Finally, a Grandma

I am a mother who raised three amazing children with love and care. Even though I had to cope with the loss of my oldest child, I’m thankful for the time I had with him and cherish the memories.

Once my two youngest left the house to build their own lives, I felt the emptiness of having such an enormous space for myself and my husband. We contemplated downsizing, but it did not seem practical at the time or now.

One thing is for sure, though. I have had the hope of being a grandma for a long time. Don’t get me wrong. My children are not that young. They’re in their mid-30s. I’m the oldest daughter, granddaughter, and niece of my family and the only one who hit the 60s without a grandchild. All others have become grandparents in their late 40s and 50s. Yeah, I was jealous until now.

My son has finally become a dad to a handsome little boy. I cannot express how excited I felt once I knew his wife was expecting. I flew across the country to be at their side for his birth and stayed with them for a few days. My daughter-in-law was in labor for a grueling 30 hours. She’s a trooper in my eyes. My children’s births were all C-sections. But she persevered until the end to give birth to a bundle of joy. Once I set my eyes on the newborn, I was in love. But I had to return home.

I miss him very much. Without fail, my son and daughter-in-law have been amazing at sending us daily photos and videos since his birth. They’re doing their best to keep us informed about his progress. I couldn’t wait for our next trip up north to visit my grandson. Nevertheless, God had other ideas in mind.

Traveling is a regular part of my son’s job. He had to travel to the East Coast for a week as part of his assignment. I was extremely excited, eagerly waiting for him to bring his wife and baby. Despite that, my son expressed doubts about its feasibility for various reasons. I still hoped it would change, and they’d be here but didn’t hold my breath.

The flight arrived at 12:30 a.m. Wednesday morning. But the airport was almost two hours away, therefore, my son opted to stay at a hotel near the airport and then travel to our home. It made sense for him to rest after working all day and then taking a five-hour flight to his next destination.

Hoping my son and his family were on their way, I checked the app to track their location. However, his location suggested he was in a parking lot. Therefore, I assumed he was already working, and I would not see him until the evening. At that point, I accepted the fact that he did not travel with his wife and son.

To my surprise, he arrived home at noon. He walked in, I hugged him, and then he said, “Let me get my luggage,” when his wife walked in with my grandson. Words could not express how happy I was. They surprised me and it was the best surprise ever. I was thrilled to have my 6-week-old grandson in my arms.

It was a wonderful week spent with my family, especially my grandson. I cherished every moment I could spend with him, feeding him, cuddling him to sleep, and showering him with love. Even my dog, who typically doesn’t like children, took a liking to my grandson, which made me very happy.

I thought that after 35 years, I had forgotten how to hold a newborn. But that wasn’t the case. My motherly instincts kicked in immediately, and I handled him with ease. He’s quite squirmy for a six-week-old baby, just like his dad was. He is such an adorable little boy.

It’s always tough to say goodbye. I’m already missing them. The next chance I’ll have to see them is at Thanksgiving. I really wish they were closer. I love my grandson so much. It’s amazing how you can love someone else’s baby as deeply as your own. I can’t wait for all the future holiday gatherings.