Long Live Us
Forty-Three
Isabelle Paige Barakat. Just that name alone meant perfection to me. My little granddaughter was just too precious. She looked so much like Stella when she was three months old. I could not believe my little girl went from being a young girl with a record deal trying to take the world by storm, turned into a new mommy ready to handle anything her little girl had to throw at her.
Alex was out on the road again, being a new grandpa couldn't be used as an excuse to avoid being on tour. But this gave me time to bond with the kids more and so I could have visits with Stella, Jack, and Isabelle all to myself.
Stella was over today. It was just her and Isabelle. Turned out Jack was having Tom and Nate over at their house to watch the playoffs to root for the Ravens. Since Isabelle was so little, Stella decided to come spend the day with me so the guys could have a night together. Turned out Aubree came over with Jasmin and Olivia.
"Isabelle let's play," Noelle got her niece's attention. Noelle started to play peek-a-boo and got little Izzy to giggle and squeal with joy.
"Noelle is good with her," Jasmin sighed as we looked at our granddaughter. God, the two of us were too young to have a grandchild. I mean, in all seriousness our youngest were both in elementary school still and my daughter was a mom herself.
"Well Jack told me that Zack had mentioned that it would be Stella or Aubree that'd go through a teenage pregnancy. I guess he jinxed Stella, but it was a blessing too," Jasmin pointed out.
"I swear if Tom does what Jack did to Stella to Aubree, my son will not see his next birthday," I told her.
Stella soon left with Aubree to take home and to go home herself since Izzy was getting sleepy. I started missing her, I felt like how Alex did when he left for tour, like my heart was outside my body and every time I saw Stella head out the door, it felt like a hot iron was pressed against it.
"Mommy, can Izzy come over tomorrow," Noelle looked up at me, I could tell Izzy had won over Noelle and she loved her niece so much. I was so glad that Izzy got Noelle's heart. I remember when I had Noelle, I had nearly lost her, and when I had her, Stella fell in love with her just like how Noelle is with Isabelle.
"Mom, I need your help," Stella had come over, this time alone. Isabelle was most likely napping with Jack or he was playing with her for a change.
"What's the matter, sweetheart," I asked her.
"Tom arranged for us to start our tour season again. I don't want to leave Isabelle with just anyone. I want her with family," she told me.
"Stella, we could have your old room ready for her with a crib like the one we got you and have it as her sleepover room," I told her.
"Mom, I don't want to impose on you," she replied.
"You won't be," I told her.
"Juli, I could also turn Jack's old room into a sleepover room for Isabelle too so we could alternate with taking care of her," Jasmin said as she came in with Alex.
"Thank you, both of you," Stella sighed with releif.
"We're all family and we look out for each other, Stella," Jasmin pulled Stella into her arms.
I was proud of Stella. She was now getting back out into the world. I knew she missed being out there, but her new motherly instincts made it hard on her. She knew she had to leave Isabelle so she could tour, make a living to support her new family.
My biggest fear was touring would make Stella and Jack both miss out on Isabelle's big first, like her first crawl, her first step, her first word. I hope Tom will help them be parents and musicians.
Alex was out on the road again, being a new grandpa couldn't be used as an excuse to avoid being on tour. But this gave me time to bond with the kids more and so I could have visits with Stella, Jack, and Isabelle all to myself.
Stella was over today. It was just her and Isabelle. Turned out Jack was having Tom and Nate over at their house to watch the playoffs to root for the Ravens. Since Isabelle was so little, Stella decided to come spend the day with me so the guys could have a night together. Turned out Aubree came over with Jasmin and Olivia.
"Isabelle let's play," Noelle got her niece's attention. Noelle started to play peek-a-boo and got little Izzy to giggle and squeal with joy.
"Noelle is good with her," Jasmin sighed as we looked at our granddaughter. God, the two of us were too young to have a grandchild. I mean, in all seriousness our youngest were both in elementary school still and my daughter was a mom herself.
"Well Jack told me that Zack had mentioned that it would be Stella or Aubree that'd go through a teenage pregnancy. I guess he jinxed Stella, but it was a blessing too," Jasmin pointed out.
"I swear if Tom does what Jack did to Stella to Aubree, my son will not see his next birthday," I told her.
Stella soon left with Aubree to take home and to go home herself since Izzy was getting sleepy. I started missing her, I felt like how Alex did when he left for tour, like my heart was outside my body and every time I saw Stella head out the door, it felt like a hot iron was pressed against it.
"Mommy, can Izzy come over tomorrow," Noelle looked up at me, I could tell Izzy had won over Noelle and she loved her niece so much. I was so glad that Izzy got Noelle's heart. I remember when I had Noelle, I had nearly lost her, and when I had her, Stella fell in love with her just like how Noelle is with Isabelle.
"Mom, I need your help," Stella had come over, this time alone. Isabelle was most likely napping with Jack or he was playing with her for a change.
"What's the matter, sweetheart," I asked her.
"Tom arranged for us to start our tour season again. I don't want to leave Isabelle with just anyone. I want her with family," she told me.
"Stella, we could have your old room ready for her with a crib like the one we got you and have it as her sleepover room," I told her.
"Mom, I don't want to impose on you," she replied.
"You won't be," I told her.
"Juli, I could also turn Jack's old room into a sleepover room for Isabelle too so we could alternate with taking care of her," Jasmin said as she came in with Alex.
"Thank you, both of you," Stella sighed with releif.
"We're all family and we look out for each other, Stella," Jasmin pulled Stella into her arms.
I was proud of Stella. She was now getting back out into the world. I knew she missed being out there, but her new motherly instincts made it hard on her. She knew she had to leave Isabelle so she could tour, make a living to support her new family.
My biggest fear was touring would make Stella and Jack both miss out on Isabelle's big first, like her first crawl, her first step, her first word. I hope Tom will help them be parents and musicians.
11/4/13