@jym626 Congratulations!!! For awhile there it didn’t seem like there was going to be a second grandbaby. You have a brave DIL! Yay for grand babies!
Congratulations @jym626! Such wonderful news.
Nashville GD was baptized this morning. Because some of the other grandparents aren’t social distancing up to D & SIL’s standards, they sent all of us the video link saying they were sorry we couldn’t come, but we would be able to watch the service via FB streaming. Since lockdown it has been, just ministers and musicians, but in July they began baptisms. Today they also had a young man and his daughter joining at end of service.
Secretly, they let me come to Nashville for service and sit in a part of the church that isn’t visible through the livestream feed. I put on a dress, Spanx & “real shoes” (not Toms, sneakers or sandals) for the first time since February. We left after the baptism which was in the first third of the service because baby was beginning to fuss. It was a joy I can’t adequately describe to be with them and to experience their beautiful church and the music that their magnificent quartet of singers and organ provide for their online services.
I can’t share the pictures of me holding GD or even tell my friends, lest it get back to exH & his family, so just sharing it here so I don’t pop!
We are also expecting grandbaby #2. It is still quite early but S/DIL are expecting baby #2 in March. They will be 22 months apart. My D wants to have a baby in 2022, but since she is working from home they are thinking about 2021. She is supposed to be in a wedding in Hawaii in November, but the likelihood of that is decreasing.
DD2 likes to be ‘the favorite aunt’ (the other aunt is BIL’s SIL). GD calls her Aunt Ti Ti and her BF Ta Ta (both are from part of their name, and easy to say). Every time Ti Ti is around, she is recreating with her niece. She has also said to her “Who is your favorite aunt, and it better not be …” Other aunt is out of state and not really remembered. We have a few pictures of Ti Ti around, and GD likes to point to them daily.
I let Ti Ti have all the time in the world with GD, as I am around GD a lot more.
GS now is walking (new development since we saw him a few weeks ago).
See the GKids again at the end of the month. Looking forward to it!
Oh my goodness, our son captured a video of the 3 month old laughing for the first time. I can’t stop smiling, it is so cute and sweet.
Nothing better!
I may have already told y’all this but…when my youngest son exhausts his paternity leave, I will become baby’s babysitter! She’ll be almost six months old. They both are working from home so they will be there. DIL has breastfeeding breaks already in her work calendar. 
I’m excited and nervous and afraid I’ll be perpetually exhausted. It will involve me commuting every day going IN towards D.C. hopefully about 30 to 45 min. each way. I am praying that WFH has drastically cut down on traffic! I will be listening to audio books and podcasts. Wish me luck!
Good Luck @VaBluebird
If my D finds a job, that may be me too. If she can get something with a decent salary, I’ll “retire” and babysit. I am woefully underpaid, so it wouldn’t be hard to keep the family intake the same.
And yes, it does sound exhausting, but worth it, @VaBluebird !
Not sure if I posted here already…D1 is expecting a baby girl in Feb. She is exactly 20 weeks now. She has hired a doula to help out with the birth. The hospital is allowing one relative and a doula in the delivery room, so it makes me feel better she will have an experienced person in the room with her (not to take anything away from her husband). The doula will also help her with breast feeding initially.
This is going to be the first grandchild in my family, so everyone is really excited. D2 and I are planning a virtual shower for her in Dec.
@VaBluebird - It is great your kid wants you to babysit their baby. It is a very tiring and a big commitment. You would lose a lot of free time to do what you want.
Oh, @oldfort — I am SOOO excited for you! I know you will be the BEST grandma ever!!! Sending best wishes to all!
@garland - thank you. I have been waiting for a while (without saying anything to D1). I was a very strict/nervous parent. I am looking forward to enjoy/spoil the grand baby. My mother is over the moon. She wishes my father was still around. D1 and him were very close. He was a great grandfather.
Welcome to the club, @oldfort.
Congratulations!!
Right now keeping her safe and healthy is infinitely more important than my free time. I’m not doing anything anyway, LOL.
Congratulations, @tx5athome! Thanks for sharing your family’s happy news.
@VaBluebird, I can tell you that you will enjoy every minute. I am blessed to spend two or three days most weeks with my sweet grandchiildren. I love being a big part of GS and GD’s lives and I also love the added time with D and SIL. Some days I am exhausted at the end of the day, but it is the best feeling in the world.
@oldfort, Congratulations! I’m so happy for you and your family.
@oldfort, congratulations and welcome to the club! My GS is just the perfect light in what have been some dark times over the last 6 months. They stopped by today on their way home from upstate and in the two weeks since I saw him last his vocabulary had increased about 1,000% and he’s talking up a storm.
And @VaBluebird, just be prepared to be tired! When I was watching GS during the early days of the pandemic when they were living with us (and parents here, WFH), I was pooped at the end of the day and I felt like I’d had a full workout! Wouldn’t have traded it for the world, but they’ve gone back to their house and now we just visit but for occasional babysitting requests.
I am quite sure I will be coming home and either crashing or in bed by 9 pm at the latest. some days granddad might go with me, too, so we’ll both be there. He’s totally on board with it, even though it will mean him doing a lot more cooking. He’s a great cook, thank goodness.
My daughter’s due date is December 28th. She’s asked us to spend Christmas and a few weeks afterward with her and her husband to help them with the baby. We’re in MA (Boston area) and they’re in Indiana (Indianapolis). I’m not crazy about flying right now, so we will drive to Indianapolis before Christmas. My daughter had a difficult time conceiving and is afraid that if she starts planning/shopping for the baby that she might jinx things. I’m a planner, so it’s hard for me not to suggest that she should prepare!! I’m biting my tongue, keeping quiet, and just listening. Her stress level is high because she has lots of new responsibilities at work. I’m hoping she can calm down and relax a bit.