Sandpiper, I love the idea of that journal of what you two do together...what a treasured gift that will be for him later!

One thing that I've learned from my (step) granddaughter is that while I may think of myself in one way (I'm the step grandmother, I never had children of my own so I haven't "earned" the right to a granddaughter), SHE (my granddaughter) thinks of me as her grandmother. She knows I'm not her flesh-and-blood grandmother, but it doesn't matter to her - I'm her "heart-grandmother" and she loves me as her grandmother. It makes no difference to her whether or not I've earned the right to be her grandmother, I just am, and that's enough for her. So I've stopped distinguishing between her "real" grandmother and myself - in her eyes, we're both integral and beloved and irreplaceable.

Eagle,

You know it's not that people have to be biological to be family. I have a large family from my parents and I am the last of 6 children. I mostly lived my life close to my family except when my hubby was in the Navy. Then we were alone mostly. We moved back home and then 20 years ago moved to Florida.

I met a lovely lady 18 years ago and she and her 4 children became family for us. She became our baby sister and her children became our neices and nephews. My children and they feel and relate to each other as cousins and her as their Aunt. When she died 2 years ago, we all fell apart because she was our family.

So, I am so very happy you are simply "Grandma". She only knows her heart loves you and you are a part of her life and will be there for her always. So, darling, you don't have to earn the right to be a grandma, you are blessed by having a small person in your life who knows your heart and you are her grandma in every way.

Love you Eagle,
Sandpiper

Saw a saying recently that made me smile, it went:

When a Child is born, so is a Grandmother.