We drove out to Holland yesterday for our daughter’s baby shower. As I’ve mentioned, our middle daughter is due with our first grandbaby next month. It was a beautiful day for a drive. I rode out with our oldest daughter since my husband was driving a moving truck loaded with a new couch for our mommy to be.
Baby girl #1 and I listened to music, talked about family stuff, laughed about silly memories. I love road trips with my kids! Being trapped in a car together gives you time to catch up in a way you can’t experience from a phone call or text.
We arrived late afternoon and when baby girl #2 walked out of her apartment I instantly got teary eyed. I haven’t seen her since the beginning of January and seeing her in a maternity dress looking like she swallowed a basketball really took my breath away. MY BABY GIRL IS GONNA BE A MOM!
We delivered the couch, removed the old one and visited a bit. I was inpressed at the way my son in law went out of his way to make sure our mommy to be didn’t do too much and was comfortable. We got to see their work in progress nursery. Seeing baby girl #2 in full nesting mode and her excited hubby really drove home how real this is. They are going to be parents and I’m gonna be a grandma!
We all went out to dinner together along with a friend and her daughter. I felt very happy as I looked around the table. My daughters were laughing together, glad to have sister time. Baby girl #2 didn’t like her dinner and her sweet hubby traded plates with her, giving up a meal he was enjoying. They seemed more in sync than ever and at that moment I could visualize what good parents they will be. Our friend had driven 3 hours to share this special time with us and it was very much appreciated. I wished that moment didn’t have to end. It was easy and the conversation flowed pretty naturally with everyone. When you live a few hours apart you really appreciate things like a shared meal!
After dinner baby girl #2 came back to our hotel room for awhile to visit and I got to feel my grandson moving around under my hand. It brought back memories of my own pregnancies and how young and nervous I was the first time around. Don’t you wish you knew then what you know now?
I drove baby girl #2 back home, just a couple miles from the hotel and we sat in the car for another 10 minutes talking. That’s how it is with us. When we are on the phone we say goodbye and then keep talking and repeat a couple times. When she comes to visit us for a weekend we say goodnight and then stay up talking for another half hour. We never seem to run out of things to talk about and I love every minute of it.
The shower was a success thanks to all the help we had. (It’s not easy to plan and throw a shower from the other side of the state!) Everyone seemed to enjoy the cute decorations, silly games and time spent together.
It was hard to leave, knowing the next time I see my baby girl she will most likely be in labor, about to hold her own baby for the very first time. It doesn’t seem that long ago that I was rocking her to sleep, singing her lullabies. It goes so fast!
So while I was emotional this weekend, I was also very happy to have spent this special time with my family. We may live in different parts of the state but we ARE a super close family still. We pick up right where we left off when we are together. It’s obvious that there is love and laughter and a bond nothing can break and that is all a mom can ask for.
Simply Shannone 