Metal Meredith

I Hope My Mom Doesn’t Act Like This

I was at the Pediatrician’s office on Tuesday with Vivienne when this teeny little girl toddled right up and said hello. She was about a year old and had these little tiny earrings on. I was holding Vivienne who said “Ooooh, what pretty earrings!”

The grandmother of the girl heard this and said “Don’t you have your ears pierced?” and looked right at Vivienne. I smiled and said no. She then gave me a little lecture on how important it is to get done early because there is less risk of problems and complications. I nodded politely and smiled. I am not getting Vivienne’s ears pierced until she is old enough to take care of the piercings herself. The last thing I want to do is change a diaper and then wipe a new wound with alcohol while twisting the earring so the skin doesn’t stick to it. Good lord, I don’t even have my ears pierced anymore, so all of these facts I kept to myself. The grandmother gave me a sad look, as if to say “That poor poor baby girl. She will never be as pretty as my baby grandchild.”.

Next, she asked how old Vivienne was and then said “She still isn’t in diapers, is she?” Posing a question like this is like asking someone “Did you mean to get your hair cut like that?” There just isn’t a very good way to answer it and immediately puts me on the defensive.

“She is two. She is still in diapers. We just aren’t ready, yet,” I said, kicking myself for giving her even a tiny explanation. Right after, she started telling me that this was her 3rd grandchild and she hoped her last. She was supposed to retire last year and then this one came along. She thinks her daughter planned it this way. She is tired, she means dead tired. She should be relaxing and spoiling herself, not her children’s children. Honestly. And those strollers are heavy. She keeps the small ones in her trunk so she doesn’t have to deal with the big ones.

Then, like a pardon from the president, the door opened and they called Vivienne’s name to go into the exam room. We smiled and walked back. In the room, I thanked my lucky stars that Vivienne’s grandmothers aren’t forced to take care of her. Any time they spend with her is because they want to. I suppose I was brought up to think that any time spent with grandparents is bonus time. So one who doesn’t feel the same just threw me for a giant, spinning loop.