I See London, I See France

Clearly, Hayden doesn't have enough underwear.

My Grandma Water had this crazy need to have an insane amount of underwear in her dresser at all times.  I'm not talking about a little drawer full.  Oh no, she had one of those LARGE dresser drawers (the ones that hold your shorts or t-shirts) completely full of underwear, some even new in the package.  It stemmed from her childhood and only having two pairs.  She would have to wait while her underwear was washed and dried.  She talked about in the winter it having to dry on the wood burning stove door and having to put on damp underwear.  Talk about freezing your buns off!

We used to tease her incessantly about it.  Pretty much every time she went to Wal-Mart, she came back with a new package of white Hanes underwear.  She always bought the same kind.  As she got older and didn't go to the store as often, my mom and I would buy her some to make sure her stock was never depleted.  When she went to Heaven, we were able to donate (no joke) probably 20 new packages of underwear to charity. 

My Mom has this theory that whatever you think didn't have enough of as a child, you make up for when you're an adult.  For my Grandma, it was underwear.  For Chip, it's tennis shoes (he had plenty as a child, he just has a completely excessive amount now.  I counted them, he has twenty one pairs right now in our closet of just tennis shoes).  One of my friends was only allowed one box of name brand cereal a year, on her birthday.  If you look in her pantry now, she has at least five different boxes of kid cereal.

Evidently, some quirks/obsessions are genetic.  Hayden has a drawer full of underwear.  At first, he needed a larger size so we bought a few packages.   Then, he was dry at night so he got to pick some out.  After that, he wanted some boxer briefs "like Daddy" so we added some variety.  He loved that all of his underwear has a "pee pee flap" like Daddy's and that they are all 4T (he recently moved up a size in shirts and pants, so he now checks the sizes on EVERYTHING he wears to make sure that they are a 4T or bigger).  Then, we went to the new Sam's Club with my parents on Saturday.  He "needed" new underwear, as he didn't have "that kind" of Disney ones or the turtle (Teenage Mutant - which he has never even seen) ones.  My parents are like any grandparent and indulged his wishes - so we can home with 16 pairs of new underwear.  Not counting what's in the dirty clothes (and he changes his underwear twice a day), he has 61 pairs.  That is INSANE!  The good news is - he won't run out anytime soon and Dawson can wear them one day.

I know that right now, my Grandma Water is in Heaven just smiling from ear to ear about this story.  If she were here, I can guarantee you that she would be buying Hayden more underwear- just to tease me.  Around here, Santa puts socks and underwear in the stockings.  Looks like he better buy the next size up!  

Mind Your P's and Q's

My Grandma Water was the epitome of a Texas lady.  She always had a pitcher of sweet tea on hand with fresh baked cookies cooling on a baking rack.  She was quick with a kind word and you did exactly what was asked of you by her.  I have so many fond memories of helping her bake, learning to sew, feeding horses, visiting folk (as she called it), helping others and, best of all, just sitting in her lap (even at the age of 22). 

She insisted upon good manners and my goal was always to make her proud of me.  I can remember one rainy night when I was young stopping at a nice restaurant, just the two of us.  I tried so hard the entire meal to use good etiquette and have perfect manners.  I ate with one hand in my lap, cut and ate one bite of meat at a time, chewed with my mouth closed, and put my napkin in the proper place when I excused myself to use the restroom.  She didn't say anything about my manners the entire meal and I felt so deflated as we walked to the car.  Wasn't she proud of me?  Did I do something to disappoint her?  As she slid into the drivers seat, she turned and looked at me and said, "Lucia, honey, I was so impressed at dinner!  You are such a lovely young lady with amazing manners.  I am so proud that you are my granddaughter and to know that I can trust you to mind your p's and q's."  She then pulled me in for a big hug and a kiss on the cheek.  I'm pretty sure my cheeks hurt from smiling so much at what she said and I walked on cloud nine for days. 

I am my Grandma's granddaughter and have the same love for etiquette and manners that she had (although she would be appalled that I have yet to send thank you notes from our Texas Sip & See... the twins have kept us busy and I promise to one day soon write and  mail them).  I could read Miss Manners or Emily Post books for hours - for fun!  I work to instill the same social graces that my Grandma taught me in our kids.  I feel like a broken record sometimes and I hope what I say and what I do "sticks."  Well, as my Grandma would say, the proof is in the pudding.

I am thrilled to say that Hayden has wonderful manners 98% of the time.  It makes my heart so happy when he asks (without prompting) for something by saying "Mommy, May I please..." and then says, "Thank you, Mommy, for..."  He asks to be excused from the table.  He says "Pardon Me" when he passes gas or burps.  It makes me so very proud of him and I tell him that every day.  I can see that he is trying so hard to please us and I know that he has a servant's heart.

Last night Hayden hit a ball over the fence and he, Dawson, and Chip went to go get it.  I heard them talking and took Ansley with me to see who they were chatting with.  Hayden was playing with our neighbors boy/girl 3.5 year old twins that live across from us on the side street (we live on a corner lot).  They were having so much fun!  As all the parents chatted, the kids played soccer and chased one another.  When it was time to go home, our neighbor starting picking up some of the toys and putting them in the garage.  I was so proud when Hayden picked up some bouncy ball ride on thing and carried it to our neighbor without anyone asking.  He may be sporting a Mohawk right now, however, he is still sweet and kind.  Don't let the tough hair fool you!

As we walked back home holding hands, I thought to myself, "I know Grandma Water is looking down from her rocking chair in Heaven just loving this moment."  She had a soft spot for her granddaughters,  but I have a feeling a certain little boy would make her melt too.