Sunday Scribblings #70 Phenomenon

One year ago, my daughter and son-in-law were awaiting the birth of their first child. Early in her pregnancy, she asked me so many questions — what was my pregnancy like, how did I feel, was I scared, nervous, confident, what was labor like, etc., etc., etc. Now, my Darling Daughter is the love of my life but I also know her shortcomings. To say that I was nervous about my baby having a baby would be an understatement. Darling Daughter of mine, an only child, was very used to having things a certain way, more importantly, her way! Sleeping late, shopping when she wanted, visiting friends, taking trips — these things were very shortly to be replaced with making formula and washing unending loads of wash and trying to find time to just take a shower. Yes indeed, I was just a tad apprehensive about this.

But somewhere around the fourth month, the same time that they found out that they would be having a GrandDolly, there were these subtle changes. I felt DD was becoming very comfortable with the idea of this baby, probably because she was able to put a name to the little dumpling inside of her. The bonding between mother and child had begun much earlier for DD than it had for me. The more I thought about this phenomenon, the more sense it made to me. DD was able to become acquainted with her child before she met her and was therefore more connected to her after she was born. Because of this, I think it was easier for her to assimilate the changes that were occurring in her body and in her life — and letting her know that being pregnant was just the beginning, with many more changes to come. Darling Daughter was growing up and without any prodding from me!

A second phenomenon that I observed shortly after the birth of this child was the dreaded Overzealous Grandparent Syndrome — easily identified by the pictures spewing from every grandfather’s pocket and grandmother’s handbag and the “Ask me about my grandchildren” tee shirts. I was always one of those pooh-pooh people that couldn’t believe how ridiculous grown people could act over a baby because I would NEVER be one of those grandparents. (Can you say sanctimonious, brothers and sisters?) Never say never. I will say that I have a lot of pictures but I don’t carry them with me — well not all of them. And I absolutely wouldn’t be caught dead in one of those tee shirts. Put on one of those and granny strings on your eyeglasses won’t be far behind. But I have to tell you, everything this little Dolly does is simply brilliant in my book and I find that I have to keep stopping myself from singing her praises to strangers. She is closing in on her first birthday and has started walking and talking and has this penchant for trying to figure out how all kinds of things work — she just loves my dishwasher, light switches and doorknobs. It’s amazing how a pair of big blue eyes with tiny little hands held up for you to pick her up will turn this grown person into mush in a heartbeat. Without a doubt, the phenomenon of unconditional love between GrandDolly and grandparents is a joyful and miraculous thing to experience.

This is just my humble opinion on the topic of “Phenomenon” — for more humble opinions and other ways of looking at it, check out Sunday Scribblings.