Overnight with my granddaughter
Next month is my daughter-in-law’s birthday and my son would like to take her away overnight to celebrate the event. So my beautiful granddaughter Catrin – now nine and a half months – will stay overnight with us.
It was decided that I should have a trial run at this new responsibility by staying overnight with Catrin and her parents at their central London flat and this weekend was chosen for the experiment, so last night I slept on their fold-out couch and assumed full responsibility for Catrin.
I bathed her and put her to sleep and she went off quite quickly. In the night, there were a couple of murmurs and I was ready for action but she did not actually wake up. When she did wake up, I was having trouble getting her back to sleep after some fruit, some water, and some play, when I realised that I had mixed up the time.
The battery on my analogue watch decided to expire and the clock on my iPhone mobile automatically reset itself for the turning back by one hour for the end of summertime. So the reason I couldn’t get Catrin back to sleep was that it was actually her getting up time and her mental clock was more accurate than mine.
So we played some more and then I feed her breakfast. Then I changed her and we went for an early morning stroll along the South Bank. There are only two types of people out that early on a Sunday morning – weirdos and joggers (same difference!). When I left Catrin back with her parents, I had been with her around 17 hours. I hope that i passed the test!
October 31st, 2011 at 8:11 pm
I’m sure you did: anyone would love to have a granddad as caring and devoted as you so clearly are, Roger.
November 1st, 2011 at 2:58 pm
Great story. I’m a 41 year old grandpa. Yes, I sort of skipped a step but it’s turned out amazingly! Our granddaughter Juniper Pearl is 2.5 years old and her parents still aren’t quite sure about letting her stay over night. Although we have watched her for awhile at times. I hope at some point I can get a trial run as well. 🙂
I never really knew the power of a child in your life could be so amazing.
November 1st, 2011 at 3:57 pm
I’m fortunate, Jared, that my son and daughter-in-law are very trusting of me in relation to Catrin. I was babysitting by the time she was one month old!
And I agree with you about how amazing grandparenting can be. I loved being a parent but this is something special.
November 2nd, 2011 at 9:24 am
Great job, well done Roger! Surely both of you enjoyed the time together!
November 2nd, 2011 at 10:51 am
We did indeed!