My newest role.....Grandmother ~

Magical. It's the best word I can come up with to describe my newest role. So many times I've witnessed others become grandparents and listened to them talk about how wonderful it was, but until July , 2010 I didn't understand what they meant.

For me the magic started while I was watching our son mature over the 9 months he waited for his baby. I witnessed his attentiveness to what Kim ate and his coaxing for her to incorporate more vegetables, or admonishing her ice cream cravings. I smiled when she told me about him rubbing her back or making something special for dinner. As he debated names with Kim, I discovered how solidly traditional he really was.

When he called us at 9:30 pm to say Kim's water broke I heard the fear through his excitement and knew he wanted to hear my voice for comfort. At 4:00 am when I answered the phone my heart may have burst when he said, "It's a Raymond. Mom! He looks like a little old man."

Ky and I laid awake then for the rest of the early morning talking about what this might mean for us and guessing what the future held. We both took the day off and drove to the hospital for visiting hours at noon. Knowing Kim would appreciate something sweet we stopped at an ice cream shop and brought her a Sundae. (She loved it.)

Mike met us at the door and beamed with pride. Neither of us had ever seen Mike so happy. This was a great time for him. He boasted how "excellent" Kim did and shared stories of the delivery drama and incredible aftermath of the birth. He was clearly in love with his little boy.

Seeing Raymond was just like looking at Mike! I was amazed. He was perfect. He was peaceful. He was so vulnerable. From the first moment I met him I knew this relationship would be like no other.

Ky and I left at 2:00 pm when visiting hours were over. We drove to St. Mary's, had a late lunch and a glass of red wine so that we could toast the new grannies! It was a oddly romantic time for us. I loved it.

Back to the hospital for evening visiting hours. More celebration. More love. More peace.

Raymond is now seven weeks old. He smiles at us or furrows his brow and frowns. He is starting to show some personality, and every time we see him there are changes. We have already babysat so mom and dad could get some sleep, and we're looking forward to having two days alone with him next weekend.

I know that we will make a difference in his life and he in ours. It's started already.

Grandmothering is magical!