We Had NO Idea!

Our daughter and her husband may not exactly know just how much they have changed us in the last two months. On February 27 they ushered into the world our very first grandchild, an event which we all awaited anxiously and with great anticipation. When the time came for her birth Chelsea took her sweet time making her first appearance. Her mom was ready and waiting but Chelsea just didn't want to travel down that canal and a Caesarian was imminent. Fortunately the doctor didn't have to do that and Chelsea made her wonderful way into the world with just a little prodding. ( I wonder if this is a sign of things to come?)

We had planned with Beth to make our way to Victoria on March 19, a full three weeks after Chelsea was born, and our planning was good because the new young parents had plenty of time to get their heads around parenting before we got there. Watching the two of them with their daughter is something I won't ever forget as both handle her with such love and tenderness, you'd think they have nothing else in their lives, which is just not true. They have busy, productive, happy lives; indeed, we thought they might never opt for children, but opt they did and I haven't seen any regrets so far. (Wait till she's fifteen!)

Our week in their home was wonderful as we both held and cuddled and stroked our newest love as much as we wanted. The young parents were very kind to us. Both Ron and I have always loved children--we spent our lives teaching teenagers--and our five youngest nephews have been a perfect joy to us whenever we've been near them.

But we had NO idea what a physical leap our hearts would take when first we held our first grandchild. My son-in-law passed her tiny three-week-old body into my waiting arms as I sat in a sofa chair and I smelled her damp sweetness against my shoulder. She nestled in against my neck and, of its own accord, my hand stroked the length of her tiny back, up and down, up and down, soothing me as much as her. With every sniff and stroke I felt my grin widen and my body adjust to Chelsea's shape. Holding the prize, I looked at her grandfather and knew I had to share.

Grandpa--my, it's fun to say the word--wasn't really sure and suggested I just hang onto her but I was a little insistent. I stood and, in a tangle of out-of-practice hands and arms we managed to transfer Chelsea into her grandfather's waiting arms and I watched the grin on his face and the softness in his eyes as he held and really met his grandchild for the first time. I saw that he felt as I did and we smiled at each other, knowing without speaking what had happened.

Throughout the next week we got as much of a Chelsea fix as we could, marvelling at how she had touched some inner hot spot in both of us, until, all too soon, the time was running out when we would be there with her. Then we held her even more. Finally we had to leave for the plane trip home and we had our last hugs and kisses with all three of them. I tried not to think about the sadness then and skipped out the door with my suitcase rolling along after me, waving goodbye, a smile of my face.

When we were safely on the plane I let myself think of what we had done and had to blink a few times. I looked at my husband and we talked about the little life we had left behind for three months. She will be so changed when we see her again and we would love to be there for every change. Neither of us were prepared for her effect on us and both of us were all the sadder to be leaving.

By the time we reached Ontario we had resigned ourselves to how lucky we are to have pictures and movies and video-conferencing and digital camera movies. The week after we left Beth sent us a file of her talking to Chelsea while filming on her digital. We were ecstatic and have shown it to everyone we could get to hold still long enough to see it. Yes, we have become those annoying, picture-toting grandparents shoving things in the faces of everyone we meet, trying to share our joy in our granddaughter. Yes, our daughter and her husband have changed us and we love it. I look forward to the three visits we already have planned for the next nine months to see our Chelsea. And, of course, her parents!

Note: I am not putting pictures of Chelsea here as her parents are reluctant and I, too, do not want to expose our angel to the possible dangers of the Internet. Suffice it to say, she is beautiful, with a light dusting of darkish brown hair, big blue eyes, lovely little ears that fold back against her head, hands that should have no trouble spanning the octaves on the piano, a bit of a frown when she is concentrating, a pretty, tiny mouth which yawns and sucks, cries and opens wide, and, now, Beth tells me, smiles in reaction to her world. My arms ache to hold her again.