A Sweet, Precious Visit

Aunt Debbie Cuddling Pádraig

Cheek to cheek, heart to heart, many miles between us but never far apart

Aunt Debbie's Niece Jen, Great Nephew Pádraig and Great Niece Emma Marie

I waited so long for this visit, Aunt Debbie just happens to be my Sister! I feel very comfortable in saying that FEW sisters in the world have such a special bond and relationship as Debbie and I share. My sister is 2 years older than me. In spite of the age difference, it was and has always been as if we were twins. We grew up as best friends and remain the same today. Debbie was never blessed with any children of her own, so, as she always told me "Sis, your children are my children", it's been that way since their birth. Now that Emma Marie and Pádraig Henry have been born, my Grandchildren are "her" grandchildren! Should it be any different, the answer is no! My sister loves with no boundaries. Our family has witnessed that throughout her entire lifetime in how she selflessly gives of herself to her family, fiends and others. My sister, our sister, my children's Aunt Debbie is One-of-a-Kind. Debbie traveled from Kentucky to visit me. We went to my daughter's house and spent 5 nights. Jen, Pádraig's Mom and Ryan his Daddy were allowed 5 good nights of uninterrupted sleep while Debbie and I took turns caring for Pádraig throughout the night. We laughed, helped each other change dirty diapers, gave the baby a bath, reminisced of times past, cried together, laughed a lot more, enjoyed immensely watching Jen mothering her first baby; it was a sweet, sweet, precious week which passed much too quickly. Thank you sis for coming and sharing such a joyous time with Jen and me. Oh how I love you.

My Joy and Pleasure

Padraig, Woody and friends.

Emma Hribovsek, who has been rejoicing in Heaven for many years, was my Mother-in-law. She was a wonderful, remarkable woman, kindhearted, compassionate and giving. After Jen was born we called her Mama the rest of her days. Mama always treated me as if I was her very on daughter. Next to my own Mother, Mama was the most selfless person I have ever met. After I gave birth to Jen (Padraig's Mother), Mama spent the first week at home with me to help take care of the house and help with the baby. She was outstanding. I didn't have to lift my finger to do anything, unless I chose to do so. All through the years of having the privilege of being the recipient of her tireless acts of love and kindness, when I would attempt to thank her; she would stop me before I could finish my sentence. In a soft sweet tone, Mama's response would always be: "It's my joy and pleasure".

Only since Padraig's birth have I truly completely understood why Mama always cut me short when I tried to thank her. There really was no need to say thank you. That may sound strange or even rude to some who read this. Everything Mama did for me and my family came from the depths of her heart and soul, not because she felt it was her duty or obligation. Her actions were an outward reflection of an inward emotion of love with endless depth, as far as the east is from the west. Mama loved with all she had to give. Padraig was born March 24th. I have spent several days with Jen, Ryan and Padraig with the intention of being a help to them. Hopefully I have accompished just that, I believe I have. My heart is so swollen with love and happiness with the birth of this precious gift from God, I am so thankful. I did not come expecting any grand thank you speeches, when I leave in a few days to return home I do not want any thank yous as I leave, none are necessary! I will not consider it rude or ill mannered on the part of my children Jen, and Ryan. You may be wondering why, the answer is simple.......it has been "MY JOY AND PLEASURE".

Major Renovation........Nanny's House Grew By Two Feet!

Getting his first bath.

Emma Marie checking out her new cousin Padgraig.

Padraig Henry Doherty, born March 24th at 9:56 a.m., weighing at 9 lbs., 1 oz., and 20.5 inches long. His head measured 15 inches in diameter and his chest at 14 inches, yes, he is a big boy! Padraig was delivered by c-section. During surgery when the doctor saw what size our baby was, he told Ryan they had made the right decision! Mom and baby came through the procedure in good shape and Daddy managed to stay up on both feet and take some awesome pictures of the delivery.

Something has come over me, I can not take my eyes off of this wonderfully formed, amazing, beautiful soft silky bundle of joy God has given our family. Each time I look at Padraig I notice something so special, a work of God's craftsmanship. To gaze upon what God has gifted to Jen and Ryan in their son Padraig and to my husband and me as a Grandson is overwhelming. We have been brought to tears. Thank you God for your blessings on us.

I look forward to watching this new family grow, love and face life together. I'm excited to get to be a part of Padraig's early year's. Nanny and Papa hope to make many precious memories and have lots of fun with our new grandson. Our prayer is to live like Christ and be a positive influence upon his life.

