A Grandmother’s Journey

By Cathy Woods

When I found out my daughter and son-in-law were expecting my first grandchild, I was so excited that I started a journal so I wouldn’t forget a thing.

• August – At six-weeks pregnant, Liz is queasy, tired and grumpy. That brings back memories! But maybe she’ll be like me, too, and have short, problem-free childbirths. I try to cheer her up by teasing her that women in our family are built to have babies with ease and be back in the fields by sundown. She’s not amused.

• September – I’m amazed at the technological advances in 25 years. Liz will have regular ultrasounds, a procedure reserved for high-risk pregnancies in the 1980s. And expectant parents know their babies’ sex, too, although Liz and Jason don’t yet. That’s why I can’t find gender-neutral baby clothes — everybody usually knows if it’s a boy or a girl. But this is hindering my grandmotherly urge to shop. My husband’s glad to have a spending reprieve.

• October – It’s a boy! I celebrate by buying three tiny blue rompers, a blanket and a hat – adorable. We endlessly discuss his name: It can’t have a nickname, the initials can’t spell anything, it has to end in a consonant and it can’t be a Hobbit name, the parents-to-be say. Picky, picky, picky.

• November – At five months pregnant, Liz abandons her normal wardrobe but doesn’t realize how she lucky she is. I cringe when I remember the sacks we wore. Maternity clothes are so cute now, in the same style and fabric as non-maternity clothes. Why didn’t somebody think of that 25 years ago?

• January – Liz and Jason are turning their guest room/office into a nursery. They’re smart about their purchases. Jason researches everything online and then they find the best price. Somebody raised these two right.

• February – Baby showers are more fun than wedding showers. After all, nothing brings “oohs” and “ahhs” like soft, precious little baby things. For something different, friends in Muscle Shoals, where Liz grew up, give a casserole shower so the new parents will have a fully stocked freezer — a super idea. Liz’s friends at her new church also host a shower. They seem so supportive and helpful. A good church home is vital for a growing family. I’m glad Liz and Jason found one in Huntsville.

• March 27 – A week after the due date, Liz is at the hospital to be induced. She and Jason want me to be the only other person in the room with them. I’m honored – and nervous. How will I handle seeing my own daughter in pain? But everything’s so quiet I leave to get Jason and me some sandwiches. Babies have their own schedules, though. Jason calls my cell phone, “You’d better hurry back!” I do, and I’m in such awe of the doctor’s and nurses’ expertise and Liz and Jason’s confidence and focus that I forget to worry. A few minutes later, Nolan Thomas Behel arrives, and he’s perfect.

I love being a grandma.