"Marilyn"?

Here is the first picture of Tish's baby. It's not easy to see, sonograms never are and they become more difficult to see when you scan them. But, if you look closely, in the center of the picture, there is an odd shaped black area, that is the uterus. Laying on "her" back, is "Marilyn". Her little head is to the right and her belly is in the center. The small white dot is a tiny foot. "Marilyn" is approximately 6.47 centimeters long from crown to rump, or a little less than 3 inches, about the size of a lime. Tish is a little more than 13 weeks, or 3 mos. along.

She is doing very well and feeling wonderful. She is eating more now than she ever has, although she still isn't gaining any weight.

We are all so excited. Even Great-Grandma Margaret is getting into the act and has picked out her own special nick-name for her newest Great-Grandchild. Aunt Beth wants to know as soon as we do, if we are really having a girl so she can start picking out some clothes. Grandpa is ready to go fishing and me? Well, I am just excited about seeing a healthy and beautiful baby. Well, it doesn't hurt that Tish is living with us!

As Mothers, we spend the majority of our lives raising our children to be adults. We teach them every thing we can about the big, wide world and how to survive it. I believe empty nest is when the last of the children are grown and gone and we are waitng for the joy of grandchildren.
The waiting can be painful at times. There is nothing more glorious than the birth of that first grandchild and no words to describe the feelings that accompany the births of each one in turn as they come along. I really did not realize the capacity for love that is in my heart until Jacob and Lucy and it does not diminish. Two more grandbabies! What a joy.