Old Grandma's Birthday

Captain Adorable has a lot of grandmas. Fortunately, his actual grandmas all have different names. My mom is called Oma (or Ama), my sweet MIL is called Grandma (or sometimes by her name), and Captain Obvious' step-mother is called Lita (short for abuelita). However, he also has 2 great-grandmas and these are more confusing, since they are both called "grandma" by their grandchild (me and Captain Obvious). I may say to my husband something like, "your mom and grandma are coming over today," or, "I need to call my grandma."

So Captain Adorable has figured out a name for his great-grandma (at least, the one he seems to prefer: my grandma). He now calls her "old Grandma!" I personally think this is really cute, seeing as it is accurate, but also funny because of course an adult could not get away with it. We went to visit her the other day (last Tuesday) and when we arrived at her building, Capt. Adorable asked, "where old Grandma sleeps?" I thought that was funny and repeated it to her, but she either pretended not to hear or actually didn't hear, and I am inclined to think it was the former.

Today is Old Grandma's 90th birthday! We're having a small, casual, family get-together here at our house. At first I had planned a dinner, complete with Captain Obvious' super-tender brisket, but I was informed (by the birthday girl) that it was too much trouble. So, I modified the plans to an afternoon gathering with hors d'oeuvres and a cake. I was informed that was also too much trouble, so I decided on just cupcakes and coffee/tea/water/juice. Next thing I know my grandma is asking me what to wear! I told her we'd make a deal--she could wear whatever she wanted if I could wear whatever I wanted. Then I heard from my aunt that Grandma had requested a birthday cake after all and that she (the aunt) was bringing it from a bakery near her house. So at that point all I was obligated to make was coffee!

I told my dad that not only did that feel weird to me (not celebratory enough or something) but that I was worried my grandma had secret expectations. It is her 90th birthday, after all! Then again, she does keep insisting that she does not want a birthday party (she even canceled the much larger, fancier party my dad was organizing for her). I kept pestering him with are you sure I should make...humus? cupcakes? cookies? bread and cheese? fruit salad (a more healthy alternative to cake anyhow)? until he finally agreed that fruit salad was a good idea. Captain Adorable and I had fun shopping at a nearby Amish market for the fruit together.

The captains are off getting mulch, and hopefully this will keep them both happy and busy while I clean up (cleaning lady was just here on Thursday, but we want the place to look as uncluttered and clean as possible, right?) and make that fruit salad.

Happy Birthday to my Grandma!