Who needs the gym?

Being a grandmother is just about the best thing that has ever happened to me.  Actually, I'd probably place it #3 after falling in love and having my own two children.  There is nothing I'd rather do than spend time with these three small humans.  They make me smile on the outside and the inside.  Their hugs fill me with joy; their laughter makes the most ordinary day extraordinary.  But ...

... they wear me out!  Where did all this energy come from?  I can't remember being this exhausted when my son and daughter were growing up, but I was 30+ years younger.  I suppose that might make a difference!  I awoke this morning at my DD's house around 7 a.m., quietly unmade my bed (2 sleeping bags and an exercise mat carefully placed among the toys and the Christmas tree on the floor of the living room), turned on the coffee, checked e-mail (I am a thoroughly modern Oma), showered and dressed.  The day officially began at 8 a.m. when Talia, Jackson, and Tasha were awake and ready to be dressed and fed, simultaneously.  Then began the very serious task of figuring out how long Oma can play before something vital starts to hurt!

One Lego town built; 6 Christmas books read; 2 diapers changed; 1 baby cuddled; favorite Matchbox car recovered from under the Christmas tree; a timeout or two; brown barrettes replaced with red - whew, temper tantrum avoided! - more milk, please.  Hooray!  It's 9 a.m. and time for Oma to meet her friend for coffee.

Love comes in all shapes and sizes.  For me, love is a face covered in mashed bananas, a red-headed 2-year-old learning the power of the word "no," and a blue-eyed blond who loves Ariel - and her Oma.  Well worth a few sore muscles at the end of the day, don't you think?