I Never Can Get Used To It....
 

Quick update....:)

My son (Simon), and his lady, and my grandson (Elliot, 15 months old) live in Vienna - which is only a few hours (plane-wise) from here....but is a whole world away - money, culture and day-to-day-wise....

Simon + Elliot have been here for a long-weekend, minus mummy (she's expecting again, woo hoo!! :)) - and Andy and I have been having a wonderful time - laughing, playing, seeing the rest of our family, eating (!!:D), loving - bonding :) Harry's been an angel - he and Elliot adore one another :)

They flew back to Vienna this morning....and I feel so, so bereft. It's toooo quiet here, and I miss them so much.

It was bad enough when Simon left home to move over there (10 years ago now) but it's like a huge double whammy now he's taking my grandson away...I hate it.

Will I EVER get used to it? Sorry to have a moan! Sally x

It must be so tough to have them far away like that! I know you wish that little tyke was closer so you could spoil him and love on him more often.

Would you ever consider moving to Vienna? Heck, I'll move there with ya :D! It looks so incredibly beautiful...we just having nothing to compare over here in the New Land :p.

I'm sorry you're hurting...I do hope you feel better and/or that your son's family suddenly decides to move down the block from where you live!

Oh Ann!!!! If only....:(

Elderly parents (mine - not me!!!! :D)....work...family in general (including my daughter with granddaughter)....torn in every way!

Plus Vienna's very beautiful on the surface - but unfortunately doesn't suit our laid back way at all - very glam and slightly false and aloof and 'looking-down-their-nose-ish!' I don't think we'd last very long there....:eek: :D

They'll never move back - his lady's from Vienna and they have wonderful, extremely expensive life-style with little or no crime - and I don't blame them for that....but my goodness I wish I could steal them for a year or 40!!! :) xx

Isn't life wonderful and heartbreaking all at the same time for moms? It has presented you with this absolutely incredible and wonderful son who has now morphed into 3 - soon to be 4 - people - and yet you don't get to spend that much day-to-day time just living life with them, with daily hugs and kisses, telling them good morning and good night every day, cooking and eating meals together, enjoying everybody's reactions to visiting fun places together, having long conversations, rejoicing/commiserating at the end of their day, hanging out just doing nothing and making memories on top of memories day after day.

But at least you have them with you part-time and can visit virtually and be in instant touch by phone day or night via voice/text, keep up with their lives in Instagram and Facebook pictures and posts, so it's not as separate a life as it once was when children lived too far away to visit regularly and only called on holidays. Today's technology keeping them virtually close is a poor substitution but it beats the old days.

I'm so excited to hear you've another grandchild on the way - yahoo! Congratulations! Can't wait to hear more!

:) Thank you Jeanie!

It IS the day-by-day bit that I miss so much....plus I must admit I'm slightly envious of Maria's parents being there 'on the spot' as it were, seeing all the 'firsts' and having a 'real' cuddle whenever they wish....I want that to be me, too. Selfish and silly maybe? :(

It's because it was just today that they went back - Elliot and I really re-bonded - and I guess I'm scared of losing that, and having to recreate it every time they come over...which will be much less once the new little one arrives (early November). I wish we were rich, so that I could just have a little pop over for a couple of days every month....:D xxx

I can almost feel how empty your arms are right now for little Elliot, Sally. Poor you! Grandmom's need to touch, cuddle and hold our young and it's so hard to love from long-distance when you need them right there with you in the nest. Thankfully they'll be back maybe next year, or you'll get to go visit in just a few months when the new baby comes and re-connect again physically but in the meantime, read him a story on Skype a couple of nights a week and send him short videos of nana and pawpaw and Harry and keep yourselves fresh in his mind, reminding him of things you did when he was there and even at that young, tender age, Elliot will somewhere inside hold on to some of that and it will grow.

Happily, as he grows older, he'll remember more and more about you and maybe, before too long, his parents will even decide to farm him out to you two over a long holiday or a summer when he's a tad older and mom needs a little break. After all, he's soon going to be a toddler and with a new baby, mom will likely be a little overly tasked in the months to come. Imagine the fun of having him all to yourselves for a whole week or two! Happens all the time in the USA & I'm sure on the Continent, too, so try to be patient and wait until mommy & dad will be grateful to have you step up and offer to keep him while they take a trip or get some much-needed rest. Just say, "I'll make his reservations and arrange the whole trip. We'll pick him up, keep him for however long you want and return him when you say while you two catch some extra time with the baby and rest up a tad."

So go hug Harry and Andy, have a big dinner, kick back and catch some telly and dream of what can be as Elliot grows and in time, you can visit them, he can visit you and when he's a little older still, he'll be begging mom and dad a lot to come for long visits on his own as grandkids always do when they get older and a trip off to see the grandparents all on their own is just the best thing in the world to a kid.

:) Thank you Jeanie, once again, for your kind, thoughtful words....here's hoping and praying that your wonderful thoughts come true....:)

Love and a great big hug from Andy, Harry + I xxx:D

Sally, congratulations on your second-grandchild-to-be!

I am sorry you had to say goodbye to your grandson and son. It never gets easier. I know how hard it is to be separated from family (dad and I are 850 miles from my brothers, nephews). Skype or Face Time as Jeanie suggested is helpful.

Wishing you many precious visits with your family in the future.

:) Thank you Kristin - you're a sweetheart :)

It's physically holding him (them!!!) in my arms that I miss - and smelling 'that smell' (most of the time!!! :D).

Today is easier than yesterday - and I KNOW it sounds a bit nuts - but I sometimes kind of don't look forward to them coming over, because I know the heartache that it's going to entail :(

Oh well, best go and buy Harry some Babygros.....;) :)

Harry would look adorable in some Babygros. :D I know exactly what you mean about having your grandson in your arms and enjoying the smell. That is how I ended up with Yorkies. I was missing my 4 little nephews. Teddy (Yorkie) has a baby smell, and both Max & Teddy like to be held like babies, so it worked out perfectly. :p

My nephews are big boys now -- the oldest just got his driver's permit! :eek: I have a vivid memory of holding him in his diaper the evening he first said my name.