Two and a half years ago I wrote a column chronicling my joy of becoming a grandmother for the first time. In it, I opened the story sharing the fact that I was mopping the floor as I looked on at the new little family enjoying bonding time together. I also stated that during my cleaning I was the happiest that I have ever been. My mother had helped me and now I was able to help my family, giving me a joy I could have never expected.
Happy with house chores?
Trust me, being happy doing house chores has never been something I thought I would ever feel. That was over two years ago and today nothing has changed because today, I am not only cleaning the house, but I am also helping to watch my vivacious red-headed grandson, Boston, as we await the arrival of his baby sister.
That is correct. My husband John and I are grandparents again. This time to a sweet little baby girl.
As I write this, the baby has been born and I am happy to report that Mom and baby, Finley, are doing fine as they are being cared for by the nurses at the hospital and our son, Tony. Due to Covid-19, the only person allowed to be at the hospital is the Daddy.
While I am extremely grateful that they are able to share this time together, there is a small part of me that wishes the family could have been there to see our new bundle of joy as soon as she was born.
Truth be told, Finley’s parents might be relieved that they are the only ones able to be at the hospital. When Boston arrived so did the full force of the Marine Corps, as all of my son’s brothers-in-arms showed up to congratulate them. Boston was born on the Marine Corps birthday, after all.
Then, to add to the excitement, throw in our loud Italian family and Jess’s family and extended family and you have a big, loving circus. A little peace and quiet might just be the best thing as the parents bond with their new daughter.
Meanwhile at the house
Meanwhile, back at their house, there is total unbridled chaos as Boston runs all over the house playing with their three dogs and dragging out every toy he owns. Shew, this grandma has almost forgotten how much energy a toddler has. It looks like Toys R Us has exploded and mopping before my son and daughter-in-law get home is the least of the cleaning that will need to be done.
As I look at the picture they sent from the hospital of baby Finley, I marvel at the fact that babies are the biggest mystery of them all. What a colossal miracle they are. No one can tell me that they are not God’s divine plan. Ten tiny toes, two cute little ears and don’t even get me started on how precious a newborn smells. Estée Lauder could not make a smell that beautiful.
Which leaves me thinking (as I watch Boston peacefully sleep right before I get up to finish cleaning the house he helped gleefully destroy) how two years ago, when I was mopping as I looked on at the new family, I thought I was the happiest I ever could be. I was certainly the happiest I ever was while doing housework.
But now, today, I know I was wrong. Picking up toys your grandchild left lying around while you wait for your new grandbaby to come home from the hospital is the happiest I have been.
Only until the baby gets here and spits up on my shirt. I can not imagine how happy that is going to make me. Life is messy and Mysterious.
