Bringing Back the Joy as Grandma

Having my grandson Aidan in my life has brought my husband and I a new kind of joy that can only be felt by a grandparent. 

Christmas is my favorite time of year. With the holidays drawing near, I can't help but think of all the joyful Christmas mornings I had while my girls were growing up.  The beautiful lights, the spirit of giving and feelings of hope, along with the sheer wonderment kids experience during this season. 

Even sleepy eyes can't hide their excitement! Christmas 2005

My favorite part of Christmas has always been the first moments of Christmas morning. My three daughters tried so hard to contain their excitement, but their shining faces and wide eyes as they looked at this years loot always gave them away. And it always made my year. 

The last few Christmas's have been hard on me. It's been difficult to get Nikki, Cheyenne, and Alexa home together on Christmas morning. Have you other grandparents missed the joy of Christmas morning? Do you feel like the holidays are missing something now that Christmas morning is about scheduling conflicts instead of Santa? I know I do. 

Now that I'm a grandma, the wonder of Christmas morning and the mystery of Santa Clause are back. 

Nikki is planning on spending the night at our house on Christmas Eve so that we can all watch Aidan's first Christmas morning as a family. 

Aidan was here for Christmas last year, but at one year old, he didn't understand what was happening or how to open a gift (heck, he didn't even know what a gift was!). 

Aidan Lee 1 Year Old Christmas 2016

This is one of the most important things I've learned since I've become a grandparent. Having grandkids brings back so much joy and happiness into everyone's lives. 

After Aidan was born, I was so caught up in freaking out about becoming a grandma so young that I never gave a thought about all the wonderful things he would bring into my life. 

If you're a young grandparent like me, was your first reaction similar to mine; no way was anyone calling me grandma? If it was, have you found yourself so deep in love now that a single hug from that beautiful child makes your terrible day better? 

I hope all of you have found the joy in being a grandparent, no matter what your age. 

I found a cute slideshow on Grandparents.com that highlights, in a fun way, a few of the best perks of being a grandparent. Please share with us your favorite slides in the comments section.  Mine is slide 4, "You find yourself turning into an awful liar." Enjoy!

Best to you and yours during this holiday season,
Carly