ON BEING "GiGi"

Wow....a grandmother....at my age??? Yes, and I've been proud to be one almost three years already!!! Of course, I was a child bride....or at least very, very young! They say age has its rewards and I can't think of a better one than being a grandparent. When my son and his wife brought home little Ethan, a new world opened for my husband and me. Since they lived north of Atlanta, it was difficult to visit very often and their new bundle of joy became an active little boy before we knew it. Almost two years later Ethan's calm little sister, Laurel, came into the world just happy to be here. Not even a complete year passed before my daughter and her husband had their first baby, a beautiful little girl named Hannah.

Watching my children grow into the wonderful parents that they have already become has been incredible. Hannah is just three weeks old today and her parents seem like experts already. They handle car seats like pros, change diapers in a snap, and are up on all the latest handling-a-new-baby techniques. I promised myself long ago that I would always respect my children's decisions when it came to their own parenting. Sure, I want to be helpful and offer my advice WHEN ASKED FOR IT, but the wealth of information that is at their fingertips keeps them pretty informed. A lot of things have changed since I first became a mom; but one thing hasn't changed. The most precious sight in all the world is still the way a baby's whole face lights up when they break into a big smile. And nothing is more precious than seeing my own grandchildren smile. I am so proud and delighted to be Grandma Ginger - or GiGi!!!