The Unique and Surprising Joy of Becoming a Step-Grandmother

I was only dating my husband when his oldest son announced with such joy that he and his wife were expecting their first child. My future husband was becoming a grandfather in a few short months. Not only that, there were two other grandmothers and a grandfather that would ALL be experiencing this joy for the first time. Wow, that’s a lot of love and excitement in one family.

We were married and I thought about what my place might be within this nontraditional family with a baby on the way. I was new on the scene so clearly it would go like this: the other two grandmothers would come first and second, and I would be third. They would help decorate the nursery and plan the baby shower; they might even attend doctor appointments with the new mommy. They would choose their own special grandma name, and they would certainly be the first called when the baby arrived.

I would participate as invited.

I shared my thoughts with my husband and we decided together that it was okay with us if I was number three on the grandma list. It only made sense, and we settled in to be comfortable with whatever time we would have with this new precious baby.

No one could ever have prepared me for how wrong I was, and the joy I would soon experience. That baby has lit up our world since the day he arrived, and he sets the stage making all of us grandmas feel like number one. His parents are doing everything right, so our grandson doesn’t know labels or pecking order as his silly old step-grandma had expected.

These days, I am step-grandma to two beautiful children and I couldn’t possibly love them anymore. When I walk in the door, they run to me for hugs and kisses. They talk to me on the phone or Facetime if something exciting has happened. I’ve been to their school and attended recreational activities. I live for the days when their mom and dad ask for a babysitter; nothing is more fun than an entire day with these two. Our home is filled with pictures of them and their beautiful smiles, and there’s nothing better than bragging about them with our friends in social gatherings. Their unconditional love will always make me feel like number one. I am a very blessed grandma!