The Joy of Grandsons

When our daughter, Dawn, was pregnant with her second child, she and I both dreamed of it being a girl; one we could dress in frills and bows.  Not that we didn't love her firstborn, Alex, but a part of us longed for that female offspring.  Instead, she gave birth to Christopher, her second and last child.  It only followed that when Dawn's brother, Sean, was awaiting fatherhood, we revived our conversations about his family addition being female.  It was never to be.  That birthday brought Fletcher to the family.

Each of these grandsons is a delightful and unique addition to our creative households.  Alex, now almost 16 and pushing six feet tall, is the quiet and introspective one, yet still quick with a sarcastic jab.  His 14 year old brother, Chris, is the outspoken, comic relief of the family.  The two of them have a special bond with their mom - who raised them most of their lives as a single mother - and they also share a great relationship with my husband and I.  They are spending a week plus with us now; always fun and a treat - even if I don't get much work done while they're here because we're playing games, watching movies, creating in the kitchen, sightseeing in our beloved Chicago, or just talking and learning more about them.

The youngest of the grandsons, Fletcher, at four-and-a-half, is the smallest but a dynamo that can keep up with his cousins and he adores them.  Fletch's nonstop conversation and exploration of the world never fails to bring a smile, and time spent with him always reminds me of how fleeting these young days are.  I try to make as much time as I can to be part of his discoveries.

Seeing Alex, Chris and Fletch together is a rarity these days because the older boys live in another state, and school and other responsibilities don't allow for it.  When it does happen, I'm reminded of that time when I longed for a granddaughter, and I really can't imagine what I was thinking.  These three males have given me a new dimension in my life; one that I wouldn't trade for a dozen girls.  I have been given the best gift of all; the chance to be part of the maturing of these special lives - and their gender never enters into that at all.