Missing:
Maternal Mojo

The tofu cookie baking, cloth diaper changing in the dark (with pins, my friends, no diaper wraps for me!) mega mother has disappeared.  I took a vacation day to babysit Lily and Madge while Emily drove her mother-in-law to the hospital for outpatient surgery.  The best I can say is that no children were damaged in the process.

Not only am I an un-fun grandma - I'm somewhat incompetent.  And impatient with new-fangled baby stuff in a way that is eerily reminiscent of my late mother.  Needed a few moments of deep concentration to spring Maddie from her carrier; couldn't quite get Lily's Pampers on right; managed to snap Maddie's PJs crooked no matter how I tried.  Caught myself yodeling, "Don't touch that - it's Waterford."  Come on, my mother had more patience than that. 

I used to be so easy going.  There was a time that I wouldn't be even slightly dismayed by a leaky diaper and leaky sippy cup on the couch that had just had its slipcovers washed in the wake of a leaky dog.  I'm still rational, but shocked at how annoyed I can get.  Maybe after several decades of kids around the house I just want the goofy luxury of leaving my Waterford jelly jar on a surface that is not seven feet off of the floor.  Maybe my fingers are too arthritic at 6:30am to finesse a quick change.  I used to be a contender.  Now?  Not so much.