Low-tech genius

I'm continually thankful for all the gadgetry that makes long-distance grandparenting easier to swallow. The high-tech blessings of digital cameras and e-mail allow Megan to regularly share with me the low-tech genius of our Bubby.

Megan's latest e-mail:

Hi Mom, I'm procrastinating my workout right now. But I wanted to show you the latest drawing Bubby did. It is so obvious how strong his hand muscles are getting. I have students right now who can't press down this hard when they use markers or crayons. I was so proud of him! We did this one yesterday afternoon. Talk to you later, love you!  

And the attached masterpiece:

Ten years or so ago, parents had to snail mail artwork to grandparents. I consider myself truly blessed -- and thankful I don't have to move to the dreadful desert in order to witness Bubby's daily activities!

Cruisin'

Nothing about being a grandma today, just pictures of the cute little grandma car Brianna bought yesterday!

Brianna asked me to go with her to buy a car yesterday because I'm "meaner," which comes in handy when dealing with salesmen.

After several exercises in frustration with dealerships in the auto park -- one where I had to tell the salesman at one of the city's "reputable" dealerships, "We're reluctant to buy a vehicle that we don't even know the price of" as he continuously ignored my question of "So what's the sales price?" -- we went to CarMax. Where they post the prices on the car. Where there truly is no haggling. Where they gave Brianna $750 for her trade-in truck that we thought we'd be lucky to get $250 for.

Hands down, CarMax provided the best car-buying experience I've had in the past 30 years. Yeah, it's not a local dealership ("buy local, buy local") but it keeps local folks employed, and that's good enough for me.

Congratulations, Brianna. Enjoy your little PT Cruiser!

Who's your grandma?

Grandma A, Grandma B (her designation, not mine!) and Great GrandmaMegan told me yesterday that Bubby hurt her feelings for the first time. After work she went home, where Preston's grandma was covering her once-a-week shift on babysitting duty. When Megan opened the door, Bubby saw her, made his "ugly face" and adamantly shook his head "no!"

"He wanted nothing to do with me and started reaching for Grandma," Megan sadly related.

And when "Grandma" got ready to leave, Bubby clung to her and cried at the prospect of her walking out the door.

I feel for Megan. It stinks when your baby seemingly rejects you in favor of someone else. I understand how it feels when your kiddo dents your heart. (Believe me ... this story was coming out of the mouth of the daughter who broke my heart into a million little pieces each and every day of her teen years. Thank heaven my heart mended itself each night and could start each day anew.)

So, Megan, I'm sorry Bubby hurt your feelings. But I'm having a hard time getting past the multiple nonchalant mentions of "Grandma" throughout the story.

Megan and I have talked before about how much I hate that Preston's grandma gets to be THE "Grandma" to Bubby. When Megan says the word grandma to Bubby, guess whose face he sees? I want it to be MY face, but that's not what he's learned.

Yes, I could be called something else. Megan's suggestion is Grammy. Well, I don't want to be Grammy. That's for old people ... and is more fitting for the great grandma than grandma. I want to be Grandma. I want to be THE Grandma.

I don't resent Preston's grandma for the place she's taken in Bubby's life. Honest. She's a wonderful woman and the best grandma Bubby could have taking care of him and loving him on a regular basis -- except for me. I really would be the very best grandma ever ... if only I didn't live 819 miles away from him.

So I'll continue being referred to as Grandma, despite knowing I'm not the grandma Bubby immediately thinks of when he hears the word.

But I'm definitely counting on Bubby coming up with some other -- special and unique! -- name for me once he starts talking a little more.

Why blog?

My reason for blogging, displaying his "sweet" pose.When I woke up this morning, I was thinking that I really don't feel like posting anything today. I've been battling a summer cold, and I have a lot to do today but not much to say. Plus, why do it every day when so few people read the posts anyway?

So I turned to an oft-used procrastination tool: checking my e-mail. Amidst all the pleas from retailers and notifications of jobs for which I don't qualify were two e-mails from Megan.

The first:

Hi Mom, I just wanted to let you know that I look forward to reading your blog each day. Here it is 5:11 AM and I'm checking it to see if maybe you posted early. But even if you did it wouldn't change the fact that I check it a million times throughout the day anyway. I think I'm addicted! :)

And the second, 28 minutes later:

Yep, definitely addicted. Just checked it again - just in case.

It was a reminder that although not a lot of folks read my blatherings, the folks that matter do.

I was initially against blogging. It just seems so self-important to think that others really give a hoot about the ramblings rumbling around in my brain. Then, when my coworkers and I were laid off last year, they encouraged me to start a blog "as a way to keep in touch." So I reluctantly joined the blogosphere ... and soon found it was a nice way to drain my brain of the this and that clogging my system.

So when my brain -- and heart -- were full of incredible joy at the arrival of Bubby, paired with intense sadness that our relationship would be a long-distance one, I turned to blogging as a release. Thus began Grandma's Briefs -- my way of starting each day with happy thoughts about Bubby and what he means to my life, despite the 819 miles between us, and to purge myself of the sadness attached to each and every one of those miles.

The other perks of blogging soon became obvious:

• My mom reads my posts and learns more about me and my life than if I were to call her each day (I hate the telephone, so this works for us both).
• My wonderful Aunt Darlene on the other side of the country reads my words and sends me sweet e-mails and wonderful photos and videos of my grandma.
• My friends comment and make me feel like what I say really does matter.
• Kind strangers bestow awards upon me.

And, most important of all, blogging helps me believe that, despite the miles separating all of us, my immediate family is still close ... and will continue to be.

Guess I'll keep blogging.

(Thanks for today's post, Megan.)