Grandmas

Carrying on with that "22" idea from a little while back, I was thinking about being a grandma.  When I think of a grandma I think of my grandmas.  I certainly don't think of me!  I had two grandmas that were totally opposite in every way.  One was the stereotypical grandma who baked really well and knew how to do crafts and made us crafty little dolls and old-fashioned treats.  She taught us nursery rhymes and told us stories.  She lived in a tiny house and never had very much money.  Very old fashioned and lovable.  She was tiny, frail, meek and soft spoken.  She was from Idaho and seemed to be old from the moment I can remember her.  She was sick in bed for many years before she passed away.  My other grandma was my "nana" and she was a hoot!  She was a rich, Los Angeles "socialite" who got married like 5 times and outlived all of her husbands so she ended up dancing with boyfriends a couple of times a week into her 80's.  She was loud and confident and very opinionated.  She sang all the time.  Every thing you said could be turned into a church hymn by her.  She served several missons as an older single lady and didn't slow down until the day she died. She was bossy and crazy and fun.  I'm pretty sure she was telling my mom what to do on her deathbed.  In remembering these traits of my grandmas I can't help but wonder how my grandchildren will see me in a few years.  I'm trying to take the good parts of both of my grandmas and of my own mother and incorporate them into my relationships with my grandchildren.  I want to be steady and have traditions with them but I also want to be spontaineous and fun.  I want to guide them but not boss them.  I want them to trust and respect me and want to come to my house to spend time with me.  I already love them so much I can't believe it.  My whole life's quest up to this point was to be a good mother, now it's time to work on being a "great" grandma.  I'm pretty excited for this ride:)