Shopping is a genetic trait.

Time is flying by! I can't believe Andrew is over 6 months now.  I also can't believe it has been one year since my grandmother "NaNa" passed away.  She left us on 3/30/11... leaving us behind, but moving onto a place where she no longer suffers.  I wanted to share the memoir/eulogy I gave at her service last year.  I miss her like crazy, and wish she could have met Andrew. 

 

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As the only granddaughter, Nana and I had a special bond.  We were always on the same page….In fact the phone call that started off, “ Hey Nana, what are you doing today?” was really code words for …Hi Nana I want you and Pop Pop to take me to Annapolis Mall and shop all day.  Of course, I had to let Nana do her shopping at Talbot’s across the street before we hit up limited too and Nordstroms BP.  Pop Pop was always the third wheel as we went from store to store adding shopping bag after shopping bag to our arms.  He never once complained…

When many think of Nana they remember her fashion style.  Not many granddaughters can say that their grandma not only bought them leather pants, but wore leather pants as well.  She would be the one to tell me what was in style….and she was actually right.  A few names that come to mind are Liz Claiborne…known to Nana as “Liz-a”, Ralph Lauren, and coach.  Nana actually gave me a coach bag about 15 years ago and I thought to myself “what the heck is this”.  Just last weekend I spent way too much money at the Coach outlet.  She also would take me to buy my Basketball shoes for each season.  Buying basketball shoes each season was like the most exciting day of the year for me when I was a kid. I remember once when I picked out a pair of black and white Cheryl Swoops Nike high tops, Nana bought the same ones for herself!  When is the last time you saw a 75 year old lady wearing timberlands? She also had more Adidas athletic gear than I had thanks to the Adidas store next to the bagel place in college park….one of nanas few “go To” restaurants. 

Nana had friends everywhere she went.  There were only certain sales people at Lord and Taylor who she’d shop with…then there was her best friend who worked at burger king (known to nana and pop pop as “burger chef”), who would make her order exactly how she liked it. Nana would order an egg mcmuffin at McDonalds without the egg, and without the cheese.  That only left ham!  She knew exactly how she liked things…. Some seem to think that I inherited that trait…I am sure you can ask my Dad or Erich and they will certainly vouch for that.

Nana sure didn’t lack in confidence.. When I was about 5, she used to tell us she was the boss of everything but I quickly let her know that she was not the boss of God.  How many times did you hear her tell us how people would stop out of the blue and tell her she had beautiful hair, beautiful nails, a beautiful house, and of course a beautiful lawn.  Funny thing is…she did have all of the above.  I remember when Matt would mess up her hair with his fingers and she would pull out her comb and comb it back into perfect place after yelling at him and waving her crooked finger in his face.

Aside from her love of brand names and fashion, she also had a passion for sports.  She was our biggest fan at LBGC, DM, and GC.  She cheered for us at every game like we were going for an Olympic gold metal. Sometimes she got so rowdy it was embarrassing! Once after she fell ill with dementia, she actually thought she was on the USA Olympic volleyball team while we were watching it on TV.  She loved the redskins and went nuts over the Terps.  When the Terps did poorly, she would get so incredibly angry at Gary Williams screaming at the TV…Well now that she’s in heaven she will hopefully be able to help him coach better…as after this years performance it appears he could use her help.  She also told me many times that she played basketball (when there were 6 on a team) so I’m sure she has some skills.

Unfortunately the last few years were more than tough for Nana, and all of us.  I know she is up in heaven getting her hair dyed and cut perfectly like it used to be.  She is probably dressed in brand names from head to toe.  Her closet of clothes with the tags still on is endless…even bigger than before she fell ill.

We all know Nana had a peculiar side to her.  Rubbing footprints out of the carpet after vacuuming, cleaning every room every single day.  I remember numerous times waiting for her to take me shopping but first her and pop-pop had to do housework.  I thought to myself… why do u need to clean and re-clean an already immaculate house.  Then she had to pull the shades in every room depending on what time of day it was so her furniture didn’t get too much sun.  All of these funny things I just learned to accept as part of nana, and I will never forget them.

Id like to make sure that everyone remembers Nana for who she was and all of her colorful traits.  It is hard to look past the last few years when she wasn’t herself. Nana wouldn’t want us to think of her in the bed in the living room.  The disease of Alzheimer’s stole her away form us way too early, but it surely doesn’t have the ability to erase our memories of what she was truly like. 

I’d like to thank Nerissa for her care over the last many years.  I am grateful for not only all you did for Nana, but you have been there to help Pop Pop through all of this too.  Nana leaves behind grandkids, great grandkids, and 2 daughters (who act more and more like Nana every day)…but most importantly of all.. she leaves behind the Patriarch of our family, Pop pop. (his name is joe, head of the whole household).  Pop Pop adored Nana and their marriage of almost 60 years is something to admire, and something I personally aspire to. 

We all know Nana wouldn’t want us to be hanging around today looming with sorrow.  We need to celebrate her life, and remember the good times and memories.  Her gravestone may tell us that her life was 86 years long, but we all know she was really only 39.  Love you Nana, and thanks for being the best grandmother one could ask for.

4.1.11

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Well, she certainly passed on the shopping trait to me.  The other day when Erich came home from his Florida trip, he called to surprise me saying he moved his flight up and was on his way to pick up Andrew and would be home when I got home.  At first I was very excited! (finally, some help!)..... BUT

I quickly remembered the 4 or 5 shopping bags sitting right inside the front door that I was going to put away before he got home!  BUSTEDDDD!!! I don't know if he noticed or not, but I definitely did not do a good job getting rid of the evidence.  (I know, all you women are saying duh, that's what the trunk is for!)

Those shopping bags were a direct result of my personal day I took off last week.  So what, I deserved a day off from work for no good reason....and yes I brought Andrew to daycare ALL day.  I definitely put on scrubs to drop off the baby, AND put them BACK ON to pick up the baby so it looked like I went to work. Sooo, I felt a little guilty.. but this momma needed to get her shop on! Plus I needed a little reunion with the Today show, Kelly Rippa, and Nate.  It had been almost 3 months since maternity leave.  I took my first son, Gibbs for a looong walk around the lake.  We both needed that! All in all, I realized how refreshing just one day to yourself can be; and I also realized that days off are bad on the bank account.  

I work hard so I can shop hard.  Nana (the fashionista grandma) sure would love seeing Andrew decked out, head to toe in Ralph Lauren Polo outfits.  I learned my shopping habits from the best.  Love ya NaNa, we all miss you!