What grandmother does not paint herself as the luckiest woman alive, possessing the smartest, prettiest and most gifted grandchild(ren) to ever exist?
I was gifted with another grand child this past Tuesday. She was 3 hours and 7 minutes too late to be born on my birthday, but she made my birthday exciting anyway.
The Fam (tm) were all gathered at my parent's house to celebrate the wonder of my very own birth, which occurred 48 years before. I had opened some cool presents, and had just come to black amethyst hand cream when Tiffany stood up and exclaimed, "oh, OH, Holy crap, my water just broke!"
Ladies and gentlemen, I've had many a birthday (see above) and a lot of parties. The party when I was five: My cake was dusty lavender and my cousin Vicki got me a lovely mirror, comb and brush. Yet another was a scavenger hunt all over town for my gifts. My 30th began with a room full of people waking me up with the shout of "Happy Birthday".
Nothing can compare to a pregnant woman whose water breaks at your birthday party, especially when she is carrying your granddaughter!
I rushed through opening my presents and cake consumption, then my granddaughter Alexis and I sped to the hospital. Her new baby sister was on the way.
Tiffany didn't get started with the labor in a serious way until they gave her pitocin about 11 PM. Shortly after that I don't know if it was the stress or what, but my son, Ryan (the baby daddy) ended up in the emergency room because he thought he was going to faint. I sat right with Tiffany, and we texted the progress back and forth. About midnight, they said she had progressed well, and I predicted a birth about 3:00 am. When they came it @ 2:00, progress had slowed a little, and I wasn't so sure about 3:00 anymore.
Not a half hour after, Tiffany said she was feeling big pressure, and thought she had to push. I got the nurse, and she was ready. I texted Ryan, "COME NOW NOW NOW", and woke Alexis. It was not long after that everything was ready. With Ryan on one side and me on the other, Tiffany pushed one huge push. There was Madison. Beautiful. Perfect. Her older sister sat on the couch across the room, eyes wide with wonder.
I am the luckiest woman alive. All these grandchildren, each so special. This is what the face of hope is.
