Mimi Visit

Happy Mimi and Sydney :)

Mimi Gilson arrived when Sydney was a week old.  David went back to work and we three girls hung out for a couple of weeks together.  Mimi was so incredibly helpful.  I don’t know what I would have done without her during those first weeks.  I still had no idea which end was up and she just knew what to do.   She made countless meals, did laundry, organized clothes and our pantry and even did the grocery shopping!  We had a ball spending time together and Mimi, of course, was over the moon to get to know her first grandchild.

Mimi brought the most thoughtful gift for Sydney.  A journal for her loved ones - especially those who are far away - to write her messages.   What a wonderful way for Sydney to collect and cherish special messages from her close family over the years.  I’m sure she’ll love reading the letters from all of us when she gets older.

One of the trickiest things for new parents is to navigate the best way to interact with the grandparents.  It’s so important for the grandparents to have a special bond - different than that of a parent - with their grandbabies so it’s vital to allow the cultivation of that relationship.  At the same time, new parents (especially first time parents) have to figure out how to simply take care of their child in the way that they deem fit. 

In the early days it’s easy for the new parents to slip into taking care of the house stuff (because that’s what they’re comfortable with) and the grandparent to take care of the bubs - the problem with this situation is that it doesn’t allow the new parent to learn and in the end it can create resentment.  I’m so happy to say we had a great experience with Mimi because although she wanted to spend every second soaking up QT with her new granddaughter, she understood that I/we needed to be the ones figuring out how to soothe her and tend to her instead of having Mimi swoop in to the rescue all the time.  I attribute this great experience not only to Mimi’s fundamental understanding of our need to learn how to be parents in our own way, but also to our wonderfully open and honest relationship that affords us the ability to talk about things like this.  I hope I’m able to cultivate such a trusting an forthright relationship with my own daughter.  I’m lucky enough to have a mother who has created a great foundation for me, that’s for sure. 

We had such a wonderful visit with Mimi.  None of us wanted it to end.  I’m so grateful she was able to make the trip out to see us.  The tears at the airport say it all...  We miss you, Mimi!


~LAA :)

Ellie Bellie!

Mimi and Sydney didn't want to say goodbye

Three generations