Several days ago I asked Alex if he’d like to spend some time at my parents’ house this week, and once he finished squealing with glee, I asked him how long he’d like to stay with them.
He thought long and hard, looked me straight in the eyes, and said, “Umm…TWO WEEKS!”
I told him that two weeks is far too long to be away from his daddy and me, and then I asked, once again, how long he’d like to stay.
“Umm…TEN DAYS!”
After several minutes of bartering and negotiation, we arrived at a compromise: five days.
I dropped him off at Mama and Daddy’s Friday afternoon when I was on my way to spend the weekend at a friend’s in Mississippi. Before I left, I explained to Alex that I’d stop by their house on my way back to Alabama because he might change his mind about staying at their house for five whole days.
Truth be told, he seemed none too interested in the come-home-early option.
But a mama can hope.
So today I arrived at Mama and Daddy’s house around lunchtime, and Alex was still in his pajamas. He and Mama had slept in while Daddy went to church, and he was watching “Peter Pan” after a nutritious breakfast of three pieces of pepperoni pizza. Mama later assured D. that the pizza was “healthier than a Pop Tart,” so really, we can’t complain.
When Alex saw me he threw his arms around my neck and then asked me, politely, what I was doing there.
“Well,” I answered, “part of the reason why I stopped is because I’ve missed you. And I also wanted to pick you up if you’re ready to go home.”
And at that point, my sweet little man reached up, grabbed my face, and said, “Oh, Mama, I’ve missed you. But Mama, I have two more days here. Two more days, Mama. And I’m not going home, okay? Okay, Mama? Because I’m gonna stay here.”
We snuggled on the couch for a little while longer, and finally he reached up, patted my arm, and said, “You can go home now, Mama. But I’m not comin’. Two more days, Mama. I’ll come home in two more days.”
Then he gave me two kisses, told me that God made me special and loves me very much, hopped out of my lap, and waited for me to leave.
In short, he did all but escort me to my car and then hand me a map with the quickest possible route away from him.
I called Mama about an hour after I got back on the road, just to check in and make sure Alex was doing okay (OH, I’m a SILLY, SILLY WOMAN). Mama told me that he had just finished a nutritious snack of Cheetos and donuts and was still watching “Peter Pan.” For the second or eleventeenth time.
I’m not sure, but I believe Alex is in what the experts refer to as “Preschooler Heaven.”
And I’m just crossing my fingers that, in two days, D. and I will be able to convince him to, you know, come back home.
It seems that the lure of a grandmother-issued Krispy Kreme is a powerful force indeed.
*sigh* I have this problem. The kids go to my mom’s house and immediately enter into a sugar/computer/TV free for all. When I show up at the door, they look at me and say “What are you doing here?”
Remember me? I’m the mommy?
I REALLY need to talk to your Mama. I’m a Grandma in training and she’s obviously a pro at this Grandma thang.
Let me take notes, here…*pizza, donuts, Cheetos*… ;-)
Bless his little heart. He is in love with the lovin’ he’s getting! :) Grandparent love is unforgettable your whole life. I’m glad you’re letting him drink it all in.
And Krispy Kreme’s? My mouth started the doggy style salivating when you mentioned them. There’s only 1 that I know of in my area and it’s closing down soon. I live out here in crazy nutrition land, aka California. Who’s afraid of a little trans fat? Not me.
Love, Michelle
oh, what i would give to have big h at nana and papa’s for a NIGHT or six. i would have no idea what to do myself.
the quiet.
you have got it made. i mean, about the being alone for a minute part. not that “i’m not comin’ part.”
give it up for boograndmama and boogranddaddy. (or whatever they’re called.)
This has not a single thing to do with this post…but Lori sent me here. A couple of days before Easter, I finished reading the Bible from cover to cover … in 88 days. I have not been able to remember WHERE IN THE WORLD I found out about this study that Lori was monitoring…but now I get an email from her…saying it was from your blog??? I cannot thank you enough for posting … (which post was it?) because reading it through this way has been phenomenal!
