Hommel Mangas
Hey paper readers,
My GranJan seems unusually frazzled today, so I’m going to type out this column for her. My name is John Steven Tillman, her first and currently favorite grandchild. I just turned 6 months old earlier this week and it just so happens that my Ma’s birthday (Gran-Jan’s daughter No. 2) is today. I overheard my Poppy Steve kissed GranJan good morning before he left for the office and left her shook by stating, “How’s it feel to have two daughters that are 30 years old?”
I thought I should mess with her like Poppy Steve does, so on the short seven-mile drive to the accountant’s this morning, I was so unusually quiet in my car seat that she had to pull over into a big parking lot, get out and open the back door to check on me — I was grinning ear-to-ear.
Earlier this week I surprised her with my first tooth poking through on the bottom right side — she thought that was a big deal. She often excitedly says, “Good job, buddy,” when I roll over, kick my feet on command, or knock the bouncy ball in her direction. She’s fairly easy to please and keep content.
GranJan has to fly to Minnesota tomorrow for some horticultural board meeting, while getting ready for a weekend family birthday party for my Ma. She talks me though everything, like “We’re going to water the plants” or “We need to fold the clothes.” I wonder if she talks out loud to herself when I’m not here.
Today I decided to give her a break and fell asleep within 10 breaths. GranJan plays this little nap game and lays me in the V of her bed pillows, making a partial tent with my cotton algodon white and gray blanket. She lays down on the bed with me and calmly breathes loudly in and out through her nose — like yoga or pilates breaths. She gradually slows down her breathing, so I play along and breathe slower and bat my eyes until they’re shut. I heard her brag to Aunt Aly that she got me to sleep from 15 breaths to 10. I don’t have the heart to tell GranJan that I go sleep at naptime at home and at Grandma Denise’s in the baby bed just fine. I figure I’ll just let GranJan play her little breathing game for as long as she wants.
I haven’t counted how many hugs and kisses I get per GranJan visit, but I imagine it’s comparable to the sand particles on a beach. She’s told me numerous times, “I have to give you lots of kisses now, because when you’re 18, you won’t appreciate them as much.”
I did notice that when I cupped her face in my bobbing hands and gave her my slobbery open mouth kiss on her cheek, her eyes filled with water.
That GranJan — she’s a funny one.
Janet Hommel Mangas grew up on the east side of Greenwood. The Center Grove area resident and her husband are the parents of three daughters. Send comments to [email protected].
