Digital Grandpa

I have become a digital grandpa!

Since our only granddaughter lives 7.5 hours from where live, we do not get to visit much. We were there the day she came home from the hospital and spent some time with her. While she was just a little thing, I think we bonded.

Then, when we returned from a conference in Santa Fe this past summer. we saw her again, changed her diaper, bathed her, clothed her in some real cute baby clothes, rocked her, listened to sleep in her new crib, held her until her mother said it was time for her to go to bed.

Then, we saw her again when she was blessed. Oh, she was so beautiful in her blessing dress--really her mother's wedding dress from which her grandma made her the most beautiful blessing dress ever. Plus, with that cute headband that she really didn't want on, she probably was the most beautifully dressed baby ever.

The biggest event was at Christmas when we were able to spend a good week with her. We played. We rocked. I taught her how to drink out of a sippy cup although she drooled more than she sipped. But she like to chug it anyway. We stared at each other. We rubbed noses. We had our pictures taken together. We giggled together. Sometimes, she cried. I took pictures of her, probably more than I should have, but she is soooooooooo....cute, just like her mother and her grandmothers. Yes, we had a ton of fun together over Christmas. But, alas, that was almost over a month ago. Now, we just chat via the video webcam...

Now, we can play peek-a-boo via the webcam, but I think she wonders who is that guy staring out at me on the camera. We talk, and sometimes she talks back or at least says something incoherent that I take as, "Hi, Grandpa! How are you doing? When are you going to come visit me again? I miss seeing you! I want to come to your house." For some reason, my daughter doesn't hear the same things that I do. She says it is mostly child gibberish.

I don't think they are coming until Easter unless we decide to trundle there, which is a very long trundle and getting longer every time we drive I-80, especially when it is snowing and blowing and the big semis run thick like salmon on their way to spawn. So, it's the webcam or nothing.

Even if I only get to see her via the webcam, I am okay with it because I am, at least, able to see her and talk to her. I don't want her to not know her grandfather. Via the webcam, she can see me, hear me talk to her, and understand that I am a real person although I appear only as a "digital" one.

Sometimes, she reaches out and tries to touch our faces on the screen. Deep down, I think she remembers us and wants to touch our faces and know that we are real. I am sure she remembers that one picture that I have now in my office of just the two of us--she sitting on my lap, her hand reaching out to touch my face or the other picture where we are both just staring at each other, wondering who will blink or look away first.

Yes, she loves her grandpa, even if I am a "digital grandpa."