Just the Right Size

(Or Introducing the Family Part 6: The Most Adorable Granddaughter in the World! And yes I made this quilt in preparation for her birth.)

Sons#4 and #5 have introduced The Most Adorable Granddaughter in the World to the joys of hockey. But there's a problem: their sticks are as tall as she is. So last weekend DH set to work creating a stick just the right size for The Most Adorable Granddaughter. He shaped and sanded and painted and taped until he had a stick that was almost as cute as The Most Adorable Granddaughter:



It looks very similar to the uncles' sticks but is smaller:



Sadly, the uncles broke the stick before The Most Adorable Granddaughter in the World got to see it. DH has fixed it and now we're eagerly waiting for the reaction of The Most Adorable Granddaughter when she finally gets to see and use it.

Nothing prepares you for grandparent-hood just as nothing really prepares you for parenthood except for hands-on experience. Everyone told us it was different, but we didn't really know what it would feel like until it happened to us.

I was in shock the day Son#1 and DIL informed us that we were to be grandparents. I was still getting used to the idea of being a MIL - a grandmother was something I hadn't even thought about. Of course, one day in the far off future, but not at 42!

Still we looked forward to the birth eagerly and were pacing the waiting room, praying and hoping, when DIL went into labour. Then Son#1 came out: "Would you like to see your granddaughter?" Ah no, not today. I think I'll just go home instead. What? Are you crazy? Of course I want to see her! Let me in!

Almost in reverence I entered the labour ward and watched as Son#1 and his wife made that transformation into parenthood. And then came that moment: the moment when a wee tiny bundle of humanity was placed into my arms and stole my heart forever. It was as if I was holding my own babies again - yet different. I turned to DH and joked, "Well we've got what we came for. Let's go home," pretending to take The Most Adorable Granddaughter in the World with us. By this time the other set of grandparents were there and they laughed with us. We all felt the same.

At about that time we received a rather tense message from Son#2: "We're all ready. Are you going to come and pick us up or do we have to walk to the hospital?" Ah sorry, you'll have to wait until visiting hours before you see your niece. It was probably one of the longest waits of their lives.

When you lose someone you love you feel that the rest of the world should mourn with you. When The Most Adorable Granddaughter in the World was born we felt that the rest of the world should rejoice with us. It was hard to not shout it from the rooftops! We were that excited!

Years before, when my youngest son was born my mother had casually remarked: "Perhaps you'll have to wait until you get grandchildren before you get your girls." I doubt if she had any idea how much those few words touched me. At the time I felt that she was speaking a word from the Lord. And when The Most Adorable Granddaughter in the World was born it was like a promise fulfilled.

I enjoy spending time with The Most Adorable Granddaughter in the World and I enjoy seeing DH with her. I always thought he would make a wonderful father of daughters and now I know I was right. As for The Most Adorable Granddaughter she has five uncles (one on her mother's side) and no aunties. Can you imagine what it's going to be like when she's older and the boys start hanging around? They're going to have to be interviewed by not just her dad but also five uncles before they'll be allowed to court The Most Adorable Granddaughter!

But I'm sure The Most Adorable Granddaughter will find a way around her uncles. When she looks up at me with her father's big brown eyes and takes my hand and says "Nana, please" I can't resist her anything. And I'm not the only one!