Your Grandma

Dear Olivia,
Just a quick little post to let you know what a LUCKY little girl you are.
You aren't even born yet and your Grandma Slade has already spoiled you rotten.  At last count she has already made 3 blankets for you.  Two of them are crocheted.  And one is a beautiful quilt made by her loving hands just for you.
I use to tease your grandma that by the time I had kids she would be too worn out to make any more blankets.  And maybe some of the fun of grand kids would have worn off.
No way!
You would think you are the first little grand baby instead of the 27th to be born.  When your grandma came out to help your mama set up your nursery and organize our new house  a couple months ago, she was a woman on a mission.
She had to find just the right socks for you.  Just the right receiving blankets.  Just the right bassinet.  Just the right bows and headbands. Just the right nightgowns.  Just the right onesies for the HOT Oklahoma summer you are going to be born into (sorry about that).

And the other day you got your first (of many I am sure) packages from your precious Grandma Slade.
She loves you almost as much as I do sweet Little O.
Let me tell you a little bit about your grandma Slade.
She is the mother to 10 kids.  I know right?
She sacrificed EVERYTHING to take care of us.
I remember walking home from school on rainy days and getting excited because there was always a good chance that she would have a pot of homemade chicken noodle soup on the stove (or if we weren't so lucky ham hock) and fresh bread sticks waiting for us.
She use to put pink curlers in our hair every Saturday night. 
She drove to ALL of your aunt Phoo-Phoo and my cheer games.
She always waited up to hear about our dates and our high school dances.
She had this look.  That if you got it, you knew you were in BIG trouble.
She married your grandpa in the temple.  And she taught her kids that, that was the only place to be married.
She gave your mama the blessing of the gospel.  Which in turn I will be able to give to you.
She taught me how to cook, by letting me help her, even though I'm sure I wasn't always much help!
She let me go grocery shopping with her.
She taught me how to take care of a family.
She taught me that the most important role I will ever fill will be that of a mother.
She somehow made me feel like I was the most important person to her, even though she had 9 other kids.
I never wanted to disappoint your grandma.  When I did that was the worse feeling in the world.
Being a mom and grandma is EVERYTHING to her. 
I hope I can be half the mom to you that my mom is to me.  If I can accomplish that, you are lucky.
I want you to know Olivia that your grandma Slade loves you SO much.  And you can always turn to her when you think your mom doesn't understand.  I'm pretty sure she'll take your side:)