“What are you doing?” I asked Miss8. I like to give them a chance to concoct a dumb excuse before I rip a fart up them.
“I’m eating dinner while I’m playing on my laptop,” she answered matter-of-factly.
Not being blind, I knew that much. I reviewed what I’d said and realised my mistake.
“You aren’t allowed to eat dinner in the lounge room or while you’re on your laptop,” I said. “So why are you?
“It’s okay, Daddy,” my eight year old daughter assured me. “I’m an aunty now which means I’m an adult, so I’m allowed to.”
As of yesterday, our house is brimming with freshly made Aunties and an Uncle. Our eldest daughter has rather cleverly blessed this family with its first grandchild – a beautiful, healthy, to-be-much-loved baby boy, GrandsonO (name subject to change).
And while the kids have been running around the house for months calling each other Uncle and Auntie whoever, it’s been a bit more of a journey for Tracey and I to come up with our titles.
Over the years I’ve occasionally wondered about becoming a grandparent and almost always become fixated on what I’ll be called. Granddad, Grandpa or the more formal, Grandfather? Gramps? Pa, Poppy, Poppa? I’ve mentally tried them all on, so you’d think I’d have had it sorted early on, but I didn’t really know which way I was going until the little fellow arrived. And then it was suddenly so simple.
“I’m going to be a Pop,” I announced to my kids yesterday. Tracey says it’s because I’m an old fart, but the truth is I’m sort of honouring my Dad’s stepfather who, because both my grandfathers had passed before I got to be introduced properly, was my only male grandparent growing up. It feels like a nice salute to his taking on four unruly boys and shaping them into my Dad and my Uncles. Or maybe they started out fine and he made them unruly. Either way.
Tracey had a similar idea in keeping it sort of traditional.
“I’m a Grandma,” she said, “because that’s what both mine were called and I miss my Grandma Mac.”
I guess people can name themselves whatever they want for whatever reason, but these are ours: Grandma and Pop.
Funnily enough, earlier in the year when Miss21 phoned and told us she was pregnant I firstly mentally did the whole OMG I’M GOING TO BE A FRIGGIN’ GRANDPARENT! Am I old enough? Do I look old enough? Of course I don’t. No one will believe me!
Then, of all things, I started to worry about telling my parents. I’m 48, for Pete’s sake!! Plus I was thinking I hope they don’t get mad because she’s not married, followed very quickly by I hope they don’t want to get married because we sure can’t afford that this year.
I also chuckled a lot at the idea of having a 3 yr old who was about to become an Auntie.
“I suspect you’ll want me to help pick names,” I remember saying to Miss21. She declined. It didn’t stopped me.
That was all months ago. And now here we are with a beautiful baby boy added to our ranks. The only thing is we’re at day two now and they still haven’t made a decision on what to call him.
I’m blaming myself.
‘It’s because I recently threw Severus into the mix, isn’t it?’ I texted her last night.
Mishi, you clever, clever girl, you have done so well! You will rock this mothering caper. You have the most beautiful little man there and we can’t wait to meet him. You’re going to be a wonderful parent and never forget, despite the whole of Australia being between our two homes, you only need to ask. We’re only a phone call or even a plane trip away.
Seriously, I can nap at your place just as easily as ours.
For the minute, all that’s left to do this side of the country is explain to Miss8 she’s still a few years off full maturity, and its privileges, so she can get her Auntie-bum back into the dinning room – this may make the birth look easy.
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“Raising a family on little more than laughs.”
Yay!!! Congratulations!! And welcome to the grandparental club!! I’m so very excited for you all! My eldest is already planning a trip westward to see the little man and his wonderful mother! Can’t wait til she visits!! And coops is very excited too!! Now he and Josh can discuss being uncles too! ?
Awww… congratulations to Grandma and Pop and all the aunties, the uncle and, most importantly, the brand new Mum and Dad. A new life filled with possibilities, hope and joy… what a fabulous way to start 2016.
Congratulations to your daughter, he’s gorgeous!
He is so very cute!!!! Congrats to you guys and Mish on his safe arrival
What a tiny little bundle of joy. Bruce I always end up in tears reading you blog, tears of happiness, sadness and laughter. Thank you and your family for sharing your rollercoaster ride with us.
Awww congrats!!
