It is darn tough to have a baby when you are in your sixties, but our pregnancy will be over tomorrow when our little guy finally makes his appearance. My brother and sister-in-law have been even more pregnant than we have been, and since they are older than we are, it’s been even harder on them. Morning sickness, visits to the obstetrician and other doctors, shopping for maternity clothes, buying all that baby paraphernalia after all these years has been difficult for them, troopers though they are.
My brother’s daughter and son-in-law are the actual parents, but my sister-in-law has been the one, for the most part, who has been taking our niece to her doctor’s appointments while our nephew is in law school two hours away from them. Sometimes my brother has had to pitch in. My husband and I have heard the updates after every appointment. 
We’ve seen my neice’s timeline pictures of her growing belly that she’s posted on Facebook every few weeks. We helped give her a baby shower. We’re rearranging furniture in one of the bedrooms so that when our niece and nephew come to visit with the baby, she’ll have room for his portable crib. So much planning, so much praying, so much excitement, so much joy.
Our granddaughters are nearly eleven and fifteen. There hasn’t been a baby in our family in quite awhile. This will be my brother and sister-in-law’s first grandchild. We know how that feels and we can’t wait for them to experience that incredible moment when they hold their grandson for the first time. Just as their daughter and son-in-law’s lives will never be the same, neither will theirs. We are so excited that we will get to be a part of this child’s life, too. And we are only a small part of the body of people who make up this child’s family. More aunties and uncles, another set of grandparents, even a great-grandma, and many, many cousins await the birth of this baby. This baby is so loved already, and he hasn’t even taken his first breath yet.
Today is the last day this sweet young couple will just be the two of them. I wonder if they are thinking about that with just a wee bit of trepidation. I can tell them, along with their parents, that there is no need to worry. They are about to enter into a joy they can only imagine.
As for me, I’m ready for this pregnancy to be over. I think my ankles are beginning to swell…
Coming East 
I love your humor. Terrific, engaging read. Wonderful last line.
Thanks, KG. Nice complement, coming from you!
Congratulations! Enjoy the new arrival 🙂
Thanks, Ken. Glad we are only two hours away instead of three days, like we used to be.
Congratulations!! How exciting for you! Post pictures, enjoy the baby. I pray all goes well with your neice and nephew. I know how thrilled your brother and sister in law are. I get to go visit our little one this Friday for a week. I cannot wait!
How wonderful that you get to visit for a week, DAF! We plan on seeing this little guy this weekend. I will take plenty of pictures.
Ah, the baby is loved to overflowing already. How wonderful. It’s been so long since we’ve had a baby in our family. Time for my girls to get married and get going on grandchildren. You want to tell them? They don’t want to hear it from me. 🙂
All the best to you, your family and the new baby! 🙂
Thanks, Lori. If anything I said would make your girls get busy, I would say it, but you know how kids have minds of their own these days. What’s with that?
Yeah, what’s with that? 🙂
I was going to say you and George work fast! 😉 A baby is always exciting, and I know your brother and sister-in-law are beside themselves with joy and anticipation.
Yes, I talked to my brother tonight (Monday), and they plan on camping out at the hospital while my niece is induced. They will give me hourly updates.
Congrats! What a lucky baby to have so many expecting his joyous arrival. Talk about taking a village!
I have always loved that concept of “It takes a village, Patti. A child can’t have too many people love him.
What a wonderful post!! How exciting and such a blessing that the baby is being born into such a loving and happy family 😀
I wish all babies could be born into loving families, BB, don’t you?
Joyous news!
Easiest pregnancy I’ve ever experienced, Stacia.
How exciting for everyone. I can’t believe it’s time already. Where does that time fly?
He is going to be spoiled with love and that’s the way it should be. Keep us informed.
Will do, Rosie. George’s side of the family has had more than their share of babies, haven’t they? I have such a small family, this is so exciting for us.
Best of wishes to the new baby and parents and grandparents and great-auntie! Enjoy the new baby. Babies are God’s way of saying the world must go on.
Thanks, Maire. I like what you said about babies being God’s way of saying the world must go on.
SO exciting! We have no babies in our family, and I’m a teeny bit envious 🙂 What a beautiful photo of your niece — I always love to look at the photos like that then compare them to one of the new mom holding the baby. Such an amazing, beautiful event. Lucky, lucky you!
Thanks, Julia. Usually, when friends become grandparents, you hardly see them anymore because they are always with their grandkids. This time, we will get to see my brother and his family even more. I can see them bringing that baby to the beach here this summer.
Lovely post. You must all be so excited. How wonderful that you’ll be so close and able to visit often. 🙂
I agree, Adin! We are going to be such a great uncle and auntie. Actually, we’ll be this baby’s great-uncle and great-auntie.
How beautiful… blessings to Mom, Dad, their new son and all of the extended family!
Thanks, Carol. Love that this is such a family affair!
Congratulations to all of you! I hope baby arrives safely. 🙂
We’ve all been praying for that, Eye. Throw your prayers into that, too, would you?
He!? It’s a boy! How exciting! What a birthday present for your brother.
I know, Georgette! My brother, his son, and now his grandson all have February birthdays. And my father was born in February, too. Good month!
Aw….how sweet. Can’t wait for pictures of the new addition to your family!
I’ve got my camera ready, Dianna, and raring to go!
Your niece is just glowing in that photo..beautiful. Before my daughter was born, we hadn’t had a baby in our family for 16 years so I understand all the hoopla, anticipation & love. Congratulations to everyone on the arrival of this little Prince!
Thanks, LWTTD. My husband’s niece and nephew just had babies within the last few months, but they live nine hours away, so we don’t get to see them often. This little one will be only two hours away, and we spend weekends there nearly once a month.
Enjoy! Nothing like a new baby!
We will, Grandma! All our other nieces and nephews are far away, but this one will only be two hours away, so we will see a lot of him.