And as He was dreaming, an Angels song awakened our Little Boy Blue....Eugene Field

On Friday, November 2nd, 1979 at 5:25am in the very early morning, I became a mother. Before that, I had been a baby, a toddler, a little girl, an adolescent, a teenager (sorry Mom and Dad), a young woman, a sister, a daughter, a granddaughter, and a young wife. Lots of phases, lots of changes, and new responsibilities. All had contributed, each in their own way, to the most wonderful, exciting, thrilling, scary, heart bursting, and awe inspiring phase of all...motherhood. I had one younger sister and two younger brothers on which my child rearing teeth had been cut. From the age of eight, I learned to change diapers, give bottles, burp, bathe, dress, and watch over my younger siblings. I was the original "little mother hen" to our brood. I played with baby dolls alot when I was a child, too, and always dreamed of being a mother someday, but none of this quite prepared me for the intense feelings that I felt for my son when he was born. Brothers and sisters and baby dolls don't cause that stir to your heart when you look into their eyes, as your own child does. No words can express it, only new mothers can understand this. I think back to that time and realize it was a blessing to be young and "blissfully ignorant" of the magnitude of responsibility of parenthood that rested squarely on my shoulders. As a grandparent, I know what lies ahead for Mommy, Daddy, and Jack. It is hard for me to "sit back" and not put in my "two cents" worth, especially when it's not solicited. But, if my advice is asked, I will gladly give it. I never professed to being a perfect mother, there is no such person, but I have learned a little something along the way. My mother has always told me that I hovered too much over my own children and she tells me that I'm still that way with Jack, and she is probably right. (Please don't tell her I admitted that). One of my mothers' favorite stories about over-protective parenting comes from her own father and his younger brother, her uncle. My Grandpa Greenlee was a soft-spoken, no-nonsense kind of guy, who only spoke when absolutely necessary. One day my grandpa, his brother, my mother, her sister, Judy, and younger cousin were all sitting on the front porch, the girls were running around on this porch that had no railing. My mothers uncle kept getting up and down and stopping his daughter from falling off the edge of the porch. After awhile, he looked at my Grandfather sitting there calmly and asked him, "Aren't you afraid your girls will fall off the porch"? My grandfather, smiled, and said, "They will only fall off once". I have to laugh every time I hear that story, and it so true and hard to do...let your kids have a few falls. They have to fall off of the porch occasionally to learn a lesson. Every parent would love to wrap their child in "bubble wrap" to keep them from getting the bumps, bruises, hurt feelings, and hard knocks that comes with growing up. That is just not possible. In those first few days home with my new son, Frank, I recall one day in early November sitting in the chair in my living room rocking the day away with my baby in my arms, as he slept. Then, a voice from inside said to me, "You are his mother now, you can't sit here holding him all day, he needs to be in his bed, it's what's best for him". I have listened to that "little voice" many times throughout the years, as I had to make the hard choices. That's what being a good parent is all about. That afternoon, I got right up and put him in his bed to take his nap. The official separation of mother and child had begun. You soon realize that your children come through you, are a part of you, but they are their "own person" right from the first moment of birth. They are there for you to love, teach, nurture, discipline, and send on their merry way, someday. This is a job that you will work yourself right out of. One of my favorite lines from a wonderful movie, titled "Parenthood" comes from a grandmother as she shares her analogy of being a parent. She says to Steve Martin, who just found out his wife, Mary Steenburgen is pregnant with their fourth child and is feeling ambivalent about it, " When I was a young wife, your Grandpa and I went to the Fair, some decided to ride the merry-go-round, it just went up and down and around and around, it was pleasant and safe. Your grandpa and I decided to ride the roller coaster instead, it was so scary, so exciting, so thrilling, so fast, with steep hills and drops, we went around sharp curves, and my heart was in my throat. Yes, we decided to ride the roller coaster". That grandmother summed up parenthood perfectly, I think. It is just like a roller coaster ride! I'd like to wish my son, Frank McCullough a Happy 30th Birthday, my first baby, now a grown-up, one of the two best "gifts" I ever received. He and his wife Casey, will be receiving their own "special gift", their first baby, in early June of 2010. Frank has always loved to ride the roller coaster, Casey will learn to love it too! So, climb in the seat, buckle up tight, keep your eyes wide open, (you don't want to miss a thing), be excited, thrilled and a little scared while the roller coaster ride begins!