May 24, 2020

Napping on Granny's sofa.

The baby girl in these photos was born on this date 57 years ago.  She is the youngest of my two older sisters' six children.  The first four were all boys.  That was a system shock for my family.  Four daughters and no brothers.  Daddy had no brothers.  Mom had 6 brothers but we only spent much time with two of them.

#1 Sis had broken the boy run the year before with the birth of her daughter.  #4 Sis and I rejoiced.  No more stinky boys.  Then #2 Sis had this little lady 362 days later.  When #2 niece was only a few months old #2 Sis's family move to a house across the street from Mom and Dad's.  Of course #4 Sis and I were still at home.  We played with this baby girl so very much.

Nieces and nephews are special creatures in our lives.  We are still young enough to have the energy to keep up with them.  Unlike being a grandparent with a bit less energy.  We may be old enough to have jobs to do some spoiling.  I was able to do that in a few short years.

#2 Sis and her family moved to Oklahoma less than two years after moving across from Mom and Dad.  My mom never forgave my sister for "taking her grandkids away from her."  My wise Granny C., Mom's mom, told Mom to quit acting like that.  The family has to go where the work is for the family.  Mom never accepted that answer with #2 Sis nor #1 Sis when she moved to Oregon.  Nor me when I moved to Missouri.    Till her dying day she would tell total strangers how we moved her grandbabies away from her.

The distance did not make a big difference in a lot of ways.  Mom and Dad put thousands of miles on autos going to football and basketball games to see the grandkids play and perform.  One of the things my #2 niece always remembered was Mom singing a little song from "Guys and Dolls", I Love You a Bushel and a Peck.  This morning #2 Sis had a small gift for #2 Niece.  It was a music box that played that song.  Our little #2 Niece cried at the memory.