The Uncle Thing

As amazing as it is to become a grandmother, it is almost as amazing watching your daughter become a mother, your sons become uncles, and you baby become an aunt. This was supposed to be our Shabbat away with friends in Haifa. The kids (meaning the unmarried ones) were going to be home; my daughter, son-in-law and baby were to go to other friends.

It was agreed that I would make Shabbat for the kids before leaving – dairy Shabbat no less because after weeks and weeks of meat meals, the lighter Shabbat is always a joy. I made fish cutlets, two kinds of quiches, onion soup, and lasagna. I’m not sure what else I made, but somewhere along the way, my daughter called. She was concerned about the baby – it’s largely being a new mother and needing reassurance that all is going well.

The baby is doing beautifully – my daughter is, as most new mothers are, exhausted. Her husband is in the army and comes home exhausted…and still manages to help so much. They are both as tired as new parents can be. She told me she didn’t think she could go away and then in a voice bordering on tears, asked me to stay home too. I canceled with our friends in the north, so grateful that they understood. I cooked a few more things and we picked up my daughter early to spend part of the day with us.

She fed the baby and then went to sleep for almost 3 hours while we took the little one. One of the most amazing things is watching my 15-year-old relate to the baby. He can’t wait to hold him. He sings to him, cradles him, rocks him, calms him. The baby has fast become the center of attention when he is here. I watched Shmulik walk in the door and the first thing he did was find the baby with his eyes.

It is an amazing thing to become a grandmother – but it is equally amazing watching the transformation that happens to the entire family. Friday night, I had them all surrounding the table – noise and food and action.

When my daughter asked me to stay – I had a very philosophical reaction. I have always believed that somehow, some way, things will happen according to a greater plan. I don’t know why we didn’t go to Haifa this Shabbat, but I do know that we had a nice family Shabbat, time with our new grandson, and time to watch our children be parents, uncles and aunts.

1 Comment

  1. Somehow I missed making the connection about the new grandbaby — Mazel Tov!

    We’re pretty close in age, Paula (at least I think we are), but my oldest is almost 15 and my youngest is only 2! Admittedly, I did get a late start on making a family. My friends kid me that I had to wait until my soul mate was of legal age. It’s not too far from the truth. She was 20 when I proposed and 21 when we married. I was 32. That sounds fine, but it sounds really creepy when you tell people I was graduating high school the same year she started kindergarten!!

    Again, congratulations on the new addition to the family. May G-d Bless you all with peace, health and great happiness.

    PJ

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