Pops

 One of the benefits of living in a multigenerational home is being with family every day and watching my husband interact with our grandson.

Sean was a wonderful father.  He played with the kids, involved them in every project from the time they could walk, he read books, stories, Harry Potter and even books for school with them.  He coached their sports teams, cheered them on at every event and was always a shoulder of love and support.

When our oldest was born he quickly nicknamed her “Bubba”.  A tiny dainty baby girl got a very masculine football kind of name.  It drove my mom crazy.  This same dad learned how to put on Barbie shoes and dress Polly Pockets.  He was the kind of dad that loved the things she did.

I have two favorite memories of Harrison and Sean.  One year for Christmas Sean got a workbench for the garage.  Sean had to put it together and his little man was right by his side with his plastic manly tools helping.  That workbench made the move with us.  The other memory was the winter the two of them painted the basketball key with the free throw line in the street so they could play ball together.  They spent many hours at that hoop.

When Marissa arrived he had the dad thing down, but this little sweet pea cried every time the daddy voice got loud.  He learned to talk a little softer and be a little gentler.  One evening after work she was laying on her sister's bed among all the stuffed animals and dolls.  He walked into the room, knelt by the bed and  talked to her in his very quiet voice.  This was the first time she smiled.   These two love books, movies and “crappy fast food”.  It became their thing when she was in high school.

Now Sean is known as Pops.  In just ten months I have seen him grow into being the best grandpa.  When he isn’t traveling for work you can find him in the office editing pictures.  He is always ready and willing to help me with Cutie E.  These two have their own routine.  Mornings include music time together.  They listen to music, sing Disney songs and turn the desktop into their own drum set.   Last week he texted me that he had “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King” from the Lion King soundtrack running in his head.  This happens to be one of E’s favorite songs.  Some evenings you will find them head butting or rough housing on the floor.  

Cutie E loves his Pops, he looks for him each morning as we walk by the office and will crawl down the hall to find him.  He has even started calling for him when goes down stairs and closes the baby gate.  If I’m having difficulty getting E to eat, Sean can get him to laugh, smile and open his mouth.  He is the little bit of magic Grammy doesn’t have.

It is wonderful to watch my husband love this new role and embrace it every day.  I love him even more for the love and fun he brings to our family.  All of our grands are so lucky that he is their Pops.