Thank Heaven for Nanas.

Not to be confused with bananas, which we should also be thankful for, but aren't in any way related to today's post, except that when eaten in excess, they can contribute to bowel problems.  No, today, I'd like to talk about what a blessing it is to have a Nana just down the street.

It's nice to have a Nana down the street for an "in a pinch" babysitter.  For instance, I decided that instead of procrastinating this year (sarcasm alert), I would start my Christmas shopping a little early.  So yesterday (the 20th, for those of you who are calendrically (this is my blog and it's a word if I say it is) challenged) I hit the stores Walmart while my mom stayed home with Madison, who was taking a nap at the time.  I told my mom to bring a book, which she did.  I should have instructed her to actually read the book, because instead she cleaned my house.  Which made me feel even more indebted to her.  Maybe I can repay her by letting her babysit more often. : )

It's nice to have a Nana down the street when your dog runs away but you can't chase her because it's cold outside and you don't want the baby to suffer for your dog's disobedience. 

It's nice to have a Nana down the street when your stove has relocated to your living room and you're tired of cold turkey sandwiches for dinner.

But more than any of these, it's nice to have a Nana down the street when, in the middle of your apple and yogurt snack, you notice that your baby has a strange looking puddle by her feet in the base of her saucer, which she then mashes between her toes and slides up her legs, which by the time you lay out a towel on the changing table has miraculously migrated up to her belly button, within range of her curious little fingers that typically spend more than half of their existence in her mouth.  And it's nice that this same Nana is able to drop what she is doing and come running when that sweet baby tries to put her slimy big toe in her mouth, kicks the wall (brown and green usually work together, but in this case it wasn't so pretty), and between her two hands and two feet, comes close to winning the speed match with you by getting something into her sweet little mouth.  And it's nice that during bath part two, the same Nana brings all the fallen warriors linens to the washing machine and gets them started on the hot cycle, then cleans and sanitizes every part of the desecrated saucer.

So Nana, this one's for you. 

-Kelli