We have often talked about our joy of grandparenting since our retirement.   Having 5 crazy little ones to keep company with from time to time is our grandparenting  highlight. The fun of this part of life’s journey has been how it has incorporated our love of travel into our schedule of babysitting.   Peg has labeled it “Destination Babysitting”.

It would be quite the norm for most to be at home and occasionally have grandchildren brought by for a time of visitation and babysitting, but our children have never been part of the “norm”.   Of course not.  Our babysitting duties require a bit of traveling.   Thus we designate our travels as the “Grandma & Grandpa Train”.   As the grandchildren are apart geographically we get to travel to babysit – sometimes to coincide with their parents needs, and always to coincide with our wants.

We have traveled the short 1 hour drive for the  Two Princess Tour, the 5 hour drive for the 1 Princess and a Puppy Tour, and the 1 ½  hour plane trip for the Train Master Toddler and his Wobbly Sister Tour.

We have even traveled to Chicago for a weekend babysitting gig as the parents had plans to be there with a babysitting need – of course call for the G&G Train. We have traveled more than a few times taking  the G&G Train to New York and Chapel Hill as needed.

The most unusual and rewarding trip occurred on a recent extended weekend .   For various reasons we – meaning all 3 of our daughters, and all 3 sons in law and all 5 grandchildren along with G&G – were all in New York  City for the same weekend.  The G&G train was ready.  On that Friday night we had to split up the team so one grandparent was babysitting on the Upper West side of Manhattan while the other was pulling duty on the Upper East side.  On Sunday night the team was together to put the two Princesses to bed on the UWS while their parents deservedly celebrated Mom’s completion of the NYC Marathon. On Monday we babysat the 1 princess on the UES while her parents went to a concert.  On Tuesday we were back to the Train Station Master Toddler and his Wobbly Sister home as I babysat while the parents and Grandma were out for a quiet dinner.

Then on Wednesday  the G&G Train flew back home.  Two days later the Two Princesses came  to our house for a visit as the Train took a long needed refueling stop at the home station.

Ain’t life just Grand!babies