An Empty Nest Again!

Five years ago we sent our youngest off to college and became "Empty Nesters". This was a hard adjustment for us to make, and was made a bit more difficult when we moved away from the home where we were last living with our kids. We made two moves after our last child left for college and we settled into the same town as our Grandson and we found out he was going to have a sibling.

In mid May of last year our sweet Granddaughter was born 10 weeks early. We are lucky that my daughter was prone to having big babies, and I am sure that was what gave her baby girl a better chance to thrive. Our girl was 3lbs 11oz, but was still so very fragile and small. She was hooked up to a ventilator, feeding tube, under a blue light and in a heated incubator. Every day was a waiting game of steps forward and every now and then a step back. She was a fighter though and after a few months in the NICU she was able to come home.

It is hard to believe that they can get that much equipment on that little girl.

The Nurse held our girl up for a picture in between changing her equipment. 

Unfortunately, our girls time in the hospital used up most of my daughters maternity leave and she had to go back to work in August, at least part time. Then came the question. Mom can you watch the baby for her first year so she does not have to go into daycare? I would love to say I yelled YES!, But I really had to think about it because it was a huge commitment and responsibility. Not to mention I was still living in temporary housing in a one bedroom apartment. It is not safe for a preemie in daycare due to the delayed development of their lungs and I would never want her to get sick, so of course the answer was Yes!

Our Beautiful girl at home

For the first few months I would drive to my daughters house in the morning and stay there with the baby until she came home. Then when we moved into our house in October I would go pick her up and bring her to my house, and then drive her home each evening. The few months after we moved into the house our girl decided she did not like the car, so every day I would start my day with a screaming baby and end on the same note each night. Thank goodness that didn't last for longer than a few months.

Finally a happy traveler. She is sucking on a pacifier, holding a blanket in one hand, playing with a toy in her other hand, and moving a ring with her foot. This is one very talented baby!

In July of this year our sweet girl started going to her brother's nursery school two days a week, Monday and Friday. She was doing pretty well at school and I still watched her Tuesday through Thursday. But, today is my last day of babysitting and our big girl is going to school full time tomorrow. How do I feel about it? Well, the short answer is, that as I am typing this I have tears in my eyes.

This baby loves to eat!

This has been a week of lasts for me. On Tuesday I wished my College Son a great first day of school for the last time and today a sad goodbye to my sweet baby girl on Meemaw's last day of babysitting her.

Our sweet girl has grow into a beautiful, curious, athletic, funny and smart toddler. She makes me smile everyday! She has, like her brother, brought me so much joy as a Meemaw that words cannot express the love I have for them both. I also know that although it has been hard this last year being restricted and not doing some of the things I wanted to do, it has been one of the most rewarding years of my life. To see a little human develop all their skills right before your eyes is something I did not think I would be able to experience again, so for that I am so very grateful.

She had a very interesting crawling style

Up from her last regular nap at Meemaws

A ringing bell makes the dog 

bark and wakes the baby up.

I would not be honest if I said that I didn't have mixed feelings about once again being an "Empty Nester". I remember the first 6 months or so feeling like a shut-in because I stayed in all day afraid to expose this little girl to the outside world. Now, I am looking forward to staying up late and not having to get up by 6am. I am looking forward to crafting and sewing again for long hours during the day. Taking off to go to the store will be easier without all the extra planning and packing. I can take the sign off my doorbell now, lol. But, the thought of not holding that sweet girl everyday will be like going through withdrawal from a very strong drug that I am totally addicted to.

Tomorrow I will officially be an Empty Nester, Again!