My mum had trouble getting used to being a grandparent – although she was really thrilled! She tried on all sorts of trendy, not sounding like an old person names, but in the end she settled for Nanna because she realised she wanted people to know just who she was in the Little Mister’s life when they were together. I think it must be a big decision!
On my dad’s side, nobody got their acts together. My Nanna was grandma to half of my cousins and Nanna to my brother and I! So weird haha.
I hope you get to meet your little to-be-named grandson very soon x
What a gorgeous bubba! My parents wanted to be called Grandma and Grandpa but my miss two just refers to them as Ma and Pa. Very cute!
I had tears of happiness reading this! Sending so many congrats to ALL of your beautiful family, but most of all to the lovely new Mum. xx
comgrats guys! after the crap last year so glad you have something to celebrate and start 2016 on the right foot – all the best to you all!
Beautiful news. I can well imagine how agonising it must be to be so far away. I have triplet grandchildren who live in Melbourne. The distance is so great. Skype is awesome for when he’s a little bigger but nothing beats hugging those little bodies tightly.
Congratulations Grandma and Pop. A new adventure begins!
Congrats Pop and Grandma. I have a 12 and 9 year old so I am hoping it is a long way off but as I’m 49 not too long lol. He looks absolutely adorable. I was an Aunty at 10 so now how your kids feel. It feels so important.
Best wishes to all. What a lovely gift to be a grandparent.
Miss 3 and I are kin. I was an aunt at 3 as my 21 year old brother and his wife had their first child. I was lucky to spend a lot of time with him growing up and he is like a brother to me even to this day. I’m 45 he is obviously 42. I thought I was the weird one with nephews and nieces and an ‘old’ mother (43 when she had me). I know now I wouldn’t swap it for anything.
Awww, he’s beautiful! Congratulations Pop & Grandma!
I went to school with my Uncle who was 3 years older than me. I used to torment him by calling him Uncle David in front of his mates and than running away as fast as I could.
Pure perfection! What a rainbow after the recent storm!
Beautifully stated 😀
U guys Grandies????? Heeeee heeee.
…. So far away…yuck! Lot to be said for families living together in communes!!!! Hee hee.
Enjoy!
Congratulations! He is perfect! Well done to your daughter!
We called our grandfather, Pop Turner. When my sisters had their kids, my dad was Papa and mum, Nanna. I think we’ll be Nanna and Pa when the time comes.
Oh, congratulations on the little mans arrival, how exciting for your family! Best wishes,
Joolz xx
Congratulations! I became a Grammy at 40 and my husband a Grampy at 38. It was a massive shock at the time but we wouldn’t have it any other way 5 years (and another 3) later. They creep into your heart and just bring a new dimension to the word love. We’re also energetic enough to run and jump and play with them as much as they want us to ? Enjoy!!
Congratulations! Such wonderful, happy news after the challenges you’ve faced over recent months.
Con
Congratulations Grandma & Pop and to your very clever daughter and the new dadda! He’s gorgeous.
Congratulations. My parents are Ma and Pop. Great names ?
Congratulations! What an exciting time for you all.
Congratulations Bruce, He is gorgeous, well done to your daughter. What a year you’ve had! A lovely way to start a better year for you all. Enjoy being a Pop, I LOVE being a Nanna.
Congratulations Grandma and Pop. And to BabyBoyZero’s parents. He is exceptionally gorgeous. My goal is to reach grandparenthood even tho there are many health challenges for me. It may be too optimistic a goal. But then, look what Tracey has done. Dream come true! ????
Congratulations! What a fantastic start to the new year after the horrors of 2015. You’ll be a fantastic (if doting) Granddaddy.
He is beautiful. Congratulations!
He is so beautiful!! Congrats to the whole family!!
What an exciting time! Congratulations!
By the way, he really is extremely cute!
Wow! Congratulations Mishaela! What a beautiful little man to add to the Deveraux clan 😀
After the hell 2015 threw at all of you, it’s so awesome to have 2016 start with such a blessing.
Lots of love and blessings to BabyBoy0, Mom & Dad, Pop & Grandma, the 4 little aunts, and 2 uncles!!
Congratulations Pop. What a beautiful baby, lucky you!
Congratulations for you and your family, what a lovely boy!
Congratulations! He’s perfect! I can’t wait to see pics of all the little aunties and uncle holding their baby nephew.