Because you asked...

Aunt Carlie, circa December '07

Yes, I am a grandmother. I know? Right? 

You're, like, "OMG, but she's so young! and cool! That's messed up!" 

And I'm all, I know? Right? And also? My feelings aren't the least bit hurt that you haven't read every single word each of my 400,000,000 blog posts and already knew this. No. I'm not. 

So how did this travesty against nature happen? Well, at the ripe old age of 41 years (me), when I was still considering myself to be of prime new mom age (except for that whole hysterectomy thing) and contemplating adoption in that vague kind of "maybe we should think about looking into the options" kind of way, my 19-year-old daughter got pregnant. What can I say? It happens. She lived with us through the pregnancy and the delivery, and a lot of baby daddy drama ensued. She had a beautiful and perfect baby girl named Iris in September '07. And baby daddy drama ensued. 

Maggy and Iris lived with us until July '08, and the baby daddy drama continued. And then Maggy fell in love with a boy in Houston (where Maggy's dad lives) and decided to move. 

So for nine months, I was a hands-on grandmother, providing childcare while Maggy went to school. And Carlie was a hands-on aunt, but more like a doting and completely smitten big sister. It was Carlie, Iris and I, day in and day out, taking Carlie to and picking Carlie up from school, attending her basketball games, going to her school functions. We were a unit of three while Maggy attended college classes and worked hard to try to position herself to be a self-sufficient single mother. And not to leave Tim out, because every night he came home from work and went straight for that baby girl. She was our baby, Tim, Carlie and I, and we couldn't love her more.

And then Maggy took Iris and left. And our world imploded. And we cried and cried and the level of suck around here was unbelievable. And for a while, I truly thought that Carlie would not get over the heartache. But she did. And I thought that I would never stop being angry at Maggy. But I have.

It's true. Life goes on, times heals all wounds, yada yada yada. We survived. And Maggy is doing great in her new life, and Iris is thriving. And the only problem with this whole scenario is the whole being across the country thing. That and the ever present and continuing baby daddy drama.

So that's the story of how someone so young and hip as I became a grandmother. I know! Right?