Mommy Diaries: Saying goodbye to family just gets harder and harder

Another family trip to New York, another tearful farewell at the airport.

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Nana Liz and Colum at JFK Airport

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I don't know how many more airport trips I can do -- the return ones I mean.

You know the one where the journey to JFK/Newark is quiet, very quiet. Awkward conversations take place in an effort to cover up the impending sadness that’s about to take place at a bustling international airport.

The planes are (in my case) always departing back to Ireland. In my eight years in New York I’ve done many of these drop-off trips, more than I’d like to count, but it never gets easier, does it?  I guess it’s always harder when it’s family though.

I see updates constantly on social networking site Facebook. Comments like “I hate goodbyes,” “Their trip was too short,” and “This never gets any easier.”

Posts from Irish immigrants (mainly those who don’t get to go home too often if ever at all) who have had a flying visit from their loved ones in Ireland. It’s always sad to see, but it’s part and parcel of life as an immigrant I guess.

Last week’s car journey to Terminal Three at JFK Airport was pretty much the same as the one before. Conversations reminiscing on the week’s vacation took place.

My mother, Liz, and her partner, Mike, came to visit our nine-month-old son, Colum, and us for seven days. Their time in New York was precious, just like every time.

But this journey was a little different.  John (my husband) and I were away for three of those seven days at John’s best friend’s wedding, Damian Mescall, in Pennsylvania.  So Nana Liz was the boss, which suited her down to the ground.

Within hours of our departure she had Colum on a strict schedule. They took several mini-walks around the neighborhood where we live in Yonkers.

Short trips to the local CVS pharmacy to visit some of the Halloween mannequins (yes, my mother has a strange sense of humor and by all accounts so does my son) and lots of playtime were had. Colum had a great time with his grandparents, but certainly not as good a time as his nana.

“Oh, how will I leave my little man this time?” asked Liz upon our return from Pennsylvania.

The last time she visited us in New York Colum was just four months old, and as any mom knows babies at that age are just about smiling, laughing and that’s pretty much it.
 
It was a whole different experience this time around. Colum is now crawling, walking along furniture, copies everything we do, talks to us in his own language, is extremely energetic, loves the fun and knows very well how to work his parents and grandparents into getting his own way.

I was constantly getting text messages from Liz on Colum’s every move.  I could tell from the tone of the texts (and their frequency) that she was falling in love with my son all over again.

For John and I the visit really put into perspective our decision to move home next May.
 
Seeing Colum with family brought joy to our hearts. It’s what we want for Colum and our second child. (We are expecting another baby in February).

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