A Barbie For Gram …

My WW (Wonderful Wife) is called Gram by our grandchildren.

And, anybody who knows Gram also knows you’d better not mess with her kids or grandkids.  Anything less than complimentary will get you deep in the doghouse of this five-foot grandmother.

Gram also has house rules for the grandchildren: 1) No grandchild will ever get in trouble while at Gram and Grandad’s house.  2) You do not have to clean your plate. 3) Toys from the toy closet are allowed anywhere in the house.  4) Any grandchild is allowed to visit the pantry anytime.

You get the idea.

And, Gram’s rules are much more reasonable than Grandad’s one rule:  at least one piece of chocolate every visit – at least one.

Gram also believes in playing with the grandkids when they visit.  Everything else is put on hold.  This is especially true when Kaisa and Annika visit.  K is five, Anka three and they love to play with Gram whether it’s an imaginary safari through the house or – their favorite – playing with their Barbie dolls.

Gram had a big surprise for them last visit.  She had purchased a large Barbie house replete with rooftop swimming pool, three floors and all things Barbie.  It was set up and ready to go when they arrived.  The biggest surprise, however, was yet to come.

Gram also had purchased her own Barbie doll, Nurse Barbie.  And that opened up a whole new world of imagination.  Nurse Barbie assumed two little nursing assistants who began taking care of Gram, the other Barbies and … Grandad, who was summoned from his recliner to be a patient.  After being subjected to blood pressure checks, ear and nose checks, knee reflex hammers, injections and numerous temp checks, he was declared healthy but told to cut down on the chocolate.

K and Anka had a ton of fun with Gram and the Barbie house, and their excitement was obvious. But, most of all, they just could not believe that Gram had her own Barbie.  Such a cool Gram.

So, how many grandmothers aged 60-something have their own Barbie?  This one was about to celebrate a birthday, making her 60-something-plus-one.  And, like many grandmothers, Gram is not easy to buy for on any such occasion.

Well, March 11 came with the usual morning birthday coffee and opening of cards and gifts.  Gram was her usual chatty self for 8 o’clock in the morning.  She could guess most of her gifts before opening them – the small hand vacuum she requested for when the grandgirls snack at their Princess table, a gift card for car washes, the smallest Totes umbrella ever made.  But there was one mystery gift.

The final gift was tucked away in a medium sized birthday bag and saved for last.  Gram is pretty good at guessing gifts, but this one stumped even her.  Nothing left to do but dive into that bag of tissue paper.  No doubt, Gram loved the surprise and could not wait to show it and share it with Kaisa and Annika.

This 60-something-plus-one grandmother is now the proud owner of her own bright pink Barbie sports car – a convertible no less.  Just what Gram – and the grandgirls – needed.

After all, Gram already has her own Barbie.