There will be many interesting and fun stories ahead, so stay tuned.

God bless all who reads this blog.

Nanny

Special Delivery! March 24, 2011, 9:30 a.m.

Padraig Henry Doherty, Ph.D., will make his grand debut at the Olathe Medical Center, Gardner, Kansas on March 24, 2011, at 9:30 a.m. What a day of rejoicing that will be! Thirty-nine weeks of anticipation, excitement, and wonder will come to an end. From the time Jen called me with the news she and Ryan were going to have a baby my mind has been filled with so many questions. I've wondered, what color eyes will our baby have, the hair, will there be hair, what color hair, who will the baby look like, a big baby, a small baby, a long baby, or a short baby? Will our baby be a good baby or will our baby have a gassy stomach and cry often, how will our baby sleep? I love our little granddaughter Emma so much, is it possible for me to love Padraig the same? In just a few days most of these questions will be answered almost instantly, the color of his eyes, hair, if there is hair and the color, who he looks like. I'll know exactly how big Padraig is, how long he is. It will take a few days to figure out his sleeping pattern and whether or not he has a gassy stomach. One thing I know for certain even as I type this blog, YES, I will love Padraig just as I love Emma. I have loved Padraig from the instant I learned he was growing inside his Mother's womb. From experience I know that children are a gift from God, and God gives you an over abundant supply of love for each child He chooses to bless you with as a parent. It works the same way when you are so fortunate to become grandparents. I believe God doubles or even triples your love supply for your grandchildren. No matter how many grandchildren you are blessed to receive in your lifetime, there's more than enough love for each precious grandchild. Padraig, Emma has taught me so much about love, how to receive love and love back. Your Nanny and Papa are going to love you with all of our heart and soul and still have move to give. We can't hardly wait to meet you. You can count on Nanny, I'll be there waiting, not patiently, but waiting to meet you face to face and tell you "I love you Padraig" on your Birthday, March 24, 2011. Thank you God for your blessings on me.

God bless each one who reads this blog.

Nanny

She's Had Her Shower and Packed Her Bag!

Jen at her Baby Shower March 2, 2011

Jen's co-workers gave her a Baby Shower on Tuesday, she had a doctor's appointment the following day. After listening to Jen describe the location and degree of pain she has been experiencing, her doctor decided to examine her. He was very surprised when upon the exam he could feel the baby's head! Needless to say that announcement caused some excitement in the examining room. You can imagine how excited this Nanny became when Jen called and passed the news to me! I felt my blood pressure rise a couple of notches as Jen shared her latest report. To make the drama more interesting, she went on to tell me we might be having a St. Patrick's Day baby. That bit of information almost blew me over. I'm still dizzy headed from all this excitement.

Today I visited Jen once again. I want to take every opportunity to see her pregnant, as of late she has taken on such a pretty glow about her face. There's something beautiful radiating from her countenance. It is a joy to be around her, watching as she carries our precious Padraig, nestled inside his warm cacoon just waiting for his birthday. What a miracle, a gift from God.

I watched as she packed her bag for the hospital with inthusiasm today, and expressed such a feeling of accomplishment. Jen also picked out 2 possible outfits in which to bring Padraig home from the hospital. It appears to me she has an urgency to get everything in order, as Randy would say: to have her ducks in a row.
Perhaps she has a hint or a feeling that time is drawing near. Well, as I mentioned earlier, Jen's had her shower, and her bag is packed, the rest is up to Ryan to get her to the hospital. I believe she's in good hands, Ryan will get the job done,

I just wonder...should I pack a bag, what should I take. It could be a long stay at the hospital, my feet may start hurting. Perhaps I should take a comfortable pair of shoes, a sweater, some snacks, bottled water, my camera...maybe I should make a list. Oh, I'm getting so nervous, I hope I don't forget something really important, like Randy!

God bless all who reads this blog.

