Out of the mouths of, well, not babes exactly, but out of the mouth of my Angel Boy second grader.
A long time ago, even before there was an Angel Girl, AB and I would hug when we first saw each other and then at various times throughout the day and before bed.
I always asked first, “can I have a hug?” or “would you like a hug” because of course it’s all about body autonomy and if he didn’t feel like being touched, it’s his right to say no. That’s a good lesson for all of us, right?
Then he started to say, “I need a Grandma hug” and my arms would open wide.
When Angel Girl came into the world, she would stretch out HER arms and say, “Hug” and who could ever say no to that? Definitely not me.
Now they both jump into my arms and just about knock me over. I tell them I have two arms so there’s plenty of love for both of them. Yes, there’s a bit of sibling rivalry because AB had me all to himself for almost four years and sharing his grandma has caused some angst. Actually, learning to share anything is an ongoing lesson for him…
Recently, Angel Boy has become a bit more thoughtful about what it means to be his grandma.
He told his sister, “With Grandma, the hug store is always open. Right, Grandma?”
I hugged them both and said, “That’s a really cool way to describe it and you’re one thousand percent correct. Best of all, it doesn’t cost a single penny. My hug store is always open, night or day, 365 days a year.”
After that beautiful moment, I told him we needed to write a story about The Hug Store, and that’s exactly what we’re doing.
There’s an endless ocean of love with these two angel kids. ❤️
I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,
And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.
--RL Stevenson
This haunting photo of the ocean is a total mystery. I don’t remember where or when I snapped it, but it’s intense.
I can certainly relate. I’m working on the shadowy crevices between total darkness and the love and positivity that shines a light into the murky gloom.
Embrace and make peace with our shadow with a lot of love and self compassion.
“You said you would and you always keep your promises, right, Grandma?”
“I know I did, and isn’t that exactly what I’m doing? Aren’t we on our way to the special Pokemon card store? Am I keeping my promise?”
He often says that to me, referencing my statements about keeping promises to him or his sister. Or to anyone, really.
“You promised!”
I think it’s important to be honest and if I promise to do something or take them somewhere, I’ll keep my word. If I’m not sure, I say, “I’ll try but I can’t promise.” That way, they’re prepared to accept a different outcome. I don’t want to let them down.
The key to my success is not to promise anything I can’t deliver. With the kids, it’s simple–promises to go to the park or a special store or bake whatever they request (kugel or cinnamon rolls) or play Candyland.
Why is keeping promises important?
Keeping a promise lays the foundation for trust and respect. Trust is vital. When our behavior is consistent, it allows others to build faith and trust in us. Nurturing this behavior in children early in life begins a pattern that leads to reliability and personal integrity. It’s all about responsibility, commitment, and accountability.
Have I ever broken a promise to the kids? So far, the answer is no. Because it means so much to me to be a person they can always trust, who will always be there for them no matter what. As they get older, hopefully I’ll never let them down. They can count on me.
I haven’t done this in a while; here’s a compilation of random high energy Angel chat…read all the way through to learn about Squishies.
“Grandma, watch me brush my hair! Grandma, watch me, no, right now! Looklooklook!”
“Grandma did you put the picture I drew for you on the refrigerator?”
“Mom, I totally freaked Grandma out!”
“Grandma Princess Rosebud, I totally freaked you out, right?”
OMG she really did (and yes, they really call me Grandma Princess Rosebud). We were at the park and seemingly for no reason at all, she took off running and was headed OUT of the playground gate faster than I have EVER seen a four-year-old run. What I didn’t know was that she had spotted Dad and was breaking all land speed records to jump in his arms.
“You almost gave me a heart attack.”
“T, remember how I totally freaked Grandma out?”
As a reminder, this is a verbally precocious four-year-old and she was absolutely astonished at my “freaked out” reaction.
All I know for certain is that I guard those kids’ lives with a fierce laser-focused intensity, and I had no idea why she was running OUT and away, as that had never happened before. The kids stay close to me and I have my eyes on both of them at at all times. Their safety is my number one priority.
“Grandma, how long do I have to hold your hand to cross the street?”
“Until you’re ten, ‘cos that’s when Daddy stopped holding my hand, but if I ever say it’s super important to hold my hand, please agree to do it because it’s my job to keep you both safe, right?”
“Oh, okay.” (Insert teenagerish eye roll.)
“Grandma, look at this Pokemon card. Is it real or fake?” How about this one? How come you always can pick out the fakes?” “I played chess with my friend.” “Why don’t you play chess Grandma?”
“Grandma, do you know what? You haven’t been very annoying for a few days.” “I just thought I’d tell you that.”
“Well, my little friend, thank you for sharing because now I will work extra hard to be annoying!”
“Grandma, did you send more puzzles? Really hard ones? How many pieces?” “T, I sent you two Pokemon puzzles, one with 100 pieces and a really hard one with 300 pieces. Do you think you can handle it?”
“Yes, I can handle it, Grandma!”
“DAD, GRANDMA SENT ME A POKEMON PUZZLE WITH 300 PIECES!”
“How about ME, Grandma?” “Your two puzzles each have 48 pieces, my smart little angel.” “But that’s not hard enough!” “When you’ve completed those a few times, we’ll see about moving up to the next level, OK?”
“Grandma, did you send us more Squishmallows?”
“Yes, I absolutely did. Don’t I always?”
Are you dialed in to the Squishmallow craze? You probably are if you’re a mom or grandma. It started a couple years ago when the kids received one of these very soft, very squishy stuffies and the addictive desire for more multiplied. It seems to have become a worldwide phenomenon. I admit I love them too and can’t stop collecting the new releases. If I had to count, I’ve probably bought the kids each about thirty-five, so that equals a grand total of SEVENTY Squishmallows. (Since they MUST have the same ones. I always buy TWO.)
