Grand Thoughts: I’m growing older but still acting like a kid

Growing old is not so bad. Hopefully, it will happen to you.

For me, growing old (I’m 62) with three children actively in my life is an incredible gift. In so many ways, these little kids, my grandchildren, make me feel like a young mother again.

Each Sunday morning, for example, I find myself perusing the newspaper inserts, looking for new and clever toys my grandchildren would enjoy. I’m tuned into the latest child-related apps and I’m somewhat an expert on Dora, SpongeBob, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and pre-teen shows on Disney and Nickelodeon.

Even my husband, Hank, a very manly man, has hitched a ride on our “Good Ship Lollipop” lifestyle. He recently took the grandchildren to see “Sleeping Beauty” at the theater. It was his idea.

These kids have us hook, line and sinker. They own us.

And we’re grateful.

When’s the last time you blew bubbles? My last go at it was a week ago– for no less than two hours, Evie, 5, and William, 2 (Tilleigh, 8, was at school), sat in the back yard and went through a gallon of bubble liquid. I had recently purchased some battery-operated bubble guns and on that particular afternoon we blew thousands of bubbles, had contests of who could blow the biggest bubble (Evie won), and Evie and I figured out how to blow a bubble in a bubble, which was seriously cool. The kids tired out before I did. They made me stop so we could go inside the house to eat lunch. Punks.

Do you know how much fun it is to be a kid again?

On any given day that I’m with the kids, I not only blow bubbles, but I color, build block towers, play with dolls and toy cars, play Simon Says, Red Light Green Light and Mother May I. When was the last time you did six bunny hops?

A couple weeks ago, my husband and I bought a swing set — the old-fashioned metal kind — for the grandchildren. It’s larger than the average swing set with seven stations (two swings, a wave slide, a covered chair, a seesaw, pull-up rings and a stand-up swing), and can accommodate nine children at once.

Watching their excitement as they play on it is like watching a kid visit Disney World for the first time. They were extremely appreciative of the surprise gift.

Sure, they sometimes wear me the heck out but, at the end of the day, I’m all smiles and very thankful for these babies who breathe new life and a ton of love into me every single day.

Contact Karen Nazor Hill at khill@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6396.