They called last night.
Actually my son called, headed to the hospital to have their first baby.
All day now they have been waiting, walking the halls, contractions, but not close enough, dilated but not enough, into the epidural and now to be induced.
Waiting for a little girl, precious pink bundle, to steal my son's heart.
the men in my family are all tall and thick, 6 foot 2,3,4,5 big boys. My son is no different, tall and thick.
I have seen this happen before, one of these trees of men, fall hopelessly in love, with someone who for the rest of her life will dominate that big man's heart. No one will ever have a place of honor the way that little girl will.
The first time I really saw it was my Uncle Tom. I was 10 when his daughter was born. WWII Vet, tough guy, managed a new car show room. Tough talking, beer drinking, I am sure had his fair share of fights. But when I saw him the first time with that little baby girl, completely consumed by her, and every noise, or facial movement, even while she slept. Turned out she was his only girl, had 3 boys after that.
I asked my mom on our way home, if all men went "soft" over their baby girls. Her answer was, "Well Your father certainly did. He didn't put you or your sister down at all" From the time he got home, til we went to bed, the oak tree of a man who was my father, carried each of us on one arm. Again WWII Vet, beer drinking, shit talking, fighting Irishman.
My Uncle Bobby cut his boys no slack at all, they worked from the time they were little. He had high expectations for each of them. He had 8 kids 6 boys 2 girls, but let one of those little girls go run to Daddy cause XXX Brother did something she didn't like. Usually ended with a boy in bed sniffling, and a girl curled up on Daddy's lap. All 6 Boys are as big as their Dad was and he was slightly bigger than my dad.
Was this fair treatment? No
Equal treatment? No
Do they love their son's less, oh hell no.
But from their daughters they each learned a softer touch, a gentler hand, a kinder voice, and a spot in each of them that transformed them, forever.
So today, as I watch my son follow in a tradition lead by my father and uncles.
That little pink bundle, we are all waiting so anxiously for, will intrude on his life, steal his heart, and changes him forever.
I know this is not a political Diary, but Hell I AM gonna be a Grandma again today.