Now We Wait

I think I told you before that my daughter Sarah and son-in-law Steven are expecting their first child this month. This will be our first grandchild so, yes, Priscilla and I are quite excited.

I guess Sarah has had a good pregnancy, as smoothly as these things can be. The poor thing had morning sickness for her first trimester. I was down there in Virginia Beach as she and Steven went to Disney World for a vacation. Yes, she was at the happiest place on earth being sick in the bathroom. She found that peanut butter and fluff was the only thing she could eat for awhile so we made sure she had plenty of Fluff. They don’t sell it down there and some of the locals are pretty amazed that we eat that. Oh, what they don’t know about delectable Fluffer nutters. (Is that one word or two? Whatever.)

The due date has always been September 22nd but she has had a feeling it would be sooner. Priscilla and I have been expecting him this weekend. Yes it’s a boy. They found out a few months ago. I guess no one waits anymore. We never wanted to know with all four of our children. Priscilla said that was her reward after all the work.

I have had a busy weekend, which is unusual for me. A back-to-back football weekend with a game Friday at Dennis Yarmouth and a game Saturday at New Bedford Voc Tech for New Bedford Cable Network. I told my producer for each game that I would do it, IF I was still around.

Today is my daughter Kat’s birthday and she kept thinking Priscilla and I wouldn’t be here to celebrate with her. I told her that if the baby was born on her birthday she could look forward to pinatas and bouncy houses for the future.

So we await the birth of Liam Michael Perez. Our plan is to start driving down once Sarah goes into labor. I have had friends ask why we’re not flying and they understand once I mention the fares for a last-minute booking. It takes us anywhere from 10 to 12 hours to get there depending on traffic. (Darn Connecticut!) I know we may get there late but it is what it is.

The other night I had a broadcast partner tell me that there’s nothing like being a grandparent. He said it’s wonderful and amazing and there just aren’t enough words to describe it. Cool! Others who are already grandparents agree that it’s the best.

I find I’m a lot less stressed being the grandpa and not the dad. I was a nervous wreck when I was a first-time father. I think every time Priscilla moved or burped I would jump up, “Now? Is that it? Is this labor?” I had the car gassed up, her bag ready, my bag ready. I had timed it out: Take Route 6 or 195 and it’s the same amount of time, just don’t trust that darn bridge! I think that was before cellphones so I made sure I had plenty of change for the pay phone. Yes kids, we used to have these things called pay phones. You actually had to PAY to use a phone.

So now, we wait. There are no more games on my schedule as my bosses have known the due date all along. Will it be a late-night phone call or text? I’ll keep ya posted.