Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Inconceivably, again

Well, it's happened again.  My step-daughter, Laura, and her husband welcomed baby Matthew Jackson to the world on Saturday afternoon.  So, now, I'm twice a grandmother.

I could tell that something had changed in my worldview when, on a recent trip to Central America, I took photo after photo of little kids.  Not something I would have ever thought of doing in my pre-grandmother days.  I never really liked kids, but now, at least through the camera, I can't get enough of their faces, full of innocent trust and wonder.

And holding baby Jack on Sunday afternoon melted my heart.  I was afraid to hold him at first.  At 7 pounds 8 ounces, he weighs less than half of one of my cats.  But I held him and managed not to drop him and fell in love.

Now I have to work on my Grandmother name.  I don't like "Grandma."  Not at all.  It's just not me. "Grandma" was my mother-in-law and I think it should stay hers.  I just don't feel right taking her title.  "Oma" is a Dutch word for grandmother, and since I have Dutch heritage, I think that's appropriate.  And it doesn't step on the toes of the other two grandmothers in the equation.  And Oma is easy, I think, for little ones to say.  So, Oma it is.

3 comments:

  1. My mom is Oma. In Indonesia, all adults over a certain age are called Oma and Opa - they just assume you're a grandparent. Mom fell in love with the name while they were there and it IS different and easy for little ones to say.
    Of course, my paternal grandmother refused to have any nickname that implied that she was a grandmother so just went by Nettie.
    And there's always GrandBecky :)

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  2. I noticed all the great photos and kids and noticed that was a new subject for you, get your camera ready for this summer; I think we have to get the boys matching 4th of July outfits :)

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  3. Oma is a great choice. For some reason, we called my grandmother Dee Dee. Had nothing to do with her name (Frances).

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