The day is here that once felt so distant. I will officially become a grandparent very soon. Wasn’t it just yesterday that the anticipation was so real of having my own children? Now, my oldest is going to be a father. I have reflected so often, am I really old enough? Yes, I definitely am and I couldn’t be more thrilled.
There are so many wonderful things going through my head. Will the baby come up with a name for me or should I have one picked out? Do I look like a Granny, Grandma, Mamaw, Nana, Gran, Mimi, Yaya or Gigi? It reminds me of the T.S Elliott poem titled, “The Naming of Cats.” The first line of this poem is, “The naming of cats is a difficult matter.” Well, the naming of grandparents isn’t an easy matter either.
My daughter and I organized a shower for the happy parents-to-be in welcoming this bundle of joy. This really helped to make it seem like a reality. It was so fun gathering with friends and family to celebrate the overwhelming joy of this new little baby about to make an entrance. We played some games, ate a light dinner, had some delicious cake and enjoyed watching the parents-to-be open some wonderful gifts. The planning and preparation was worth seeing everyone have such a great time. If you find yourself planning a baby shower, check out your local library for resources. “The Everything Baby Shower Book: From Surprise Parties to Office Celebrations, How to Throw an Outstanding Event for the Mother-To-Be” by Jennifer Jenkins is one of several to help organize such a special event.
Lately I have found myself going through some of the special children’s books I have collected over the years with my own children and having been in education for many years. They always loved listening to nursery rhymes. These books will be great to share with my new grandchild. Nursery rhymes are great for the very young as they help develop their ear for language due to the rhyming and rhythm of these classic rhymes. We have many collections of nursery rhymes in our children’s collection. One recommendation is Over the Hills and Far Away: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes collected by Elizabeth Hammill. This particular book is a collection of rhymes from many cultures around the globe. Search our catalog by going to our website mybcpl.org to find a variety of nursery rhymes.
My son and daughter-in-law have talked about all the programs that their little one can be involved with at the library. Did you know that there is a storytime specifically for babies? This is a wonderful opportunity to engage your child or grandchild with songs, rhymes and stories. If your schedule is too busy through the week, we also have a monthly Saturday storytime as well. We also offer a monthly Toddler Track program for those learning to walk, just bring a push toy and enjoy watching them walk around a thematic indoor track. These are just a few of the many programs that we have available.
The last few days I have found myself so anxious about this next chapter of my life. It is so exciting to have this wonderful addition to our family. I look forward to reading, singing and just spending time with my very first grandchild. As quoted by Louis Wyse, “Grandchildren are the dots that connect the lines from generation to generation.”
Kelly Kennedy is the Youth & Family Engagement Librarian at the Bartholomew County Public Library and can be reached at kkennedy@mybcpl.org
