Thank Goodness for Grammy!

It's 6:50am, dark, negative 23 degrees, yes, that's right - 23 DEGREES BELOW ZERO - and there's Grammy, sitting in her warm mini-van, waiting to jump out, transfer Owen into his car seat and sneak a chocolate doughnut into my Yukon. We wait until we're both out of traffic to call for the daily update. (This was back in February, by the way)

It's 3:00pm, Grammy has already driven to our house to pick up all three boys (at 10:30am), taken them to her house (approx. half hour drive), fed them lunch and a snack and they are all napping (or almost). Grammy is expecting a call from me discussing when and where we'll meet for the transfer; instead she is asked if they can stay for supper (we're with Henry at the vet), then later I call to ask if they can spend the night (we're a mess and it's too late to wake them up). The next morning I pick the boys up after they're fed a special breakfast of "Mickey Mouse" pancakes.

These are just two examples of the enormous support our family is receiving from my folks, known to the boys as Grammy and GeeGee. Not that other family members are absent - everyone has been super supportive! It's just that Grammy in particular has become like a third parent to the boys and at this point we could not function without her! Here is a sample of Grammy's weekly schedule:

Monday - meets Owen and I at the Rite Aid parking lot in Bangor (6:50am), he transfers to her van, she drives to Orono, feeds him breakfast, gets him dressed (he travels in pj's), they play, maybe go to library group, have a snack, nap, more playing, then lunch (GeeGee works nearby and often takes long lunches!). After lunch more "Grammy time," possibly a visit to great-grandmother, Nanny, or some other adventure, another snack, reading books, nap, then back in the van to meet Mommy in Bangor around 4:30 or 5:00!

Tuesday - Grammy drives to Winterport and picks up Sam & Charlie at preschool (this involves moving carseats, getting both boys into snowsuits & boots -hopefully not for much longer- checking with teachers, packing backpacks and loading boys into the car). After the pick-up she either goes to our house (less than a mile from school) or drives them back to her place. She feeds them lunch, they play (outside if weather permits), read books and eventually nap. The pick-up scenario varies, either waiting at our place for Daddy to get home from work or another loading in to the van to drive to Bangor to meet me. If the older boys are in Orono GeeGee also takes longer lunches when possible and is also known to sneak away early to accompany Grammy on the ride back to Bangor.

Wednesday - repeat Monday's schedule

Thursday - repeat Tuesday's schedule

Friday - schedule varies - Grammy usually has the older boys for sure, Owen as well some days. Usually the babysitter comes to the house until 10:30 or 11:00am, then they're with Grammy until one of us is home. Lately she has been taking the boys back to her house - imagine - Grammy traveling alone with two 4-year-olds and a 2-year-old! She's amazing! We really can't thank her (and GeeGee) enough!!!

Other reasons we're thankful for Grammy and GeeGee:

*they are willing (and excited) about taking the boys overnight
*they feed the boys -a lot- and believe it or not the little guys eat up a storm!
*they communicate with us constantly - which boy is doing/saying what on any given day
*despite their grandparent status both have agreed to try to help us parent, rather than spoil the boys, which is the usual grandparent role
*Grammy takes an enormous amount of photos, which usually bothers me, but without them some very precious moments would have been undocumented (Note: all the photos in this entry came from Grammy's camera)
*they are incredibly patient and supportive - not just with the boys, whose behaviors are at times difficult to deal with, but with me! As a new, overtired, sometimes frustrated/confused/worried parent - I know I can be a real nightmare to deal with at times!
*did I mention that GeeGee still works full time and Grammy works for the U.S. Census Bureau one week a month?

Thank you Grammy and GeeGee!

Note: These photos are from the past few months. For those of you in warmer parts of the world - yes - we still have snow on the ground in Maine!