Goodbye, Grandma.
Mike's grandmother passed away this morning. While we are all very sad, we knew it would come soon. Last night, Mike and I spent some time thinking about some of our favorite moments with her.
My personal favorite is the time we met her and Mike's parents at a restaurant. This was about six months after the younger one was born. At some point, she looked at me and asked me if I was nursing.
I was absolutely petrified. Here was this 90-year-old, no-nonsense, German grandma asking me if I nursed my child, long after most of my friends had quit with their kids. I knew she came from a generation where only the "poor" people did that as the well-off folks could buy formula.
I am, however, a very lousy liar. I very sheepishly said I was still nursing.
She smiled, clapped her hands, and said in her staccato, German-accented English, "Dat is so gut for da babies!" And then she went on and on about not being able to do it herself but that my husband's aunt was able to and how all her kids were very healthy. It got to the point where I think Mike's parents were uncomfortable (I seem to remember her asking questions about how much milk I was getting in front of everyone!), but it was very reassuring to hear someone so in support of what I was doing...especially when I was expecting exactly the opposite.
I also have a wonderful picture of her with Mike, his dad, and the little guy from that visit. I always laugh because we told Grandma to smile, and she looked so stoic even as she tried to smile for the camera. (I wish I had it right now, but I suspect it's back in Fargo.)
She was a dear woman, and we'll miss her a lot. I'm glad my thoughts of her always bring a smile to my face.
My personal favorite is the time we met her and Mike's parents at a restaurant. This was about six months after the younger one was born. At some point, she looked at me and asked me if I was nursing.
I was absolutely petrified. Here was this 90-year-old, no-nonsense, German grandma asking me if I nursed my child, long after most of my friends had quit with their kids. I knew she came from a generation where only the "poor" people did that as the well-off folks could buy formula.
I am, however, a very lousy liar. I very sheepishly said I was still nursing.
She smiled, clapped her hands, and said in her staccato, German-accented English, "Dat is so gut for da babies!" And then she went on and on about not being able to do it herself but that my husband's aunt was able to and how all her kids were very healthy. It got to the point where I think Mike's parents were uncomfortable (I seem to remember her asking questions about how much milk I was getting in front of everyone!), but it was very reassuring to hear someone so in support of what I was doing...especially when I was expecting exactly the opposite.
I also have a wonderful picture of her with Mike, his dad, and the little guy from that visit. I always laugh because we told Grandma to smile, and she looked so stoic even as she tried to smile for the camera. (I wish I had it right now, but I suspect it's back in Fargo.)
She was a dear woman, and we'll miss her a lot. I'm glad my thoughts of her always bring a smile to my face.