Dear Kaylee,

When you went for your check-up at the doctor’s office last week, your mommy worried about one thing…

Shots!

Your mommy says, “I hate needles!”

Did you know that when your mommy or daddy are afraid of something, you will probably be, too? Yes, we can learn fears from our parents and we are really good at picking them up from a very early age. It didn’t do me much good to remind your mommy not to get too freaked out when you got your shots, because she was probably going to start tearing up after the first one anyway.

And you got five shots! Ouchy!

There are many things your mommy doesn’t like. Snakes and lizards are definitely up there, for example. That is why it is such a good idea that your mommy and daddy bought a house in a semi-arid desert area-

Perfect home for snakes and lizards!

Kaylee, this is an example of a useful tool of language (if you are gentle)-

Sarcasm.

Back to the needles. Your mommy doesn’t like needles and blood. Yet, she wanted to go to school to be a doctor. She got a scholarship to study to be a doctor, but right before she started, she told me and Nana she didn’t want to be a doctor. How could she when she didn’t like needles and blood?! We didn’t mind, though, because if you are going to have a job, you want to do things you enjoy and are really passionate about (We didn’t mind also, because she got to keep her scholarship, too!).

It is good your mommy is a teacher. Especially a math teacher. This will come in real handy as you get older. Just take my word for it.

Kaylee, let me tell you one more thing about shots. Grandpa didn’t like to get shots either. I remember when I was a little boy I had to go to the doctor’s office and get a shot. I was afraid and I didn’t want one. So, when the nurse pulled down my pants to give me the shot, I got away and started running out of the doctor’s office!

The office was on the second floor above a bank. I ran screaming, out of the waiting room and got to the stairs and made it down into the bank lobby before anyone caught me.

I was pretty fast even with my pants pulled partway down!

I still got the shot, though. It’s really good for us to let doctor and nurses help take care of us. Maybe, another reason I was so afraid of going to the doctor was his name. Kaylee, I am not making this up. You can ask Great Grandpa Hanson. His name was…

Dr. Shott!

Love,

Grandpa

Dear Kaylee,

Well, your Nana’s mommy is visiting. Your mommy calls her, “Nana,” and that’s how your Nanna got that name. Your mommy’s Nana loves you so much. Just like the rest of us. Uncle Greg is home for a couple of weeks before he starts school again. He wants to hold you and poke you and imitate you with your, “Eh, Eh,” sounds.

You will need to get use to Uncle Greg and Uncle David. They like to make a lot of sounds around the house. They like to caw like crows. They are very foolish sometimes and your Nana says it drives her crazy. I don’t know where your uncles learned to make such sounds…

So, Kaylee, now I have two more people in the house. That should make me happy, and it does, but it also means I am having to share my holding and hugging with everyone else. That’s all right, though, I suppose. There is enough loving to go around.

Here is what is fun. I get to see four generations of strong and beautiful women together.

Nana (sr. )
Nana (jr. )
Mommy
Kaylee

I love all of these women in my life. They are a part of who I am. I’m glad you are catching up, Kaylee. You are changing my life, too. Even physically. You are expanding my heart and you are making my face hurt-

So many smiles…

Love,
Grandpa

Dear Kaylee,

Guess what? I get to see you a lot now! Your mommy is back at work and Nanna is taking care of you during the day. That means I get to see you, too! We spend about an hour together before I leave for work. Also, one day a week, I am going to take care of you, too. I get to watch you grow, grow, grow. At least after finishing three bottles on Friday- it looks like it!

Your mommy is glad to be back teaching her students, but she is sad because she isn’t with you all the time. It’s alright, though, because Nanna knows all about mommy stuff. After all, she is your mommy’s mommy. She is a math teacher like your mommy, too, so I guess you could say they are similar in many ways.

Your mommy teaches mainly 8th and 9th graders how to do math. These kids don’t usually like math because it is hard for them. Your mommy is a really good teacher and she gets along with the students, even if she is a little tough on them. They even asked her to give the graduation speech last year! They think she is fun to talk with, and they like to talk to her about things other than math. I know they are especially excited to talk about you! You visited your mommy at school on her first day back. So, now they know that Kaylee is a real, live baby!

Some day you will start going to school, too. In the meantime, you are in the school of life and you are learning what it means to be our little Kaylee. That’s my favorite subject!

Love,
Grandpa