There's nothing quite so amazing as your own daughter preparing to give birth to her daughter. Candice is due in mid April and she and her husband Dan are fast becoming baby experts. They have prepared the nursery, washed the baby clothes, and put together the stroller. I think they have everything but diapers now. LOL! And us Moms know there will be LOTS of diapers!
On their last visit to Amherst, I was able to really feel little "Jelly Bean" kick! She gave me a whopper punch with one of her feet, [I think]. We call her Jelly Bean since Candice and Dan are being "mum" on the name as they want that to be a surprise.
I've given Candice strict orders to call me when she goes into labor so that her Dad and I can drive up to be with her when Jelly Bean makes her appearance. Unfortunately, I will have to wait a little extra to see her as Candice and Dan have made it clear that they will be alone with Jelly Bean for the first bit of time (hopefully less than an hour, as I will be biting at the bit to get some first photos).
What a special time for them! I remember back to when Candice was born. She didn't waste much time as she arrived an hour after I got to the hospital! When I first held her she just looked at me with dark eyes and seemed to say, "you'll do." Her eyes are now blue, courtsey of my Dad and Larry's Mom/Granddad, and I'm still the best mom she'll ever have.
New babies are exciting and demanding, soft and tender, loud and stinky, sweet and cuddly, loving and beautiful, and I could go on... New babies are a time for new beginnings. It's the start of a complete family; an opportunity to mold and guide another human being into becoming better than yourself. I feel that my husband and I have done that with our two children. I believe that my children are doing that with their children.
The world will be a better place afterall.
