JUNE 2008 - getting ready

Dear Grandchild,
 

A baby is such a precious thing. We humans must have a protective, nurturing gene that switches on when we know that a new baby is going to come into our lives. We are wired in such a way that even the thought of a baby switches on an emotional response.

I've never really thought about having grandchildren. There didn't seem to be any prospect of having a grandchild in the near future and I didn't even think I wanted one. But, now that we know that you are on the way, I find myself thinking of your arrival as a momentous event! A brand new, never seen before, absolutely unique human being is going to come into this world in a few months time - and it will carry the genes of two parents, two sets of grandparents, great-grandparents, etc etc....... Its awesome!! Scary!! Exciting!!

For the first few months of a baby's life it is completely helpless, defenceless and dependent on others. So, how come I feel so nervous about meeting you or looking after you? Its crazy!! I'm afraid of you and all you want is to be loved and cared for!

I know that the chance that you may have brittle bones makes it even more scary. Even though I raised your father and learned how to care for a child with brittle bones, it has been a long time since I held a baby with brittle bones that I feel quite anxious about it.

I feel as though we should be preparing for your arrival and have already started to imagine having you in our home. Yesterday I was talking to Finn - your grandfather - about child-proofing the house again. I know that we won't have to do anything for a few months but I walk around the house and look at things with new eyes - are they dangerous or harmful? Can that fall and hurt the baby? Is there something harmful here that the baby can open and drink, eat, play with? Toilet Duck on the bathroom floor: a heavy carving in the fireplace: dish wash and Handy Andy under the sink. All of these things are dangerous for you and will have to moved out of harm's way. When our children were little we moved all the heavy objects off side tables, placed all the chemicals, cleaning stuff, insecticides etc in the kitchen into upper cupboards.
I look at the swimming pool and realise that we must put a fence around it with a secure gate - like it used to have. We will need baby gates so that you don't go tumbling down the stairs. Should we have a play-pen here to use when we baby-sit or when your Mom and Dad visit?
We've never been grand-parents and haven't baby-sat many babies, so this is going to be a new and exciting experience for us.

I am looking forward to your arrival but at the same time I am quite nervous about the prospect.

Sleep tight little one,

Silly