Mom and Dad

My Mom and Dad have always been here when we have a baby.  After Ben was born, they came and brought along my teenage niece and nephew and stayed a couple weeks.  We were living in a two bedroom apartment at the time, but we all crowded in and had a great time together.

Lydia was a difficult pregnancy.  I was put on bedrest at 31 weeks, and down flew my Mom from TN.  She stayed with us for seven weeks and saw us through the first week of Lydia's little life.  My Mom is a huge homebody and I can't imagine the torture of staying in someone else's home for almost two months, but she did it with a smile on her face the entire time.

When Jack was born, we had another two week visit from my parents as well as my nephew Josh.  It was great to have them there because Jack had been a 10 pound 2 oz. big boy.  I was very sore after that delivery!  Mom served up more of her good ol' Tennessee homecooking while my Dad took the kids to the park and kept himself busy doing any home improvements for us that he could.

I started having false labor pains - intense false labor pains - pretty close to Henry's due date.  Before then, my parents hadn't been sure when they would come - before or after the birth.  But as soon as they got the update on what I was going through, they hit the interstate and were with us within two days.  Mom totally takes over and boy, was I glad to see her then.  :-)

Sophia was born in December.  My parents decided that they were going to come and spend the entire month with us so they could also be here for Christmas.  They got here around the 4th and Sophia was born on the 7th.  The whole month was one big date night for Darin and me.  :-)  Mom and Dad kept reminding us, "We won't always be here!  You go spend some time together while you can!  We'll stay here and hold the baby."  LoL  When we would leave, Mom would be in the rocking chair, holding Sophia.  We always found her in the same position when we got back.  It killed her back, but she was in heaven.  A few times Dad said she even let him hold her.  ;-)

But we noticed a difference in my parents the last time they were here.  I am the 5th of 6...my parents were born during the Depression...my Dad is 79 and my Mom is 74.  They didn't seem as energetic as in the past.  In fact, it was a big difference between Henry and Sophia's birth.  They are 21 months apart.  My parents noticed it, too, and said they probably would not be able to help out if there were another.  And they can't.  They are both struggling with health issues this year.  My Dad just had heart surgery to replace a valve and repair another and my Mom is struggling with her own things. 

It's really hard to think they won't be here when our new little one makes her debut this December!  I think it's hardest on the kids because they have so MANY cherished memories with Mamaw and Papaw and want to continue building on them.  My parents have been such good grandparents and they absolutely have the love and devotion of the Beard children to prove it.