tell me he's coming over. Sometimes they play here, and other times, Paw Paw will take Henry on a ride in his 'big black truck' to run any number of errands around town or even to the firestation for a tour of the woo-woo trucks and woo-woo boat. The kid does the happy dance from the minute I tell him that Paw Paw is coming until he is securely fastened into his carseat in Paw Paw's truck. A few hours later, he comes home happier than when he left, and I always look forward to griping at my dad about the chocolate smudges that are sure to grace little big man's face and front of his shirt. 35.4 pounds, dad...I blame you. :)

Anyway, after he wakes up from his nap, almost everyday, H starts asking about his Mimi. He knows that she comes home soon after he wakes up, so he wants to make sure I remember, too. ha! This is the one time of day that Henry doesn't try to run away from me when the words 'diaper' or 'shoes' are mentioned. Nope...in fact, he usually says them to me...sometimes bringing the shoes on over. He knows that we don't roll out to Mimi's without being clean, dressed, and with shoes on!

When we drive up to their house, Henry doesn't say much...he just screams at the top of his lungs with excitement. He helps me unstrap him, and happy-dances all the way up the walk to find his Mimi. Then, she takes him exploring. For hours. In the yard. To the ditch. Stomping down the street, splashing in every puddle along the way. To the park. To Maw Maw's house. To look at bugs. Pretty much wherever he wants to go, she takes him. And after it's too dark to play outside, she brings him in and the party continues on the floor of her living room where a basket of toys and books await. And she doesn't just let him sit there playing alone...she gets on his level and gives the animal toys voices and makes them act out stories...she reads...she interacts...she makes him so, so, so happy.

This happens everyday in some form or another.

Every. Day.

Want to know what I do while my mom and dad take the Henry reins??

I sit. I feed the baby without a 21-month old jumping on top of us. I talk to Jameson. I can sometimes grab a shower. Today, I got to fix my hair for the first time in a week while my dad took Henry joyriding. I might take in a TV show (like, a real grown-up one with dialogue and a little drama). I talk to my siblings. I make phone calls that I have been needing to make. I go on a date with my husband. I fold and put away laundry that has been waiting on me for days and days. I live a little.

So, I left it off of my post yesterday. Not because I forgot it, but because it's such a huge thing that it's sometimes hard to put into words. It is, indeed, one of Henry's favorite things, spending time with his Mimi and Paw Paw...but to just say that sort of minimizes how special it is. It's just that it's also one of our entire family's favorite things. And not in the superficial, "I like coffee, reading, good music, and grandparent involvement" sort of way, either. More in the completely humbled and gracious "I love how I have never felt forgotten by my parents...and how, although they do many things because they love their grandson, they also do them because they love me and they remember. They remember how hard it is to have two babies under two. They remember the toll of sleep deprivation. They remember what it was like to have no help...and how bad that sucked. They just remember...remember me...remember all of it. And so they sacrifice their quiet, relaxing, almost-retired time so that we can have it better than they did..." sort of way.

And, kids, that's no small thing.

Since we moved to TX, lots of folks have taken it upon themselves to give us the what-for about living so close to our parents/inlaws, but let me tell you...it is wonderful and precious and good...and when we're counting blessings, rest assured, we count this arrangement two (okay, more like, twenty) times.

Go ahead and put that somewhere in the middle of what I wrote yesterday. Okay, thanks! Have a great weekend, everyone!!