Since Maddox arrived, it’s been great how much we’ve seen of our families. I fully expected Jon’s parents (Nonni & Papi) to be really excited, seeing as 5 years ago, we had a discussion that pretty much went like this:
Me: So, ideally, when are you expecting grandchildren? How many years from now?
Papi: Now.
(Silence in which Leanne hides under the table and prepares to flee.)
I knew my Mom (Grammy) would also love Mads, because she’s an elementary school music teacher and is great with kids. I have many awesome memories of running around the house being outrageously silly with my mom.
But I’ve been continually surprised by my Dad’s reaction in a really nice way.
Here’s a little bit about my dad, in case you don’t know him. He’s like me, in that he’s not really a child person. At family gatherings for pretty much as far back as I can remember, Dad relates to children from behind a newspaper. He’s not unfriendly, just not really into it. Also, he’s always joked about how when the baby cries, it’s time to hand him back.
But the man is just gonzo on Maddox. It’s really adorable to watch, and he is fantastic with Mads. Yesterday, Jon and I asked him to come talk to a home inspector with us, and after giving his (much appreciated!) input, he proceeded to spend the rest of the time entertaining Maddox.
Mads eats up the attention, and grins and giggles Maddox-style (more like a gleeful shriek at this point). I knew my Dad would love Maddox, because he’s his grandson, but I didn’t know how much fun he’d have with him.
And, when the baby cries, my Dad’s the first one to want to give him his bottle, or bounce him back to happiness. For me, this is such a cool thing to witness, because what is cooler than watching your father and your son adore spending time together?