Oh my goodness, this is too cute! We have this same scenerio when Snuggle Bug is at his grandparents house, although at 2 years old he doesn’t get to stay without us. Still, our rules don’t apply at Grandma & Grandpa’s house and Snuggle Bug knows it! He LOVES spending time there! :)
Do you think your sweet Mama will take me in for five days? I want to eat Krispy Kremes and watch Peter Pan. Sounds great right about now…
I’m 36 and a mom of almost 4; my grandma is 89 and lives about 5 minutes away. Don’t tell anyone, but I’ve been known to sneak by there for a nap in her guest room and the hopes of some cheese toast and hot tea…or a milkshake…or some brownies…or cheese straws…or seven layer chocolate cake. You know, just whatever she has lying around. My little ones love to go there just as much as I do, and that makes me very, very happy. That Alex is a smart, smart boy! But you knew that already!
Yes, I know that feeling too – my boys are the same way. Who am I kidding? I love going to Nana’s too, but I never get to stay!
My Grandma is none for her peanut butter bannana shakes…in bed. Why are we not all five??
I go thru this every Tuesday when Flicka spends the day with my in-laws! LOL However, I’m starting to get calls from her on my cell in the middle of the day (“Momma, just calling to see if you are OK…are you OK?”) which keeps my momma-hopes up! LOL
Oh how I mis the days of Grandma visits… She has passed away now and we all wish there were “two more days”. What a heritage he is recieving!
And…sounds like Alex is watching a whole lot of Veggie Tales – God made you special and he loves you very much mama – where ever did he get that one?! lol – but its true so its all good!
ROFL! The worst part is the hypocrisy of these grandmas! When I was a kid, I was lucky to get a whole cookie twice a year–oh no, it was all “you’ll spoil your supper” and “no nutritional value.” But with my son, the same woman told me “Sugar won’t hurt him.” She said I was uptight! She bought him chocolate cereal and chocolate milk.
I think they are bribing our children.
Also, re: your son’s willingness to say goodbye to you; my son was (is) like that too. They told me not to worry; it meant he was secure. Yes, but also a social extrovert. Sounds like Alex is the same way. Kids like this are lots of fun, aren’t they?
You are blessed to have your folks there for him to hang out with and love and enjoy. And eat pizza and donuts with.
You’re right – pre-schooler heaven! In our little corner of the world, three crazy girls at once make Grammy and Grandaddy twitch, so they only get spoiled one at a time.
Well, look at the bright side (I’m an eternal optimist). At least he enjoys being with the Grandparents. It could be the other way around! I loved the post.
My dad takes Emma Grace to school every morning for me (we homeschool 2 of our children) and each he brings her home-
with a happy meal. Every day.
Grandparents are the best! I am glad he is having such a wonderful time!
Ahhh…the power of powdered donuts and almost any toy they want from the Walmart toy aisle. Hard to compete with! ;-)
Around this nana’s house, it’s an endless supply of cookies. And Cameron cries when he has to go home. I know it’s difficult for Krissy, but it warms this grandma’s heart. Sorry. This is our reward for surviving our own children. I always told Krissy, “Paybacks are a ……”
Ahhh, so sweet. What a blessing that our little ones love their Grammies so much!
Ohhh…I just love this post!
I’m so sorry…that is just terrible! I’ve been there, Sister…it’s quite difficult to convince them that you are so very wonderful and cool when you’re trying to give them vegetables b/c they’re good for them :(
Random: Did you ever notice that Krispy Kreme donuts taste better when you’re on vacation at the beach?
Have a great Monday!
In His Joy,
Holly
This took me back to my own sleepovers at my grandparents’ house. I was the first grandchild, so they spoiled me like crazy. I knew going to grandma’s meant going shopping for new toys and clothes and eating lots of yummy food and dancing together late at night. And my grandparents still treat me this way, and I’m 26! Just last night they brought me barstools for my new apartment and a chocolate cake.
Oh you’ll get him back alright, but it will take at least two weeks for the Grandma Mojo to wear off.
This post is just too sweet for words.
Hope y’all are enjoying your “alone” time! We have yet to be brave enough to let the kids stay overnight. With the exception of when Reagan was hospitalized for a week at 2 weeks old, but other than that, they’ve never been away.
