I remember the day exactly. My #2 daugther told me she was going to have a baby...yes, my first grandchild. Me, being the baby boomer that I was, and brought up never trusting anyone over 30, now, yes now, I was going to be really way over 30 and a grandmother....oh my.

Of course I was thrilled, but there was a little part of me that said that I wasn't ready for the grey hair and the rocking chair.

Over the next few months, I tried hard to digest the news and learned to love it.

That was easy! A new baby..of course, I'd be OK. And I soon found a "grandma" name that I could live with "MaDear"

OK, I was set. Set for a drive to Tulsa on Nov. 13th. When I walked into the room, my sweet K was smiling and saying "this childbirth thing is no big deal"

Needless to say, later on in the day, after Pitocin and labor and no real dilation, and back labor (YUCK!), the no big deal became a really big deal.

So, a C-section was decided on and I just waited. Soon, SHE arrived, gulping a big first breath that facilitated her spending a few days in NICU...a long 3 days!

I turned into Aurora Greenway (Shirley MacLaine's role in Terms of Endearment) when late in day 2, they were keeping my daughter from seeing her firstborn "It's past ten. My daughter is in pain. I don't understand why she has to have this pain. All she has to do is hold out until ten, and IT'S PAST TEN! My daughter is in pain, can't you understand that! GIVE MY DAUGHTER THE SHOT!" or rather, "she will go to where her daughter is now!"

She did, and the rest was good.

Now, my sweet J is 9 years old...She struts when she shops for clothes. She sings and does the movements of High School Musical. She has a strong desire to get her ears pierced, but is still waiting to decide that desire is stronger than the fear of how much it will hurt. She clings to her little brother J who, in some cases, shows her the way (he just got up and walked right over to the lady behind the counter at the food court who could give him a refill on his Sprite, and she followed soon thereafter, seeing that'd it be OK).

How is it possible you're 9? Can I stop time? No, not at all.

In the meantime, or rather mean time, I'm going to love the transition you make over the next few years, from that baby and little girl, to the young woman that you'll be someday, way too soon.

Happy 9th Birthday, my sweet J!