Recovering from grandparents

Disclaimer: I love my parents. I love Gene's parents, too. And, I absolutely want them to be a part of our children's lives in a real and significant and un-mandated sort of way.

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It's true when they say there is no such thing as a "free lunch." Last Friday, I eagerly drove the hour or so to Kansas City to collect my fellas after they spent a week at their grandparents.

Our oldest has wanted to visit Marshall, Mo., for several weeks now and he made sure to emphasize several times that he wanted to take the trip ALONE or without his little brother.

My mom, clearly only looking out for MY best interests (she would steal Jared for life if she could get away with it), decided she would spend some time with my baby in KC as well.

I should have jumped in the car the moment after I got my hugs and fix of mommy kisses, but I wasn't fast enough. All of Friday night and most of Saturday, my boys slugged it out, which generally lead to hysterical crying by our oldest. The crying only seemed to inspire the youngest to greater heights of torment.

Sunday was the day of no naps. Sunday naps are a tradition in the Cassell home. A long-standing tradition minus the brief interruption of Jacob, who refused to sleep at any convenient time until he was 4-months-old. I went to bed grumpy and with a headache and got up (no 'waking' to be had) grumpier and throbbing only to discover no amount of rummaging or swearing would produce a bottle of ibprofen. Alleve just does not get the job done, folks.

Sunday night, Jacob told Gene he wanted to return to Grammy's house because she was nicer to him than us. Jared refuses to go to sleep unless I am in the room with him. Neither Jacob nor Gene will do.

You know, in a lot of cultures, the grandparents DO raise the children.

No, I suppose transition is hard for all of us. It's nice for them to experience being the one and only for a week here and there. Every time I think Jacob has told all there is to tell about his week with grammy and papa, he comes up with something new.

Jared does not say a lot, but when pictures of my mom or dad roll past on the computer, he jumps up and down and laughs.

What a blessing to know you are loved so completely by so many people. Still, a week of peace (and or a hectic work schedule) does exact its cost.