Okay, this post made me cry. Yeah, I know… silly me. I’ll just blame the preggo hormones. :)
Truth is though, that even when my sonm goes out with is daddy for just a few hours, I start to miss him terribly. Good thing all of his grandparents live several states away, huh?
Enjoy your alone time with your hubby. Maybe you could even make a little sibling for Alex. ;)
ha ha ha! Too funny. This is exactly how my kids treat me when they go to their Nana and Papa’s.
What a blessing to have your parents so close to..ummm…well, if it were Miss Pear I would say totally corrupt her, but seeing it is your sweet boy i will say spoil overwhelmingly!
don’t fret…just enjoy your moments.
My kids are with my mom two days a week and they still cry when I come to get them! My mom has so much fun being a grandma. And my inlaws? Oh.my.word. My FIL especially dotes on the kids. My Hubs said the other day that he’s pretty sure his dad didn’t even know he existed until he was five years old (and he’s the younger kid!), but now that man loves on the babies. My FIL and MIL take at least one child, often the two older ones (5 and 3) for the weekend at least once a month. I know I’m really lucky and I’m so grateful because I know lots of people who don’t have those kinds of parents and inlaws. I didn’t really have those kind of granparents, either, although I was very close to them. So I treasure the time my kids spend with their grandparents. I think it just warms a mama’s heart to see people enjoy her children as much as (and sometimes more!) she does!
Oh, how I hope to be that kind of grandma someday! Enjoy your two more days!
No doubt he inherited that trait from me. I was always just as happy, happy, happy as I could be when I was at Rose Hill with Mamaw and Papaw.
Golly Moses, Alex is a lucky dawg!
Ohhh, poor momma! Jk! I wish my kids would take off for a few days, lol.
Oh, wait, next weekend 3 of them are going away! 3 down, 4 to go!
Those grandmas know exactly what they are doing! My mom gives my kids ice cream for breakfast when they are at her house…why wouldn’t they like it there best?
Oh, I miss my grandmother. We were best buddies, and I always wanted “two more days”. Funny though, she only served nutritional food and shook her head when I dumped sugar on the fortified fiber cereal. We had the BEST times, and I didn’t even mind my Coke intake being limited while I was there. :-) There’s just something special about grandmother love!
That sounds just like my kids when they visit the grandparents, too. I say, go for it! ‘Cause when I get to be a grandmother, I’m gonna do the same thing!
My dad used to say “When Mom became a Grandma, her brains turned to mush!” I love my Grandma! She spoiled us in a somewhat healthy sort of way – she cut fresh fruit for us after school every day (often alongside powdered sugar), then after we ate it we got a chocolate malt :-) She always kept her family on a healthy, well-balanced diet (but there’s nothing evil about sugar), and I think most of my interest in feeding my family well comes from her. I’m so glad my son adores his “Gamma T.” We are 2,000 miles from family now, but thank God for Skype!
You know, I say don’t fight it and feel blessed! My kids didn’t have the grandparent relationship at all while growing up and I sincerely believe they missed out a very special relationship. Our parents really don’t know what they missed!
I, however, plan to be a fabulous grandma when the time comes! Just watch and see!
My grandparents lived more than an ocean away and I only met them once in my whole life so when my kids were little I was just so happy that they had their grandparents. I figure that’s the job of my kid’s grandparent for putting up with me in my teenage years. Goodness knows I made them earn it! :v)
This Nana bought her granddaughter a t-shirt that says :
What Happens At Grandmas…Stays At Grandmas :)
Right on grandma!!! That’s the way we do it. LOL
Seriously, I did the same thing when I was a kid. I’d want to spend the entire summer with my grandparents but my mom would make me come home after 2 weeks.We had a really special relationship. I miss her dearly.
It is truly a blessing for you as well as your parents that they live so close. My grandkids live between 1500 and 2000 miles away from here. I dearly miss them.
Thanks for sharing this BooMama. It reminded me of all the special memories with my grandparents. *Hugs*
What a lucky little man he is!
“Pizza is healthier than a pop tart” reminds me of my Southern mother-in-law telling me that cake is too a healthy breakfast; it has eggs and milk in it.