In addition to beach vacations and longer days in the sun, summer for us means visits from far-flung family members. Last month, my husband's parents came for a visit and this month my mother is in town.  It's been a nice break having another person to help keep Kellan busy. It has also been great seeing him bond with his grandmother. He follows her around the house and looks for her first thing in the morning when he wakes up.

My mom thinks of new ways to play with him and offers new things to talk about. I try to be creative about how we spend our free time, but sometimes I am just out of good ideas. So when I come home to find my mom and Kellan playing soccer inside the house and laughing hysterically, I can only be grateful. 

I also love listening in on conversations between them. He asks her about her funny-sounding hair dryer and her bag full of make-up in the bathroom. Seeing them together made me realize how important relationships with family members, especially grandparents, are for kids. Not only do they get lots of extra attention, but hopefully they will create happy memories and strengthen bonds for years to come.