I’m Something New…Guess What!

So a few days ago, something spectacular happened. It’s still happening, but the biggest shift occurred last week. Guess what it was.

1. I became Marvel’s next super villainess. I’m going to wear a big hat, spout cheesy villainess lines, and get beaten up by everybody!
2. I went vegan…for about an hour. I’m eating a burger as a write this.
3. I started a commentary blog about unicorns. I talk about how they show up in the most unexpected places.
4. I became a grandmother. My eldest daughter had a little girl and I’m filled to bursting with all sorts of new experiences!

Answer: 4 – I’m a grandmother! As much as I love discussing unicorns and have tried veganism for a short time, neither of those are new experiences. And though I would love being a Marvel villainess, no one has called to offer me the job. Why? I can be mean! I swear! Though I won’t hurt a unicorn. No one is that villainous.

My first grandchild’s name is Ellie. She’s tiny (5 lbs), and lives far away from me. Everyone kept telling me that being a grandmother was the best experience in the world, but I didn’t believe it. I’ve held infants. It’s nice, but it’s not the best thing in the world.

I was wrong. It is the best thing in the world! There’s nothing like cradling a new life as she snuggles into you. And it’s so much better than my own kids because this time I have something I never had as a new mother: WISDOM. I made mistakes with my own kids, and now I have knowledge to impart, important things to make sure the parents do or don’t do or just remember to notice.

The sad truth, however, is that my daughter and her husband are already overwhelmed. There is so much to figure out with a new baby. The last thing they want is advice from me. They’re still trying to take care of the baby and remember to brush their own teeth!

Which means I mostly hold my breath and my words back. They don’t need me pestering them, though I really, really, really want to. And I recognize that this is their path as they become parents. They need the space to create their life as a family and I shouldn’t interfere with that.

Grumble. Grumble. But then I remember the most important thing about parenting, and it is part of that Grandmother wisdom. Ready? The most important thing for the child is to know that s/he is loved. Completely, totally, no matter what happens. Little Ellie has that. No matter what is in store for that little girl, she will have someone who loves her to the moon and back—me. (Not to mention everyone else in the family.)  And with love surrounding her, everything else will get figured out. And maybe someday, someone will ask for a little advice from me. Hey, I can dream, right?