Thank you so much for your baby congratulations. Here are my mum (89 years 2 months) and our grandson (12 and a half hours). Awww!I always thought - up till now - that the sort of birth announcement that sometimes appears in the newspaper along the lines of "Mother and baby fine, father recovering" was ridiculous. Giving birth is, after all, hard work. Watching must be a doddle.
I no longer hold this view. Of course, giving birth is indeed hard work - labour - but being stressed about one's child giving birth is pretty draining too, pathetic as (I'm well aware) this sounds. I've been the one standing by to take Daughter 1 to hospital (Daughter 1 and SIL don't have a car) and because the modern thing is not to let you into hospital till the point at which your relatives are convinced that the new arrival is going to tumble out on to the carpet, I was at their house all day while she appeared to be quite far on in the process - but just not quite there yet. And her (lovely) parents-in-law had jumped in the car and driven up the 300 plus miles from Worcester to see the baby, arriving (because of the baby's reluctance to get on with it) some hours before the departure to hospital. So the whole thing was a mixture of a nice family party and the most nervewracking event in my life so far. (Yes, obviously it's all about me...)
I'm quite surprised at how I feel about this little person. I was slightly worried that, as a baby fanatic, my instinct would be to take him over, since he would clearly be my baby... I can so well remember thinking that no one could possibly look after my own babies as well as I could. But in fact, to my relief, I don't feel that at all. He's absolutely lovely, cute as a whole packet of buttons, a miracle of completeness (you should see his perfect little ears!!) and I would die for him without a second thought, but I quite understand that he's theirs, not mine.
Still, Daughter 1, though delighted with her tiny son, is tired, and the son, like tiny tyrants everywhere, kept her awake for quite a long time last night. I wish I could be there to help her but she's still in hospital because he's not feeding terribly well yet. He will. But he's tired with all that getting born stuff and then the yelling in the middle of the night. (His yelling, not hers.)
I can't quite believe that it was only yesterday that he was born! And the other nice thing that happened yesterday is that Ali Honey of Quilting Orchardist, and her husband R, were in town and came down for a glass of wine and a chat in the evening after our visit to the new little family in hospital. Which was lovely. What a day!
It's funny - it's just occurred to me that you can't really say to non-family members that your own baby is beautiful (though obviously you think he/she is). But somehow you can say it about your grandchild. Why is this exactly? It's fun!
But can you imagine the reaction if you announced that your new grand-child was ok but nothing to make a fuss about? That one step removed makes it perfectly right and proper to be loud and proud :)
ReplyDeleteThough I do remember a friend of my father-in-law saying something about my children in a strong Canadian accent which I couldn't quite understand. I had to ask her to repeat it and much to my embarrassment I still couldn't work out what she'd said. Too deep in now not to respond properly I had to ask for another repeat at which point she said extremely clearly, 'You have very bonny babies.' I swear she thought I was fishing!
Grandson is gorgeous - enjoy your bragging rights! x
What a lovely photograph of great-grandmother and baby.
ReplyDeleteMy mother used to say she always looked at the baby's ears, to see whether they were nice and flat! (They generally were.)
I hope your daughter is allowed to stay in hospital for a few days instead of being turfed out before the milk comes in, which seems to have been the general practice here for a number of years. She is very lucky to have you close at hand.
There is nothing like a newborn and the way it snuggles into your body.
That photo made me cry.
ReplyDeleteIt's so beautiful. You are very blessed.
gorgeous little chap!! congratulations!!
ReplyDeleteWhat lovely news!! Such a beautiful little boy:-) There is something very special about being a grandparent, I know you will love the times ahead.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to all the family - enjoy!
My friends daughter just had a boy too, the midwife told them that if they'd been stuck in traffic enroute, he would have arrived in the car!
ReplyDeleteOh! Another tear-jerking photo -- I'm now at one with the kleenex box. I loved what you said about your worries about the birth -- I've often wondered the same thing when the time comes for me. A new day begins In This Life. It will be SOOO fun to see updates as your new little life grows!
ReplyDeleteWow. Good job, all! CONGRATS!
ReplyDeleteDrat it, I knew I'd miss THE DAY! Hugs to everyone, beginning with Greatgrandmama and we need a picture of Grandmother Life and the wee chap, don't we? I am so jealous that he is so close, Wyoming and DC are a long way for me but so very happy for you, Isabelle.
ReplyDeleteAah lovely pictures, keep em coming!
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I've heard that expression of grandparents being prepared to die for a new grandchild before, seems as though it's something that pops into the head quite unbidden. Strange and atavistic.
ReplyDeleteWhat a very odd picture of a big family get together while poor mum-to-be huffed and groaned! Glad it went well in the end.
Such a darling little fellow. I've greatly enjoyed looking at the photos in this and subsequent posts. The one with your mother will make a particularly nice keepsake.
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