My sister Patricia (once known as Pat, now called Trish, thanks SNL - not) and brother Mark (known as "Mr. Cheetah" to some) were down for a visit from July 21 to 28. They enjoyed the new pool, stained most of the new fence, and spent a lot of time on the new deck. They also got to see the newest family member, Andrew, who was back from his Saskatchewan tour.
Mark is a year, a month and a day younger than me. Trish (the baby!) just turned 50. Mark lives in Minnedosa, Manitoba, and Trish in Portage la Prairie.
Here they are at the side of the pool. Trish is wearing one of my bathing suits, my wrap, and my straw hat. Just like at home! Except this time I offered. Mark is wearing his new straw hat. Very southern planter.
I sure miss them. The house seemed lonely after they left.
My sister and I were talking on the phone today about being a grandparent. You notice all kinds of things about the baby that you never had time to sit back and enjoy or reflect on when you were a parent yourself. Then, you were simply reacting.Andrew is nearly 12 pounds at one month old. His attention span for faces and interaction has grown considerably, and he was a very alert baby right from birth. His hungry cry is so distinctive! I remember hearing that babies often have different cries for hungry, dirty, tired etc. I never noticed any difference, except for the tired cry. But when Andrew is hungry, he cries out, "Au lait! Au lait!" (sounds like Oh la! Oh la!). Val and I laugh that he's obviously a francophone.He is already doing the flirty baby eye contact with his mom when feeding. That is so touching to see! It made me tear up. He is a sweet little guy. This picture is from April 15, just before his one-month birthday.
On Sunday, March 18, Valancy went into labour. She called me early in the afternoon to say that she'd dreamed that she'd given birth, and that when she got up, she had a bit of "show". She said that she thought that something might happen that day. She also felt a few contractions that later stopped; so she wasn't sure. She called later on that afternoon to let us know that they'd decided to keep a dinner date with friends, since "not much" was happening.
An hour later, they were back at home. She's started having regular contractions at the friends' home. So now they were timing them, to see when they should go to the hospital. I said we were just about to have supper (roast beef). Val called again to say they were heading to the hospital. We ate supper in record time and headed into Ottawa. Val and Dave had arrived at 8:00 pm; we arrived at 8:30. Val's contractions were already only 3 minutes apart! No one had checked her cervical dilation yet, although a resident had come to inquire, but gone away because Val was in the middle of a contraction. Valancy was wondering what stage she was at, so after I time I asked if they would please check her. She was already 8-9 cm!
They decided to move Val to a birthing room, so Mike went off to the waiting room. Valancy was quite nervous and shaky to begin with, but as she became used to the contractions and knew what to expect, she became much more confident and focussed. Mike said "It looks like it will be a long night." I said, "I don't know - I'm betting 11:25 pm."
As labour began in earnest, the nurse and I each held a leg as Dave supported Val's head and shoulders, and encouraged her
quietly. She was amazing! I couldn't believe how fast things were progressing, for a first baby. She was pushing really well, and had quite the time in refraining from pushing when asked. The doctor, Dr. Caughey, suggested an episiotomy, but Valancy and David conferred and she refused it. They had hooked Valancy up to an IV, but Valancy had somehow dislodged it. She had no drugs for pain. I held and then relaxed her leg, sometimes supporting both legs while the nurse attended to other things. The nurses joked that they had done "all the paperwork" for March 18. It was 11:50.
It took a while for the baby to "turn the corner" and "rock" around the pelvic bone. I watched in awe to see his head starting to crown. He had hair! Because Val's water had not seemed to break, the nurse and doctor had masks handing in case of splashing when the baby was born. Then at one minute after midnight, little Andrew Jack Michael burst into the room. There was no splashing. It was an amazing sight. My heart felt almost too full. He looked sooo perfect! No cone head, no bruising. He was looking around, checking us out! Amazing. I thanked God. It is a humbling experience. Andrew gave a throaty little cry.
The doctor took Andrew off and wiped him down, but he really didn't need much wiping. She said to him, "I'd sure like to hear another throaty cry like that last one!" Andrew complied, and she smilingly lifted him aloft in triumph. What a doll!
They weighed him - the digital scale said "8 39" in red numerals. Then he was off to Mummy and Daddy. Doesn't Mama look just like the cat who swallowed the canary? Two gorgeous creatures!
Welcome to the family, our beautiful, beautiful boy!
It's fun to be able to pretty Adam Cartwright up, electronically. This is a "fresco" effect. This is from the episode, "My Brother's Keeper", where Adam accidentally (yeah, right) shoots Joe and then Joe is attacked by a wolf. It really wasn't Joe's day, because, after Adam hauls him home (Joe's good-for-nothing pinto, Cochise, ran away), then Adam has to play surgeon and cut the bullet out from under the bone in Joe's shoulder. Adam is a straight-laced sort of fellow, and doesn't even give Joe any whiskey to kill the pain. Nope, Joe gets to tough it out by chewing on a stick.
My husband likes this picture of Adam: "Adolf Cartwright. The one they kept in the basement. Kept s
etting fire to the barn."
