A Little Story Behind the Story
One of my favorite photos of my mom (Granna to her grandchildren) is of her with my firstborn, taken in 1989, showing them in an old family rocking chair that she had reupholstered. In 2016, I sat in that same chair, one of the few items I had chosen to bring home after Mom died in 2007. A new picture captured me holding my firstborn’s firstborn, a child who would soon call me Granna. This is the story of how our shared grandma name came to be and why it means so much to me today.
More Than a Name, It’s a Legacy
Mom had no say in her grandma name. Her first grandchild, my nephew, babbled “Granna” one day, and the stage was set for two generations, maybe more. Mom’s next ten grandchildren, born over the span of twenty years—including my four—had no choice but to follow suit and call her Granna.
Our kids loved sleepovers at Granna and Papa’s house, especially playing croquet in the backyard to her cheers as they whacked wooden balls through wire wickets. They giggled while pressing their hands into the homemade playdough that she constantly replenished. They shouted out requests for pancake shapes, from dinosaurs to stars, as she poured lumpy batter onto the griddle. Granna’s creative spirit, encouraging words, and abundant love enriched their lives.
When she passed away, her grandkids ranged in age from five to twenty-five. Each of them mourned her deeply but, in time, they would smile and laugh, remembering their shared and individual moments with her. Granna’s love is forever woven into their lives. Sadly, she never got to meet her eight great-grandkids, though we make sure they know about her through photos and stories.
Granna’s first grandchild (from my older sister) and his wife welcomed the first baby of our family’s next generation, a daughter who calls his mom Nana. With that, my sister’s grandma’s name was set for all her grandkids.
When my oldest son and his wife had a baby, I figured we’d wait to see what my grandson might call me. However, his parents did not give him a choice. Instead, my son insisted on using the name he treasured from his childhood. It always sounds like music to my ears when his children run to me with open arms, calling out, “Granna!” Sometimes, I feel Mom nearby, smiling as these precious little ones say our name.
At first, when my son told me they wanted their children to call me Granna, I was both unsure and honored. The original Granna left quite a legacy. But since Mom and I shared the same birthday and blue eye color, I decided that sharing a grandma name with her seemed fitting, too.
I was concerned, however, about what my other kids, nieces, and nephews might think. If she’d gone by Grandma and I had, too, it wouldn’t have been such a big deal to me. But Granna isn’t a common name; I have yet to find it on any lists of popular grandma names. Grandma, yes. Granna, no. It’s one in a million, just like their Granna. She belongs to them, name and all, forever. Happily, they had no qualms with me carrying on the name for my grandkids.
I believe that sharing the moniker with Mom prompts me to truly live in the moment with my grandkids. I want to create lasting memories in their lives like the first Granna did for hers. Living seven hundred miles away, I try to make our time together extra special.
When I needed to get a car across the country for my daughter in college, I asked my oldest son and his oldest child to join me. I took photos and notes and created a book for my grandson about his road trip with Granna. He loves the book, and it has even become his younger brother’s top-requested read when I visit.
I may never take a road trip with my second grandson, but I play countless games with him. At four years old, his favorite game with me has been Little Tyke basketball, where he often offers advice to improve my shots. “Aim for the backboard, Granna.”
The youngest grandchild is still a baby, but we’re sure to discover our own special Granna moments. Just like the original Granna and me, she has blue eyes. Who knows? Maybe in fifty years or so, my granddaughter will take on the Granna name. I rather like it myself.