pinkytoe, if it makes you feel better...

DW and I are the "official babysitter" grandparents for our grandchildren (with some help from SiL's mother). Honestly, the babysitting is a little exhausting -- you're juggling the emotional and physical needs of two totally dependent lives (plus your own needs; you still need to eat/go to the bathroom/maybe don't feel so great yourself/your ears hurt from the crying). The grandkids have lots more energy than we have at our age; maybe not an issue now as newborns, but they'll be moving around on their own soon enough. The grandkids also have lots of colds and sniffles and digestive issues -- and they're quite ready to "share" those with everyone. I don't think I've had as many colds in my life as I've had the past three years since our first grandchild was born. Last Monday one of the toddlers could not keep food down and that meant cleaning up her, her clothes, her crib, and her favorite stuffed toy -- twice -- not a high point of being "grandpa".

In your case, if the closer grandparents are babysitting while the kids are working, that means they're babysitting most of the time -- 40-50 hours a week. It's a job (even if you/they love it) and that schedule likely restricts them from what they may have envisioned doing in grandparenthood/retirement (or even taking some down time for themselves).

We love our grandkids and are happy that we are in their lives to the extent we are. But it is a commitment. And we hold no illusions that, once the kids reach pre-school/kindergarten age, our role will be significantly reduced.

I would recommend visiting whenever you can and employing technologies like FaceTime/Skype, picture-sharing apps, and phone calls. Yes, it's early now, but even at 1 our older grandchild learned how to use a smartphone/tablet to start certain apps. It's very natural for them. These will help bridge the distance between visits.

When you made your decision to move, you probably knew grandchildren could be in the cards. It still was worth moving, though. Don't forget those original reasons and don't over-romanticize caring for very young children as one hits retirement age (or close). There's a reason people have kids when they're young.