Annie Lamott has raised her son Sam as a single mother since his birth. She looked forward to the day she would be a grandmother, but not now, not while Sam was so young, not while she was still so young.
But baby Jax was not to be denied and this is a touching story of one woman’s trip into grandparenthood along with interviews with her son. Through these interviews we get to see Sam’s world change as he becomes a father.
Annie bounces between wanting to allow Sam and Amy the space to figure this parent and relationship thing out on their own, and wanting to fix everything. The thought of Amy taking Jax and returning home to her family is almost too much to bear.
There is a deep spirituality throughout the book, along with a healthy dose of humor. It’s funniest when Annie talks about biting her tongue trying not to control every situation, probably because I see myself in her actions.
The love Annie feels for her grandson and for her son as her grows into his role as Jax’s father is easily felt. She describes watching her son, who has always been a rough and tumble boy, change diapers and walk the floor with his son. She also describes the differences between Sam and Jax as babies and wonders how much her being a single parent had to do with Sam’s more cautious nature.
This book is a journal Annie started when she found out that Sam was going to be a father. It chronicles everything, her dismay at how Sam’s future has changed, her deep love for this new little person, and how it feels to not be the person responsible for everything.
This is a true story of how the birth of a baby changes a family. How this little person impacts the relationship of everyone around him.
It’s a funny, sad, joyful, heartfelt journey and I’m glad she shared it with us.