Grandma or La La?

My daughter stopped over for a few minutes yesterday to say hi and check out what was in the refrigerator for lunch.  It was so nice to see the granddaughter with that smile and a big hug for grandma.  She and her brother call me La La.  The story behind the name is rather creative.

I use to live in the Northeast of the country - 900 miles from here.  My daughters in the South made sure the kids talked to me often so when they met me for the first time they would recognize my voice and know I was safe and that, even though I never met them, that I loved them.  I made up a song I would sing for each of them.  For some reason when I talked to Jams (nick name) I could only sing his name and then sing la la la.    The first time he met me that he was old enough to remember me he looked at me very intently.  Then he smiled and sang out La La La.  A big hug followed and Grandma cried a few tears.

This worked with all three of the grands that lived in the South when I was in the North.  Each of them recognized me by hearing my voice often on the phone.  There was no 'getting to know me' stage.  They were comfortable and at ease from the minute they met me.

Now I have three grands in the North.  The oldest is five and he remembers me from when we spent time together when I lived near him.  The four year old is just getting to know me.  We have American Girl dolls in common.  By that I mean she circles what she likes in the catalog and I choose a couple things to send her.  She covets the catalog and will get upset if anyone but her or I touches it or her dolls.  She will say, 'No, just Grandma and me'.  I have to admit it felt pretty special when I was told that. 

The baby and I talk when mom isn't run ragged by bedtime.  I sing to her, too.  I tell her how much I love her and how beautiful she is to me. (She IS beautiful!)  The next time I see her she will be old enough to recognize me, hopefully.  I wish I wasn't in the position to be missing half my family, but that is the way life is.  Knowing they love me and I love them is what counts.