Waiting on baby. Have you ever been so excited to meet someone but also know each day of pregnancy is so important. It seemed like the last month before our grandson’s arrival was so long. 

This is our second grandson, but with the first grandson we lived over 1000 miles away and were not able to be as involved in the “nesting”, preparing for baby, as we were with this grandson. Having them closer has been a grandparents’ dream.

I feel so blessed to have the relationship that I have with my daughter-in-law and son and love how they include us, even with helping and being involved with their growing family. When we first got the news that they were expecting it was early on, so time is taken for granted, until one day you flip the calendar and there’s that due date circled.

There always seems to be so much to do to get ready for baby.

His little room was so sweetly decorated which his parents’ painted mountains on one wall. His crib was set up, the rocking chair that reclines was placed strategically in the corner. The soft wilderness rug placed on the hard wood floor, just waiting for the day that there would be more traffic in and out of the room. Clothes were folded so purposefully in his dresser. The “mountain wilderness” theme, so inviting and serene.

Room ready, but still waiting on baby.

One afternoon, we went through the newborn clothes and other baby clothes that my daughter-in-law had boxes of. Some clothes were clothes that were passed down from his older brother and some were given to her by her sister-in-law, which is a boy mom as well, so we had an assortment of cute clothes to rummage through and sort through and pile by size. We sorted through boxes of clothes, washing them up with Dreft to give them all that sweet baby detergent smell. We sorted and hung them up by size and used the “wilderness” size dividers in-between the different sizes so when he grew, we could slide the ones that were getting too small over and grab from the bigger sizes. We put the larger sizes into storage boxes with the size divider placed on the outside of them.

Clothes organized and hung, but still we waited on baby.

We planned a “nesting” day, which was divided out on different days. This was something that my daughter-in-law and I had seen on social media and thought it was such a great idea. Honestly, why didn’t we have these brilliant, themed gatherings when I was expecting? Our daughter-in-law’s sister and her sister-in-law came one afternoon to help organize. A week before the baby’s due date, Great Grandma and I scrubbed floors, cleaned bathrooms, cleaned the oven out and organized. We cleaned baseboards and more. When you are in your 3^rd trimester, cleaning is not an easy task at all, so understandable why they would want some “nesting” before baby’ arrival. She was so grateful and so excited. Although, my son usually helps with the house chores, he is involved with our farm and hence planting season. If you are married to a farmer, you know.

House was cleaned and ready, yet we waited on baby.

Gifts were arriving that family and friends had purchased through their registry. All the excitement of this bundle that was making my daughter-in-law so uncomfortable. He was positioned so low and was so active. We all were amazed at how he’d not only kick but would also stretch. I was not sure I had ever seen that happen. We were in love with a “bump”.

Yet, we waited on baby.

The day before his birthday, it was decided that meal planning was to be done. Meat was browned, noodles cooked, and more. Between great grandma, my daughter in law and myself, freezable casserole dishes were made and labeled. Just a few days’ worth so when they would get home from the hospital, meals would not be something that they would have to think about.

Our wait for baby was about to be over.

Late afternoon, we got the text that he had arrived. Since I was on big brother duty, I had the privilege of taking him to the hospital to meet his daddy, so they could introduce him to his baby brother and enjoy some time all together. This was something we had when introducing each one of our boys to their new sibling and knew how precious and special it is.

After returning with food for the hungry parents, I finally got a full look at this little man that had occupied our time and had filled our hearts with so much excitement for his arrival.

So handsome. So healthy. So perfect.

The waiting was over.

Our hearts are full.

Happy Mother’s Day to my daughter-through-love, you are such a good mommy. You deserve the moon and the stars, as you are a "boy mom" now, and that is exactly how they will think of you. You are their evertything, if only for just a little while.