Thursday, June 17, 2010

Perfection wears a blue hat.


As I write, I'm laying flat on my back preparing to get up to go fix supper. Upstairs I hear the sounds of that beautiful baby you see there to your left, as he tells his Mom, my daughter, that he will be taking HIS supper RIGHT THE HELL NOW.

Brady - my grandson. My first. 

Before Kitten got pregnant I must have said roughly 88,000 times that I strongly encouraged her NOT to make me a Grandma. Grandma's wear sensible shoes and have their silver hair washed and set at the beauty parlor every week. I felt that at forty-six, I was not prepared to commit to wearing kitty-cat sweatshirts and eating supper every day at 4 o'clock.

But at twenty-six, my daughter knew best and she and her husband decided to start a family. On June 9th, as I was squealing into the hospital parking lot on two wheels, she was giving birth to Brady via C-Section.

Everything changed for me in the time it took me to lock the doors and walk up to the third floor labor and delivery, and no one.. I mean NO ONE... is more surprised than me.

I am staying with the new family for a couple weeks to take care of the mundane things in life so that they can focus on getting set into their new life together. I wash, I cook, I clean - and sometimes, if I'm lucky, I get to hold Brady and breathe in the newness of him.

If Kitten is out of ear shot, I ask him questions. "Where have you been?" and "What was it like before you arrived here?" He doesn't answer, but I like to imagine he hears me. Sometimes I tell him things instead. Things I think are important for a perfect child named Brady to know. "Be nice to people. Being nice is underrated." and "Don't have a hot temper. It's a sign of laziness." I'm hoping my words find a way to stick and he'll be a nice man who never blows up and no one will know how or why, but I will.

Brady is a game changer. Things that mattered to me prior to June 9th really don't mean as much any more. I find I simply want to live up to who I think Brady deserves to have as a MeeMaw. I want him to be proud that he and I are a part of each other. I want to earn his love... but don't kid yourself. I am not above buying it using cookies and ice cream currency.



3 comments:

"Alone again.... naturally!" said...

I know exactly how you feel. Our first granddaughter was born last Oct. Perfect in everyway! Being a grandmother or in my case Nana does change the way you look at everything and I thought that was true when I had my kids but even more so now. How lovely that feeling is! And I think they keep us young and on our toes! Congratulations again on the birth of your first grand! Cathy.

Anonymous said...

I love Brady. I could just hold him all day! You are doing a really great thing staying with them and helping so much :)

queen of everything said...

i think that may be the most amazing meemaw story i've ever read. brady is a very lucky boy.