The Importance Of Grandmothering

Whew, My family has been blessed with increase this spring! We welcomed our beautiful new grand daughter in April and are now waiting for the birth of our precious grandson! Helping out with my new grand daughter is such pure joy...and..to be completely honest..fatigue..Looking back, I don't know how I managed with my girls! Of course, I had friends but my mother was not the kind to stay up all night with a night owl newborn while I caught a few winks. I must have been raving crazy. I remember how unimportant outfits, makeup, perfumes and being put together on the surface became. I remember grabbing handfulls of dry cereal and stuffing my starving face while burping babies on my chest. The isloation was the worst with my firstborn. It was me and baby, stuck together, day and night it seemed. Her father was off to work, and there we were, trying to figure it all out with ourselves, huddled in a house, tormented by the sounds of workers putting new siding on the thing. The next baby came along when the first was two, and it didn't seem so hard. My mother was around then, to lend an occasional helping hand. I am forever grateful for the times she rocked the new baby, so I could stuff my face or go to the bathroom! My oldest girls were nearly in their teens when the next daughters came along, so they were perfectly happy to watch the baby sisters while I fixed dinner or some such. I don't think I could have managed without the little breaks they gave me. Now it is my turn to give my own daughters little breaks and helping hands. Luckily, I too am a night owl, so a night long baby fest is fine with me! The problem I face is stamina. I might make it through a night, but then I must rest, and expect not to do diddly squat the next day. The arthritis kicks up it's own fuss, and if it gets bad, no amount of herbs will lessen it. Strategic placement of all baby accessories is a must! (This is good for everyone, not just an arthritic grandma) I have to take the spinal arthritis into account and make it so I don't have to bend over much, and likewise, it is far better for me to waltz around with a fussy baby than to sit and rock in a chair. Aren't those velcro diaper fasteners a Godsend? I will not be fastening any diaper pins-whew! Nothing worse than trying to pin diapers on a kicking baby! I think to myself, I have arrived! I am the Grandma now! I am overwhelmed with gratitude as I hold my darling beautiful grand baby and waltz around the livingroom at 3 a.m., knowing that her parents can catch a little rest and worry a little less.