When Shelby arrived on the scene, we were all in heaven just watching her every move. She was the miracle baby we were told we'd never have on our own and we thought she would probably be the one and only. It was very apparent from the beginning that my Mom was blown away by the love she felt for her first grandchild. She could never imagine loving another human being as much as she did her own kids, yet she did. It was a different love, but just as intense. When Shelby named her "Noni" the delight she felt in carrying this new name was written all over her face. I can still see the pride in her eyes when she shares with a stranger that her grandkids call her, "Noni." She loves her grandbabies and she loves being a "Noni."
When a new grandchild arrives, Nonis and Papas wonder {just like parents do} will I love this new one as much as I do the first one? How can it be possible? Yet, they do, just like we do. And the intensity of that love grows the more time they spend with their grandchildren. Watching my Mom fall in love with each of my children over time gives me so much pleasure. She always loves the newborn stage when she can just rock and rock them for hours. Then, they go through the separation anxiety stage where they aren't sure they want to go to Noni and she usually distances herself from them during this time a little, probably out of protection for her own heart and also just not wanting to make them cry. She'll give them to Papa because all babies love Papa and he has the magical touch. But then comes the toddler stage where they adore her and start calling her by that special name. "Noni, Noni, Noni!" When she hears that, she melts and falls madly in love with them. Right now both of the littles go completely crazy when she and Papa arrive and they can't get enough of them. Although, it does crack me up how bossy {and sometimes sassy}Lucy is to Noni, because Shelby and Jesse never were.
As they are getting older, I can see how she enjoys each one of them individually and appreciates their differences. She is an amazing Noni and an amazing Mom. I am so grateful that she is such a huge part of our lives. Sometimes I wish she still lived just down the road like she did in Arizona, but she is back in Oklahoma too now, only 3 hours away, and we can see her almost whenever we want!
