The Coolest Way to Find out I Was Becoming a Grandpa

While stressing about school starting, the ultimate surprise and big reveal caught me way off guard

There I sat, stuck and stressed in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the 405 South Freeway around Glendale near Los Angeles. Not even the soothing sounds of the Doobie Brothers’ “What a Fool Believes” could calm me.

My oldest son Reece and his wife Julia were in town for a supposedly last-minute impromptu visit with friends in the South Bay.

It was two days before the new school year started.

It was the busiest time of year, and my mind was racing and overloaded with millions of things to do before the students entered the classroom in less than 48 hours.

I had assumed Julia and Reece would be driving the 75-minute drive from LAX to Palmdale later in the afternoon, but when I talked to Reece the night before, he said they were staying at an Airbnb in San Pedro — where my mom lived.

As traffic came to a screeching halt, negative thoughts continued to invade my brain.

“Of all times of year, this has to be the worst time to visit!”

“Am I just an afterthought? Are they out here just to visit friends?”

“I should be at school right now setting up my classroom. Instead, I am stuck in classic snail-like LA traffic. Ugh!”

Wrong. Wrong. Totally wrong. But, spot on about the traffic.

I arrived at my mom’s condo around 2 p.m., and giant hugs from Reece and Julia were exchanged. My mom was very excited and surprised to see me, revealing a loving smile from ear to ear.

Later, Brenna, my daughter, drove over from her college, and we engaged in a warm and wonderful conversation about each other’s summers, vacations, and plans for the fall.

Then Reece popped up and made an announcement. Sort of.

“We have a little present for Dad and Danny (grandma),” he said and walked over to a bag and removed two book-size presents wrapped in bright shiny paper with Happy Birthday! yes, Happy Birthday! splashed all over the wrapping paper.

Reece likes to do things in a funny and unusual fashion.

“Make you laugh and throw you off the trail,” Reece likes to say.

My thoughts on this sudden, surprise gift?

Confused. Surprised. Very thoughtful. Intrigued. Maybe Reece and Julia found something fascinating on a trip that reminded them of me, and they just had to buy it.

Wrong, but not entirely.

“What do you think it is?” Reece asked.

“A book,” I answered sarcastically.

And we all laughed.

I slowly pulled off the tape to reveal a green notebook-sized book with the title “Walk with Me. A Grandfather’s Journal.”

It took me a second. Maybe even a second and a half.

Then…

Ding!

The lightbulb went off.

No, it exploded.

I looked at Reece and then at Julia with the biggest shock and the biggest smile and asked the most obvious question ever asked: “You are pregnant?”

Julia beamed with joy.

“Congratulations! I am so happy for you both. I have been wanting to ask you for so very, very long but never wanted to pry. And hated when people asked us.

“Oh my gosh!” I then thought. “This is the reason you flew out to California.”

Reece just nodded his head and smiled proudly.

I felt so stupid for my inner, heavy-metal angry rants in traffic while listening to yacht rock.

They wanted to break this big and personal news to me and my mom.

In-person.

Besides close friends, who pretty much figured it out when Julia constantly refused a cold beer and continued getting queasy over the smell of meat, my mom, and I were the first ones they were breaking the news to.

And in epic fashion.

I felt so honored. And so guilty for my previous selfish thoughts.

They weren’t visiting any other friends on this visit — that was a poker-faced lie, and they were flying back to Chicago the next day at noon.

The trip truly only had one purpose, and one purpose only.

“I am going to be a grandfather” kept racing in my head.

How did I feel?

Excited? Proud? Overjoyed? Overwhelmed? Old?

All of the above.

If you had asked me, oh, seven years ago, how I would feel if I were to have learned about becoming a grandfather, it would have definitely made me feel old. Possibly, ancient. And I wouldn’t have felt prepared.

A lot has changed in those seven years.

I am older, and Reece, 30, and Julia, 29, are older. Much older.

I am overly excited to see the birth of my first grandchild and see him or her crawl, walk, talk, play sports, musical instruments, sing, dance, or act. Excel in high school. Graduate from college. Do great things in the world.

I don’t want to pass from this earth too early and miss many of these monumental moments.

The sooner a baby Butler comes, the better chance I can experience as many amazing memories as possible.

The camera, pen, notepad, and keyboard are ready. More than ready.

I am excited about this new chapter in their lives.

And pumped up, enthusiastic, and ready to jump up and down and shout, “I am going to be a grandfather!” to let the whole world know how excited I am.

An hour later, my sons, Bryce and Brady, showed up to visit, and my not-able-to-keep a secret Mom broke the news of the baby-to-be while Reece, Julia, and I took a walk around the block.

Eventually, we all celebrated with two giant meat-covered pizzas at Lamppost, our favorite teenage hangout, grabbed a couple of beers, and clinked mugs together to celebrate this amazing upcoming chapter projected to debut on March 1.

Danny was the name that Reece chose to call his grandmom, my mom, since he had a hard time pronouncing granny when he was young.

Reece asked me what I wanted to be called.

It left me speechless and stumped.

I had no idea.

“What about Big Mike?” Reece asked. “I think that’d be a cool name. I like that.”

It brought another smile to my face as I pictured a mini Reece or Julia hopping on my lap, asking me to read them Go, Dog. Go! or pull their finger — pfft! — or asking me to set up Matchbox cars to race down a ramp.

“Big Mike.”

Hmmmmmm…

Still not sure. I just know it is going to be a very big moment, big memory, and a big change in my life. And I couldn’t be more happy for them to start this big adventure.

Thanks, Reece and Julie, for sharing this big news in the biggest and coolest way possible.

I felt so special and so important.

And lots of big love.

Thanks for reading my story.

Some memories my mom had as a grandmother: