My grandparents raised me, so they were sort of my parents. When my wife and I were expecting our first child, my grandfather was worried. Heard things like "That kid isn't staying here until it's potty trained." Well that quickly changed, have pictures of them sitting in his chair and she is feeding him popcorn. He was vinal siding his wood shop and she is right there. If gram did not feel like picking her up one night to spend the night, he was right there to come get her. Pretty much once she started walking he was wrapped around her finger.
When Kelly and I were expecting our second, it did not take an hour after she was born before he was wrapped around her finger.
He totally looked at those girls different than me, because they were his "Great Grand Daughters" and for practical purposes I was his son. I am glad I got to see that old hard ass be so much of a teddy bear.
I am not complaining about my child hood (abusive father, threw me out when I was 8)... I am actually bragging because I had a Grandfather/father/best friend all in one. I know I became the child he always wanted, and a man he was proud of. And I got to see the sparkle in his eye when my daughters gave him a hug.