A sinner saved by grace.
Nanny

We're Nesting

New bedding for Padraig's bed

Jen's Diaper Cake

Four weeks or less to go! I was needing a Jennifer "fix". It had been a while since I visited with her. In spite of the nasty weather, I was headed for Kansas. Upon my arrival, Ryan opened the door and welcomed me in. Usually I find Jen lying on the couch resting due to severe back pain and other major discomforts she is experiencing during this stage of her pregnancy. Normally Ryan is up and about, straightening the house, vacuuming the floors and doing various other household chores. Well, Jen was nowhere in sight. Ryan quickly informed me she was "Nesting". I couldn't believe my ears, "Nesting", I repeated.
"This is a primal instinct and all the females of almost every species in the world will go through this same instinct in one way or another. It is also an old wives tale that this is one of the signs that labor is going to set in shortly. Females of the animal kingdom are all equipped with this same need. It is a primal instinct. Just as you see birds making their nests, mothers-to-be do exactly the same thing. The act of nesting puts you in control and gives a sense of accomplishment toward birth. You may become a homebody and want to retreat into the comfort of home and familiar company, like a brooding hen. The nesting urge can also be seen as a sign of the onset of labor when it occurs close to 40 weeks of pregnancy."
I found Jen in the spare bedroom trashing through a pile of stuff she had gathered for a yard sale, vacuuming the futon, rummaging through stacks of old mail and magazines and straightening the closet. She was happy as a lark, having a good time.
We stepped into the nursery and they had rearranged the nursery. I could tell that Jen had been cleaning and straightening that closet as well. As Ryan was making his way down stairs with stuff from the spare bedroom to store in the basement, Jen was trying to pile additional items on top! During my visit, the mailman delivered the bedding for Padraig's bed. The box was opened, I volunteered to iron the bed skirt. Ryan, with Jen's directions did a very nice job of putting the bedding all together. Eventually I did manage to get Jen to lay down on the couch and let me rub her legs about 30 minutes before I had to leave. The funny thing is that I have been nesting too. This past week, I have worked diligently in Padraig's room at Nanny's house on some last minute touches and preparations. I'm lacking the huge burst of energy Jen seems to have, but I am very antsy. Since the beginning of last week I have been taking my phone charger and cell phone to the bedroom with me each night...I am just waiting for that call! The Baby Shower is Tuesday, March 1st, so after that, I'd say Jen and I are ready to have this baby! If any of you are skeptical of Old Wives Tales, don't discount all of them! The Nesting of expecting Mothers is real, I experienced it just prior to the birth of both of my children, we'll see if it works with Jen. Thank you for reading my blog and sharing my excitement about the upcoming birth of our new grandson. God bless everyone who reads this blog.

Nanny,
A sinner saved by grace

8, 7, 6, 5, 4, and Counting Down!

Padraig Henry Doherty (Ph.D.). How many other Grandmothers can say their Grandson was born with a Ph.D? I suppose I'm boasting a tad but the facts are facts. Eight weeks give or take a few days one way of the other. I am so excited, you would think that I was birthing this baby! I have been experiencing excruciating pain in my lower back as of late, sympathy pains for Jen do you reckon? The poor girl has suffered terribly with her back throughout this pregnancy. I go to bed thinking about the baby and wake up thinking about the baby. There's so much for me to do to get ready! There's the crib down at Jen's that once was Emma's which needs to be moved up here. I must find a changing table, not just for the convenience, but for the benefit of my back. Then there's the matter of crib sheets, blankets, diapers and so on an so forth. The thought just entered my mind, why don't they give Grandmother's a Baby Shower? Oh well, it was a nice thought. One evening this week Randy re-arranged the extra bedroom in order to make room for the crib and the changing table. Kimber, our Granddaughter, Emma's big sister, will now be sharing that room with Padraig. I don't think she will mind. As I type this blog, Emma is napping on the couch. She's such as big girl. Emma is going to help Nanny take care of her little cousin. I know Emma will be a great little helper. I'm looking forward to watching the two of them grow up together and develop a long lasting special relationship with each other. I was just thinking: should I get a diaper jeanie, do we need a monitor to keep a close ear on the baby, what about one of those musical swings they have now, oh and we've got to get that new thing that warms the baby wipes, that's the neatest idea. Who wants a cold baby wipe on their bottom, a nice warm one is much better! Oh my goodness I'm getting a headache just thinking about all the stuff! I've got 8 weeks, that's plenty of time, I'll have everything under control and in tip top shape when our little Ph.D. arrives.....maybe. What is it about Grandpas? Randy seems calm as can be, not a concern about what the baby needs. Just wait until we get that phone call telling us they're headed to the hospital, things will change then, this Grandpa will be like a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. He'll be nervous to say the least! Keep watching for current updates about the excitement at Nanny's house.

God bless all who reads this blog.

A sinner saved by grace.

Nanny