The last few Saturdays, we've gone "yard-sale-ing" with my daughter-in-law and my grandbeauty. She'll be 3 in April and I amazes me how well behaved she is -- getting in and out of the car --looking at all the goodies laying around --

Well yesterday we went a little farther than usual and finally she got a little cranky. I was so pleased at my daughter-in-law because she immediately put down the object she was looking at, picked Belle up and told her she knew she was getting tired and they would wait in the car for us. Well, of course we left right away too.

When we got in the car I asked Belle if she'd like to share an ice-cream cone from McDonalds with me and that changed her whole attitude. As we sat in the restaurant exchanging ice cream cones (if I licked the melting ice cream from her cone - she had to lick my cone)- I hugged my husband and said "this is what life is all about"

You dont appreciate it quite as much when you're the parent doing it 24/7 -- but as a grandparent you can stand back and absorb it all --

It refreshes the soul like nothing else I know.

Teary eyed because I know all of you and can picture it all unfolding. I'm so glad you live in the same town with them. What a blessing! the ice cream cone licking in precious!

I watched my two grandsons Friday nite. One is six the other 19 months. The youngest is at the "lovey" stage, and I don't want to let go of him when he falls asleep in my arms. I'm sure all of you grandmothers have looked into those beautiful, peaceful faces of your grandchildren, and started to cry because they mean the world to you. I do it every time. The tears just roll dowm my cheeks. I have a picture frame with all my grandsons in it that says, "If I'd known grandchildren were so much fun, I'd have had them first." I said that to my daughters, not knowing that someone else had already said it, and my daughter found the frame and gave it to me as a present. The feelings I have for my grandsons are so much different than being a parent. Anyone else out there feel that way?
Lynne

I must be the strange one here as my first child, my eldest son was the star and the sun and everytrhing to me. He still is even now. I just use to sit and watch him sleep and was uncontrobably exhilirated at each new thing he did. I was almost the same way with my second son. My children were the most important thing in my world and I was so sorry to see them grow up and go their own ways..I miss having them around every day. I adore my grandchildren as well but am not as emotional with them as I was with my sons. I have a close relationship with each grandchild and we love one other very much. I know, I was sappy for my sons and still am!

Chatty, I hesitated replying here before your post because I feel the same way as you do. I thought maybe something was wrong with me because I've heard women say that having grandchildren was better than having children. I love my grandson immensely, but I don't feel the same bond I felt with my own. Maybe it's from the
breastfeeding.

My grandbabies are older now, but still a treat for me to enjoy.

I enjoy my 3 year old grandson more than I did my son. And I did enjoy my son and I know y'all will know what I mean when I say I had many moments in his life that I savored and stored away in my heart and memory. I think I enjoy Clayton more because I put my life aside and give him all my attention. We are real goofy together and have such a good time, many times he doesn't want to go home. One time he said he didn't like his mommy anymore. hehe - he loves his mommy and she is a good one, too but you can't compete with Shrek snacks. Anyhoo, his mom and dad do a great job with him but they also have dinner to make, laundry, cleaning and other activities such as working out, etc. Everything is more intense at my house, and boy, I'm exhausted by the time he goes home.

Daisygirl

It's very hard to explain my feelings for my daughters, and then my grandsons. I had my first dtr. at the ripe old age of 18, and was putting my husband thru college. So much responsibility. I hate to say it, but it's very hard for me to remember being with her until she was about three. I took 8 years off after my second dtr. was born, and I remember every minute with her, and my oldest dtr. That was a wonderful time. The feelings for the grandsons are just so different. There's a feeling of no responsibility, but of course there is. There's that feeling that they really don't have to love you, but golly gee, they really do!!! And being able to sit back and watch them grown is the biggest wonderful feeling of them all, and I get to be involved in their lives! Sure hope you know what I mean. Thanks for "listening" to me blubber.
Lynne

It seems that the level of enjoyment regarding grandkids has a lot to do with what was going on in your life when your own children were small. For some of us, life was extremely difficult in those early years, and the memories of the joy are tempered with the memories of misery. Not so, with the grandkids, at least in my case. When my DIL had our first grandchild, within hours, she and I had an interesting conversation as she sat there in her hospital bed. She was panicked--completely overwhelmed--by the depth of her instantaneous love for her daughter. I remember her telling me "I never expected to feel like THIS! I thought I loved Jason with all my heart and soul!" (Jason is her husband and my son. She sure looked sheepish after saying that to me ) When she asked how I could be so calm, I came up with what I thought was a really good answer:
I think being a grandparent is all the love, but only half the worry.
Still seems true today, nearly six years and two more grandkids later!

Anxiously awaiting the fourth grandchild (due THIS WEEK!)

Fifty

I had 3 sons, and 4 miscarriages. I was told I would never be able to carry a baby to term, and had many problems and 2 c-sections. My 3 sons are my miracles. Nothing or no one can take their place!
But, My first grandchild came along, a granddaughter! Then 5 grandsons! It is a very special and different feeling and love to my sons. Not more or less, just different! One reason my grandchildren are so precious to me is because they are part of my 3 sons I love so dearly. I can watch my grandchildren and see my sons in them! What a beautiful thing!