Morning sweet peeps and hope you are all OK today xx
This is one of those totally indulgent posts where I go all 'proud Grandma' on you so I hope you'll forgive me!!
It was Kyla's birthday yesterday - she is now 8 and I just cannot believe where the time has gone. I have a special bond with this kid for several reasons really. Some of you will know all of this already but, I never ever thought I would be a Grandma. My eldest is sadly not able to have children and my youngest always told me she didn't ever want any.
Famous last words!!!
So when Emma told us that she was pregnant, well I was almost lost for words (almost but not quite!!). Then when she told us that her due date was 10th January, I was sooo thrilled that she was due to be born on what would have been my Mum's 73rd birthday. But babies being what they are, they arrive when they're good and ready so although we hoped, we didn't really expect it would happen. It was also a sad time for my eldest because a few weeks earlier, she had had another miscarriage and this was to be her last pregnancy. Life can be so cruel at times.
Emma went into labour late evening on 8th January so we kind of expected it would happen on 9th, but midnight came and went, and at 03.10am our precious little bundle finally arrived. I was there at her birth and it is one of best moments of my life, as well as being one of the scariest and I feel hugely privileged that I saw her take her first breaths. And I have always felt that she was sent to us - a gift really. There were lots of 'if onlys' especially concerning my mum and I still do feel deeply sad that she never got to share in the joy that Kyla has brought us. But you can't change these things so you just have to accept that sometimes things don't work out the way you would like them to.
Kyla has been nothing but a constant source of joy to me from the moment she took that first breath and has turned out to be a really sweet, caring, thoughtful and well mannered child (and Emma is a fantastic mum as well and her Aunty Nik is amazing with her). She has her moments of course and is quite spirited at times but I think this will stand her in good stead when she is older. She makes friends very easily and there is a little group of 6 of them who call themselves the BFFs (bless em!!), and you never know - the may all stay friends forever. Emma has a group of friends that she had since school, and these include her best friend and her partner, so it does happen.
Kyla and Emma lived with us until she was just turned 4 and the day they left was very emotional for me. On the one hand I was so happy to see Emma settled but I missed them so much - still do - and it was very strange not waking up hearing her singing (every morning she did this) and snuggling up after her night time bath for a last cuddle before bedtime. But she stays over lots and it's always nice when she is in residence again.
So you probably guessed that I just love this kid to bits. It's quite weird being a Grandma because grandchildren are like your own - you feel the same love for them as you would if you gave birth to them - and yet they are not your own. Not in the truest sense. You get the odd flash back as well when they do something that reminds you so much of their mum (this is especially true with little Thea) . But the good thing is that when they act up etc, you just hand them back!!! So it's the best of both worlds really.
Anyway, here's a snapshot of those last 8 years, including her first journey home form hospital, Sudocrem-gate (we still shudder), her first time out on her new bike, her first day at school and the last pic I have of her taken at Christmas.
Thank you for these last wonderful 8 years sweetheart ( I wonder what the next 8 will bring). And thank you for being the best granddaughter I ever could have asked for, bless your little heart. We love you lots and lots xxx
Later on today, we are going out for lunch. Kyla and the BFFs and a few others are going to the pictures with Emma and we will have Miss Thea, then we will go and meet up with them all.
I hope that you have a great day, whatever you are doing and thank you for bearing with me - I don't do it too often but sometimes I just can't help meself lol!!
I'll see you soon as soon and huggiets of hugs to all xxx
