Autumn has been going through a good stretch of being spoiled by her grandparents, none of whom live in the same town as we do. And of course, there's never a time she sees a grandparent without being spoiled, which is as it should be.
Autumn is grandchild No. 9 for my parents, but the youngest by five years, and No. 1 for Keith's parents. Each time any of them see her, I'm not sure who gets more excited, Autumn or her grandparents.
They all just seem to have so much fun, which I really enjoy seeing. I grew up with one grandmother, who died when I was 14 years old. All of my other grandparents died before I was born. Maybe this is the reason why I have such a wanting for Autumn to know and love her grandparents and vice versa. After all, time goes so fast and if you don't capitalize on the time you have, all you will have is regrets, not memories.
My grandma always seemed old to me as a child. My Dad now is the same age my grandma was when I was born, but I think it's his behavior and his whole life attitude that makes him younger. Maybe it's because he didn't see World War I and was a child during the Great Depression and World War II. I can only speculate that those things put years of worry on my grandmother.
But my father, my mother and Keith's parents all have some younger air about them where it can't be possible that they're in their 60s and 70s. They sit on the floor with Autumn, toss her in the air and will follow her anywhere she wants to walk when she tugs their finger with her little hand. They hug and kiss her so much and she reciprocates, especially with those big, wet, slobbery, open-mouthed kisses that are a toddler's specialty.
And when she asks for Papa, Grandpa, Grandma or Grammy, or when she lifts her little arms up to them, I melt. I truly think she's incredibly lucky to have all four grandparents alive, well and less than two hours away.