Sister's Choice Quilts

My interests are quilting, reading, cooking, family, decorating, and matters of style. I post regular quilting tutorials and book reviews of current fiction.

Be My Baby

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I made a baby quilt this weekend.  Want to know why?

When I was a little girl, people would ask me, as adults are apt to do with children, "So, Nicki, what do you want to be when you grow up?"  I always gave the same answer, to everyone’s amusement.  Forget about ballerinas, nurses, teachers, and veterinarians.  "I want to be a grandma" is what I always said. 

Since my parents were striving young people in their early twenties when I was born, they couldn’t afford the luxury of having my mom stay home with me during the day.  My father was finishing his college degree and Mom worked as a secretary to an airline executive.  It was my very good fortune to have two amazing grandmothers who looked after me during the day while my parents were occupied. 

Grandma Agnes was a large, comfortably built woman, with a large bosom, big plastic earrings, and an astonishing array of aprons that she wore over her house dresses.  Grandma Agnes was a fantastic cook, but her culinary expertise took a back seat to her skill at playing cards with the ladies in the neighborhood.   I was always welcome to stand on a step stool and help her out in her kitchen, or to spend hours rummaging through her impressive collection of costume jewelry. Nonnie, my other grandma, was a more elegant and refined woman, who never refused to drop what she was doing in order to read a story to me.  She taught me to cherish books, to speak French, and to love sewing.  She liked her dresses silky, her coffee with a touch of chicory, and once travelled by herself hundreds of miles to New Orleans to explore the city.  Both grandmothers, although very different in their style and approach to life, were optimistic, affectionate women who loved me unconditionally.  I wanted to be exactly like them when I grew up.

I grew up, as children do, and actually did inherit many of my grandmothers’ qualities.  Weight has always been a struggle for me (thanks Grandma Agnes), I definitely got the bosoms, I adore jewelry, cooking, reading, traveling, sewing, and anything French.  About the only trait that didn’t get passed on to me was the ability to play cards, but you can’t have it all.

So, dear reader, you may ask "Well, did you get your wish?  Are you a grandmother?"  My answer:  "Not yet."

My son is single, and entering graduate school.  Becoming a parent is, to say the least, not on his agenda.  My lovely daughter Sara did get married last August, but it seems that having children immediately is not at the top of her "to do" list either.  Some day I may get my heart’s desire and be somebody’s loving grandma, but for now, I will have to content myself with making baby quilts, dreaming about that sweet child to be, and getting ready for the big day.

12 responses to “Be My Baby”

  3. Oh Momma.
    *hugs* some day!
    Nonnie sounds like she and I would have been good friends. Coffee, New Orleans, French sophistication, picture books. Grandma Agnes was kind hearted and was like hugging warm dough. I am pleased I knew her.

  4. Oh Momma.
    *hugs* some day!
    Nonnie sounds like she and I would have been good friends. Coffee, New Orleans, French sophistication, picture books. Grandma Agnes was kind hearted and was like hugging warm dough. I am pleased I knew her.

  5. There’s nothing wrong with making lots of baby quilts for future use ;o). Besides, they are so quick and fun to make, and the fabric can be as wild as you want it to be. I enjoy making children’s quilts. The one pictured is lovely. I do like those colours.

  6. There’s nothing wrong with making lots of baby quilts for future use ;o). Besides, they are so quick and fun to make, and the fabric can be as wild as you want it to be. I enjoy making children’s quilts. The one pictured is lovely. I do like those colours.

  7. You had wonderful grandmothers. Every child should be blessed with wonderful grandparents. Somehow I get the feeling you will be a great grandmother. Someday you will be blessed with grandchildren.

  8. You had wonderful grandmothers. Every child should be blessed with wonderful grandparents. Somehow I get the feeling you will be a great grandmother. Someday you will be blessed with grandchildren.

  11. What a delightful story! I don’t know how I missed this posting on your blog. The quilt is very, very pretty and someday a beautiful baby will enjoy it. Spoiling thos grandbabies is a ton of fun!

  12. What a delightful story! I don’t know how I missed this posting on your blog. The quilt is very, very pretty and someday a beautiful baby will enjoy it. Spoiling thos grandbabies is a ton of fun!