Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Do you have a Nanny, Meemaw, Nana, Madear, Big Mama?

***Don't forget - my other blog, On Being....is having a terrific GIVEAWAY! Check it out!***

When I was growing up, I had a Big Mama. Well, actually, my Big Mama was my great grandmother. To me, Big Mamas, Nanas, Grammies, Ma'dears, Nannies always represented to me, the most funnest, loving, cookie baking ladies around.

When my daughters were born, both of their grandmothers lived a distance so sitting with them and coloring and playing with play doh or just listening to them wasn't possible. So, as a gift from God, the girls were given a Nana. Nana was someone that I had met, older and wiser and loving and patient. She took me under her wings as if I were her own daughter and in return, my daughters also became "hers".

My daughters loved their Nana until sadly, her and Papa moved to Las Vegas and soon after, Papa passed away. Although Nana lives farther than a quick drive down the street, not a day goes by where I don't think about what a terrific example of a loving, wife and grandmother she is. And she could COOK!!!! I mean, even food I hated she could make taste good.

There are so many older people that would love to be a nana or a grammy or madea in your life. So many cookies still need baking, so many stories of childhood needs to be shared...how about it?

Do you have a Nanny, Meemaw, Nana, Madear, Big Mama or are you one?



25 comments:

GottaLoveMom said...

My grandma and grandpa (lola Inay and lolo Ama) raised me until I was about 10 I think...

Both my Mom and mom (dh's mom) have been so much a part of my kids' lives..They used to be a few minutes away...so we truly miss my Mom in the Philippines..and Mom is just an hour away!

Unknown said...

I had a Momma ( great grandma)And Gramma B and Gramma F...My best memory was sitting at their kitchen tables and doing my color by number from the Sunday Paper. Gramma B kept her crayons in blue cookie tin that she kept in the pantry. Gramma F kept her crayons in a drawer in the phone closet. Remember phone closets? Momma lived with Gramma F and she would talk to me as I colored..."sit up straight in your chair, you're liable to get round shouldered!"
My mother is a grandmother now and the kids lovigly refer to her a G-Ma...she loves it!

Peace - Rene

Teresa @ Grammy Girlfriend said...

I am a Grammy and it is the BEST job I EVER had....waiting on two little men to spend the night tonight....Parker (10) stays with us during the day everyday in the summer and I am so bummed that school is starting...To be honest...I hate school....Ha
I occasionly hear someone say "Oh, I am not ready for grandchildren"! I always want to suggest they need to see a doctor.

Unknown said...

my mothers mother was "Munner" its a long story where the name came from..
she is in a care center now. she used to feed us fried eggs and grapefruit on sunday mornings. she has alzheimer's she doesn't know me now.

i am a gramee, i was an auntie first.
both are the biggest jobs i have taken on since raising my own children. but i have more fun with these jobs.

Heart2Heart said...

Mine was simply Nana, and both have long passed on from both of my parents side, and my in laws are just happy spending their retirement years away from most of the family.

So for now, we sit back and watch our kids spend time with their grandparents, some meet that traditional grandparent role while others see it as an interruption and burden.

I can't wait for the day, but I can wait to be a grandmother to my children. I want to be grandma who bakes, and just spends time reading and telling stories.

Love and Hugs ~ Kat

Joanna Jenkins said...

Growing up I had a Granny/great grandmother, a grandmother and a Nanny (aka the wicked witch-- Grandpa's 4 wife!) Granny and Grandma was very important women and role models for me. Nanny, not so much :-)

Today, I'm a step-grandmother although they call me by my first name and I'm a godmother. Oh the cookies I have baked. It's a real joy.

Thanks for another terrific post! i'll be back next week when I return from vacation. Have a great weekend. xo

Cinder Rail'lee said...

aawww how I miss my gran'ma, she was my best friend, my confidant, and everything in between. Now Caleb will have his gran'ma shorty and I can't wait!

Girl I'm off to church, I'll talk with you later LOL.

HuGZzz

Vegas Linda Lou said...

I had a Granny and a Nana, and I'm a Granny myself. I chose that name when my grandson was born because I'm much more like my Granny was--finicky, hard to please, germ phobic... I could go on. Nana, on the other hand, was easy going and very "go with the flow." I'm simply not nice enough to be a Nana!

Summer said...

I never had that kind of experience with grandparents, my my in laws are Nana & Papa to my kids, and whenever I see them together it makes my eyes well up with tears.

It's such an incredible relationship and bond.

Love your blog!

Liz Mays said...

Both of mine were just grandma's but they've been gone for most of my life. :(

I'm not one yet but my daughter tells me I'm not going to be a boring old grandma. I'm going to have a special name. :)

Lin said...

I totally crack up at the term MeeMaw. I mean, does everything in the South have to rhyme with Hee Haw??

Momto5 RachelJoy Photography said...

i have a nana. she is about two hours away and i dont even get to see her that often :) i still want to introduce her to the boys! i need to do that reallly soooon!!

Anita said...

My grandmother was my "Granny." She died in 2006 at the age of 99. I hope I will live as long as she did; with good health.---Your blog title is creative and catchy. I will wisit your site again.---Blessings.

Elle Bee said...

I had a Nana and a Papa. I loved them. :o)
My parents are fantastic grandparents to my little ones.
It's such a special relationship.
Elle

Elle Bee said...

I had a Nana and a Papa. I loved them. :o)
My parents are fantastic grandparents to my little ones.
It's such a special relationship.
Elle

zunzun said...

My mom is best "abuela" I know...not only is she like a second mom to my daughter but any child I bring into this house she takes in as if she has always known them. The little traitors already love her more than me!LOL It takes a special woman to make a child feel like they belong from the second she wraps her arms around them. The food is not bad either ;)

Veronica Lee said...

I had a 'poh-poh' (grandma in Chinese). I was her fav grandchild!!
Oh, how I miss her!!

Kwana said...

I have a Nana. She's hanging with me this week. Love her.

Mariah said...

I was so lucky to have both of my grandma's living so close to me up until their death. I need a nana.

Ina in Alaska said...

I had the best grandmas ever. Both are gone now. One would take me in her pink Cadillac down to the Jersey Shore for the entire summer and the other worked with my Dad in one of his stores so every day after school I would sit in the store and visit with her. She would arrive at our house in the morning and she and my Mom (her daughter) would begin their day having coffee and chatting. My Aunt Bette, also gone too soon was another HUGE influence on me. She was like a movie star, so beautiful and people loved her....I was so proud to be her niece. This post brought up lots of wonderful memories for me.

Barrie said...

My kids don't have any extended family living nearlby. It's really a shame.

Buckeroomama said...

I was raised by both grandmothers and I miss them dearly. I would love to have both my kids grow up having the grandparents as part of their every day life, but hubby's parents are 12 hours' flight away and my parents are 2 hours' plane ride away. Thank goodness for Skype and the Internet!

Deidra said...

All of my grandparents are gone, but they left me with great memories. When my kids were young, we had Helen who filled in all the gaps for us. What a blessing she was!

Anonymous said...

I didn't really know my grandparents. Always made me sad.

kimert said...

I have a Grandma still living but she is soooo far away. :( I lost my Nana a year and a half ago to breast cancer.

Thanks for stopping by my blog. :)

 

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