Dear Kaylee,

It was really good to see you this morning! Now that you are at our house during the week, the weekend seems like an awfully long time to be away. Nana was out with you at your house on Saturday, as she was helping your mommy decorate your new room, so at least she got to see you one more day (Jealous Grandpa!).

Kaylee, I wonder if this is going to ever get old? You know, where we take each other for granted and not being with each other isn’t a big deal? Where Grandpa doesn’t mind if he doesn’t see his little Kaylee Q ( I call you that sometimes now, and I don’t know why) for awhile. I don’t think that will ever happen as long as we stay connected.

You see, to say that you are my granddaughter is saying you are part of me. You are part of my identity. On my driver’s license there should be one more category that describes me. Here is what it would say:

Sex: Male
Hair: Not Much
Eyes: Blue (just like a little girl I know)
Height: 6’2″ ( shrunk, 6 1 1/2″- gravity)
Weight: 190 (target weight:))
Kaylee: Yes!!

Love,
Grandpa

Dear Kaylee,

You went to the doctor on Monday. Guess what? You are a growing girl after two months! You gained about five pounds and you grew about three inches! Since you were a little over seven pounds when you were born, that means your weight went up over 70%! If Grandpa did that in the last two months, I would have gained over 150 pounds! I don’t care how much I like pizza, cherry pie, and donuts, I don’t think I could ever be an eating dynamo like you!

I would have to start wearing a muumuu like a favorite cartoon character for your mommy and me-

Homer Simpson.

The good news is, you are supposed to gain as much weight as you want now, because all you are eating is your mommy’s milk. It’s good for you! And one invention I really love is the bottle. This way your daddy can feed you with your mommy’s milk, too. He get’s to see you tucked close and staring right in his eyes while you eat.

Grandpa gets to feed you, too. I find it fascinating that you know just when you have had enough. You wiggle your tongue around and move your head back and forth because you don’t want to suck the bottle anymore. If you do happen to eat more than you need, you take care off that, too. You spit up on my black shirt because I forget to put a cloth over my shoulder when I am holding you!

OK, I guess I have to make sure I have a cloth at all times after you eat. There is no way I am going to miss my post-meal “hugging, burping, squeezing” love time.

Or…

Maybe I am going to have to start wearing more white shirts.

Come on, Kaylee, I’m partial to black! I find it quite slimming. Are you going to be the source of a clothing shift for me? My granddaughter is already working on my ensemble?

O well, I guess I should have seen this coming. You see your mommy has always been my fashionista over the years. My “What to wear or not wear/ What to buy or not buy,” personal valet.

Your Nana always says, “Kristina, you go with dad,” whenever I go clothes shopping so your mommy can be Nana’s eyes while we are picking out clothes.

“Not thaaat shirt, dad!”

or-

“I think those shoes are really cool, dad, but mom’s not going to like them.”

O, that’s another thing, Kaylee, I’ll let you in on a little secret.

Your mommy has learned a lot from me because I am her daddy. How much Jesus loves us. How daddy’s love their daughters lots and lots and lots. How daddy’s love mommys lots and lots and lots. But, one thing I taught her that isn’t always a daddy thing?

Shoes and bags. I “love” shoes and bags.

So, guess what? Two of the favorite things your mommy likes to shop for?

Shoes and bags!

Hmmm, who knows, Kaylee? I can see a little shopping trio being formed sometime in our future…

Can hardly wait!

Love,

Grandpa

Dear Kaylee,

Well, your Nana’s mommy is visiting. Your mommy calls her, “Nana,” and that’s how your Nana got that name. Your mommy’s Nana loves you so much. Just like the rest of us. Uncle Greg is home for a couple of weeks before he starts school again. He wants to hold you and poke you and imitate you with your, “Eh, Eh,” sounds.

You will need to get use to Uncle Greg and Uncle David. They like to make a lot of sounds around the house. They like to caw like crows. They are very foolish sometimes and your Nana says it drives her crazy. I don’t know where your uncles learned to make such sounds…

So, Kaylee, now I have two more people in the house. That should make me happy, and it does, but it also means I am having to share my holding and hugging with everyone else. That’s all right, though, I suppose. There is enough loving to go around.

Here is what is fun. I get to see four generations of strong and beautiful women together.

Nana (sr. )
Nana (jr. )
Mommy
Kaylee

I love all of these women in my life. They are a part of who I am. I’m glad you are catching up, Kaylee. You are changing my life, too. Even physically. You are expanding my heart and you are making my face hurt-

So many smiles…

Love,
Grandpa