I know, I know, I know it might seem excessive, but that’s what grandmas DO!
I just found these ADORABLE giant Halloween Squishmallows and yes, these will be presented soon…
Some stay here to be loved while others are held on the flight home. I send a new one pretty much every month which is the reason for the question.
They come in smaller sizes too, and brilliantly branched out into other merch — I’ve even gotten Angel Girl Squishmallow socks.
Pineapples, tigers, and dinosaurs, but I really love the enchanting unicorns, don’t you?
I’m known as the “fixer” because I have a certain amount of success in gluing together broken bits of china, repairing toys, and mending torn clothing…just call me the all around problem solver.
The original Angel Boy recently came to me with a few hand sewing tasks; a ripped seam in his windbreaker, tighten the upper arms of his gardening sleeves where the elastic stretched out so they won’t fall down, (which is super annoying), and sew or iron patches on AB2’s jeans, where he must slide on one knee A LOT,
After I completed my work under the watchful eye of my faithful sidekick, Angel Girl, she rummaged around in her room for something for me to repair (she doesn’t like to be left out of anything) and ran back with a dress that had short-ish butterfly sleeves that didn’t meet her high fashion standards.
“I don’t like this part, Grandma, so you can fix it.”
I took a look at it and figured it wouldn’t be a too difficult job to remove the flutter sleeves and resew the seams, which I did.
It made her very happy.
Later, while mom was giving her a bath, I could hear them chatting about her day. All of a sudden, she said, “I’ve got to give this to Grandma.”
She jumped out of the tub and came running into my room dripping wet, holding a raggedy torn and tattered washcloth full of holes.
“Here you go, Grandma, fix this.”
It must have been washed dozens of times and there really wasn’t any life left and sadly, that worn out fabric was far beyond my capabilities to magically repair, but I love the faith and confidence that angel has in me as the “fixer”, the one she can count on to make things right and restore everything back to the way they should be.
I have all things unicorn on the brain since Angel Girl asked demanded I bake a unicorn cake for her birthday.
This came across my feed and it seemed so perfect for the full moon and multiple retrograde energies.
“Here, you can borrow my belief in you, until you can find yours again.”
I think it’s another way of talking about holding sacred space for someone, to be the constant, the starship, the lighthouse, the beacon of hope and unconditional love.
(And on that other subject, so far I’ve collected all things unicorn — dresses and socks, Squishmallows, a jewelry box, books, and a backpack, along with unicorn themed party plates and napkins –her every wish fulfilled.)
“It doesn’t matter how old you are, there is a little child within who needs love and acceptance.”- Louise Hay
Do you still wish upon a star? I do, because my own inner child is blissfully naive and unsophisticated.
Star light, star bright, First star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, Have this wish I wish tonight.⭐
I wrote a letter To my inner child And, I told her How loved she was by me And, if no one else Ever told her so She knew How loved she was, by me
⭐
And when We grow up We must never forget That hidden, down deep Within us Is our forever inner child Resting, silently within us Forever waiting Forever hoping That one day We shall Remember it
⭐
And, if a star shall fall Down upon the ground Why, I shall pick her up For she longed to be found I shall hold her forever Forever in my heart Knowing that we shall never Ever again, be apart
By Athey Thompson from A little Pocket Book of Poems
It’s a mantra of sorts. Do you know what I’m talking about?
Picture Angel Girl wearing my Hello Kitty apron on the other side of the kitchen table, mirroring my movements and my mantra, “push, fold, turn…“
I toss a handful of bench flour on the silicone mat so the dough won’t stick, and hand her a portion of the cinnamon roll dough to start kneading.
“Like this, watch me. With this part of your hand, push…fold…turn.”
“Like this, Grandma?”
“That’s perfect. Let’s say it together.”
We work and speak in harmony…”Push, fold, turn. Push, fold, turn.”
“You can tell it’s ready because it feels smooth. How does your dough feel?”
“Super smooth, Grandma!”
“Awesome! Now we’ll let our dough rise and finish creating our yummy cinnamon rolls.”
“I can’t wait!”
“Neither can I, but we have to follow all the steps to make your Great Grandma Charlotte’s recipe exactly like she taught me.”
After the dough doubled in sized, both the Angels helped to roll it out, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, and they allowed me to complete the process.
One more proofing (no one was patient) and the sweet bread was finally ready to bake.
Dad and Mom came home JUST as they came out of the oven and we all gorged ourselves on more cinnamon rolls than we probably should have.
In case you’re wondering, we don’t ice our cinnamon rolls. We like them just like this.
Dad complimented me, “These are really the best you ever made!”
Do you know what the secret ingredient was?
I do.
It was the sweet, loving assistance of two curly haired angel kids.
I read The Velveteen Rabbit to both Angels and I’m not sure they loved it as much as I did, but it did give us an opportunity to have a chat about my favorite part.
T ran to his bedroom to find his dad’s teddy which now belongs to the kids, so I think they understood the story’s valuable message.
“Like this, Grandma?” “Where Daddy’s puppy chewed on Teddy’s ear?”
“Exactly!” “Teddy’s been loved a lot, hasn’t he?”
T brought Teddy to Dad so he could give him an extra hug. “Hug him, Daddy. He misses you.”
I wish I had a photo of that precious moment, but it’s captured in my heart forever.
“You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in your joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.”
Margery Williams Bianco – The Velveteen Rabbit, 1923.
Enchanted Seashells | Princess Rosebud 