Grandma of 2003 (standard:humor, 1114 words)
Author: Fanny11	Added: May 26 2009	Views/Reads: 3183/2066	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
The story is about a woman while babysitting her three youger grandchildren notices how much things have changed from the fifties and sixties until now. She thinks about how things were when she raised her own children so long ago.

Word count - 1116                                    Grandma of 2003 

I was working in retail in 2003 and the store was about to close for
good. I had only worked as a waitress and in retail for long periods. I 
knew that this type of work could be very hard and stressful. 

One day my son-in-law asked me if I would like to work for him and my
daughter who was a stay at home mom. They would need me three days a 
week. My jobs would be babysitting while my daughter went to 
appointments, grocery shopping and anything else she had to do. I would 
also help with household chores. I readily agreed. 

My three younger grandchildren were very active children. The oldest a
girl who was named Summer, three years later a little boy was born and 
he was named Joeb. Two years after that another little boy was born and 
they named him Caleb this would be their family as they decided not to 
have any more children 

I had raised three children of my own, but things have change a lot from
the fifties and sixties until now. 

Summer is my daughter and son-in-law's only girl. She is a beautiful,
bubbly, and intelligent six year old she is in the first grade and 
loves to read. Joeb the three year old loves the computer and has his 
own collection of games. Once I heard him yell mommy come here!! I 
can't get his foot on his leg; little Caleb is one -year-old and not 
much like the other two. I can hardly catch him to change his diaper 
when I would lay him down and he would pop back up like a 
Jack-in-the-box. While trying to change Caleb I feel like a 
sixty-two-year-old wrestler as I craw across the floor trying to catch 
him. He will roll over and jumps up so fast I had a hard time catching 
him. All the while he is laughing so hard because he knows he is 
getting the best of me. The disposable diapers took me awhile to get 
used to. I had always used cloth diapers when my children were small. 
My daughter told me to make sure the character is in front and try to 
get the sticky tabs right the first time. I asked my daughter how do I 
know when the diaper is wet? She said it will feel spongy, but I was a 
sixties mom and still used the finger in the diaper method. Baby wipes 
are used to clean bottoms and one for the hands because when that 
diaper comes off that is the first place the hands go. 

When it is time to dress Caleb my daughter and I have given up on
anything that buttons or snaps because he is such a wiggly worm. So on 
goes the pullover shirts and sweat pants. Caleb thinks every thing on 
the floor can be eaten; I have pulled so many things out of his month. 
There has been paper, leaves, mud, play dough and dog food. Once while 
opening a can of cat food I accidentally dropped some on the floor. 
Caleb quickly popped it into his month.   I could tell buy the look on 
his little face that he didn't like it. 

When Caleb wanted a bottle I am was not used to putting a liner in them
with a squirming little boy in one arm. After the formula the water 
comes next. Caleb is already shaking his arm up and down because he 
knows that is what I am about to do to mix the formula. He knows then 
the bottle will be his. He takes a few sucks and then wants his ninny 
or binky they have a whole variety of names, if your child decides to 
suck a ninny it is best to buy a large supply, because, when that 
little one starts to scream in the middle of the night you may find 
yourself on all fours under the bed looking for it. You may find them 
anywhere, under the pillow, in the blankets, and stuck between the bed 
and the wall. You may also find them in the large variety of toys; they 
may be in a fire truck, a toolbox, or a doll's mouth. You might also 
want to check the commode or the kitty's litter box, but you should 
never, never use those ninnies again. My children would have nothing to 
do with them, but my grandchildren loved them. 

I think the most stressful thing for me were those no spill cups. When
little Joeb would yell mamaw I want milk. As I opened the cupboard door 
I saw ten different cups all shapes and sizes and they would have to be 
matched with a lid and one of those little rubber things to keep the 
drink from spilling. Just anyone will not work it has to be the one 
that matches the cup. Little Joeb has the best table manners, but 
without a no-spill cup he would watch the milk spilling from the cup 
and then start splashing with both hands. When summer wants something 
to drink I know it will be chocolate milk in a glass with a straw. 


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