grandpas are underrated

We became grandparents to this sweet little boy named Desmond 5 weeks ago. In this picture he looks like he is memorizing his grandpa's face - because this grandpa will be an important part of his life.

As a new grandma, everyone asks me "what is it like?"I can gush and mush and kiss him, put pictures on Facebook and talk about him all I want because it is expected. I can tell everyone how cute he is and the things I want to do with him - run a 5k, or maybe a 10k, take him to the cookie store on Fridays, and make him watch "It's a Wonderful Life" and "The Christmas Story" with me every Christmas Eve. I won't however, ever make him watch "Bambi" or "Old Yeller". I will overlook any faults he might have - although I am sure he will be perfect.

Grandpas however, go about being grandpas a lot more quietly. It doesn't mean that they love their grandchildren any less, they just leave the gushing to the grandma. Despite their seemingly lack of enthusiasm, they are so important in the life of a child. I know Bruce will be a great grandpa and will teach Desmond many things about life and love - just like our own grandpas did.
This is my dad, grandpa O, with Billy and Kseniya. I wish they had spent more time with him, but that isn't how it worked out. I know that they still benefited from having him in their lives. In his generation, men didn't do much with kids and while he was proud of them, he wasn't always comfortable holding them when they were babies. He never would have thought of changing a diaper. But he did tell them stories and jokes. One time when we visited them, Billy said "I don't know why you bring us to see them. We start liking them and it's just going to make us feel bad when they die". Kseniya once said "Grandpa O is underrated". She spent a lot of time talking to him and listening to his stories when he was old and not feeling well. I think she knew that he was "deep". He was philosophical and for the most part looked at the bright side - except when it came to my mom, but some of that was an act too. They loved each other, my mom and dad, in their own way. Below is a picture of Grandpa Owl, as we called him - Bruce's dad. He was a fun grandpa who had such a positive attitude all the time and a great work ethic.
He enjoyed his grand kids and enjoyed showing them around the small town they lived in. I don't think he ever got cranky with them or hardly anyone else. His lesson for me and hopefully our children, was his dedication to his family and his wife, especially when she could not take care of herself any longer. He visited her every day at the nursing home, until he needed to be in one himself. One of the things he always said was "What is, is". I could not have asked for a better father in law - or mother in law for that matter.
He did not finish high school because he needed to help the family with his florist business, but he is one of the smartest men I know. Like Bruce, he seems to know something about anything and can answer any question.

So maybe grandpas should be given more credit. I know in our house, I might be the gushing, sentimental grandma, but if anyone is going to make cookies for the grand kids, it will be Bruce. Here's to grandpas everywhere - those with us and those long gone. They all played a role in who we are today.