Tuesday, August 7, 2012

I Don't Know Nuthin Bout Birthin Babies, Miz Scarlet!

Probably one of the most memorable lines from Gone With the Wind, well, except maybe the final line.  Still, it does sum up my experience with childbirth.  I have never given birth.  It just wasn't in the cards for me.  In fact, there is research being done about Factor Five Leiden (a blood disorder I inherited) and pregnancy issues.  So maybe it wasn't meant to be.  My years in the classroom gave me enough of a taste of raising kids to make me think not being a mother may not be such a bad thing.  But I am a grandmother.

While you are scratching your heads on that one, I will confuse you even more by saying that at 48 I became a great-grandmother.  Ah, the perks of being married to an older man.  You see, my stepdaughter and I are the same age (well, technically I am 6 months older) so when she became a grandmother I became a great-grandmother.  But that's really splitting hairs.  Aiden and Addy (yes, twins) think of me as Granny Vickie and I love them dearly.  They never question the fact that they have so many grandmothers.  Maybe some day they will and I will do my best to help them understand.  Mostly I will hope they always remember their PawPaw.  They were almost 3 when he died, but they were the world to him.  He was just so excited they day they were born and he got to hold them.  Since then 5 other "greats" have been added to the family.  I know he would have had the best time taking them hunting and making things for them in the woodshop. 

My brother Mike thought for a long time that he and Linda would never have kids.  In fact, the doctors had pretty much confirmed it, so they sold everything and moved to Florida to start their own business.  First thing they did was have 2 boys!  Now big brother is looking forward to his first grandchild, a girl, in December.  I already know a couple of things about this little girl: her name is going to be Michaela, she will go fishing with her grandpa as soon as she is able to hold a fishing pole, and her grandpa Mike will make her anything she wants in his woodshop.  And her grandmother Linda who is the craftiest person I know with a needle, will keep her covered in crocheted and handsewn quilts and clothes.  And she will be lavished with love. 

Isn't it funny how this birthing thing works out? 

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