A Visit From Meemee

I'm writing about an experience I had about 2 months ago with my then 16 month old son. I have had a couple of "paranormal" experiences throughout my life, this is the most recent.

For this story I will give a little background info to begin with.

My grandma "MeeMee" died on Sept. 27th 2005, just a month and some days after Hurricane Katrina hit. She had been battling Alzheimer's for 8 years (by this time she had no idea who we were or who she was, she didn't talk) up to this point and was living in a nursing home in New Orleans where she had 24 hour care. They had evacuated her home because of the hurricane and they felt the stress of the move was the reason she passed. Her ashes were just recently buried this past November (2008) because the cemeteries in New Orleans still were unfit for burying. So for 3 years my MeeMee's ashes sat in my parent's house. Which for some reason I sort of found creepy.

Before the Alzheimer's hit her badly she lived in an apartment building for senior citizens. I would often stay there, and loved my visit with her. She always kept Kit-Kats in the fridge because she said they tasted better cold, and I would always eat them. I particularly remember the smell of her place. It wasn't a bad smell; it was 'her' smell. She also sold Avon for many many years; it was practically her life after her husband had died.

In April 2006 I got married and moved with my husband to Southern California. In October 2007 my son was born. My son has never met my grandmother (obviously) I don't have any pictures of her (all were lost in hurricane) and I don't talk about her around him. I have never mentioned the word "MeeMee" to my son nor has anyone else. My son was with me in November (2008) when we finally buried my grandmother's ashes in the crypt. At the burial her full name was used. Nothing special happened that day.

March 2009: I was in the living room cleaning up. My son was down for a nap in his room with the door closed. I recently started to sell Avon and had tons of boxes in the living so I was clearing them out. All of a sudden I smelt a smell that did not smell like Apple Cinnamon (I had candles burning). Not just any smell, my MeeMee's smell. The smell of her apartment, her clothes, whatever. It was 'her' smell. I was looking around thinking I'm losing my mind. I have nothing out that belongs to her. The only thing I do have is a hand mirror, which is in a drawer in my bedroom (which smells nothing like her after it sat in hurricane water for some time), a ring and necklace, which are locked away. It quickly went away, and I just brushed it off but smiled at the fact that hey maybe she came for a visit. But to assure myself I sniffed in all the Avon boxes, which smelled like cardboard boxes.

An hour or so later my son woke up and I went in to get him. As I walked into his room I noticed the faint smell of my MeeMee, but it was instantly gone. My son was standing in his crib smiling and laughing. I placed him on his changing table to change his diaper. He pointed to the ceiling and said "MeeMee" and looking at him I said "No baby, Mama" and pointed to myself. He then pointed to me and said "Mama", then pointed to the corner over his crib and said "MeeMee". I really didn't know what to think at this point so I said to my son "Did MeeMee come and play with you?" and he just clapped.

That night I put him in his crib at 9pm, turned on his musical turtle, turned on his lava lamp, turned off the lights and closed the door. My son doesn't fall asleep right away sometimes. I can hear him kicking the wall or babbling to himself, but this last 30mins to an hour at the most.

His room is next to my husband's and my room. I don't go to bed early and I was lying in bed reading when I heard my son talking loudly. I looked at the clock thinking 'why is he still awake? It's 2 in the morning!' So I got out of bed and just as I was about to open his door I hear him saying "Meemeemeemeemeemeemee" and the he would laugh.

For some reason my cheeks started to burn. No idea why this happened, it may have nothing to do with this occurrence. I opened the door and my Meemee's smell hits me; its was so strong in his room that I felt like it would knock me back. And there was my son standing up in the crib laughing and bouncing. I walked over to him just to check him out; by this time the smell had fading. By the time I laid him back down and covered him the smell was gone.

Back in my room and too creeped out to sleep I read some more and continued to hear my son say "MeeMee". I don't know when I feel asleep, but I remember dreaming about her.

We were sitting in her living room eating Kit-Kats (her favourite) and she said to me "I'm glad your finally happy."

The next day and from then on even to this day I have not smelled 'her' smell and my son has not said "Meemee."

I am a firm believer that children can see what we adults cannot or choose not to see. In my heart I feel that she wanted to meet and play with her great grandson and check up on me too.