New Babies

I have a new pretend grandbaby. This sweet little girl was born on Thursday and I have yet to meet her. But this does not mean that I am not connected to this long awaited child. I have a personal thing about greeting a newborn once Mama is safely home and settled and has done all the private things that a Mama needs to do when she is giving birth. I consider childbirth as a sacred, holy and completely intimate event between a husband and wife. Bleachers of people gaping at the new couple with their infant, waiting for some sort of performance, annoys me to no end and I will not be a part of it no matter how desperately I want to see them all. It is a courtesy I shall extend to my own children when their time arrives. I shall put my crazily greedy grandma grubby hands under control while I consider this their time, precious and sweet. There will be plenty of time for me to spend long hours of play and cuddling, introducing myself and imprinting on the child just how valuable I think she is...

While I was awaiting this new little girl, Allison, I was babysitting another of my little friends, Grant. He is 7 months old and at that wonderful stage of exploring with all his senses. He is trying baby food and touching and manipulating toys. He is understanding the cadence of story books and knows instinctively who has passed inspection and who has not. I have been enamored with him since the month that I watched him while his mama made arrangements to stay with him at home, leaving her very profitable job and seeking home employment. It was a pleasure to help her in her honorable quest and selfishly, it was a joy to sit on my porch swing and sing my little 2 month old friend to sleep in the quiet of a summer afternoon. The Grantmeister, as we call him, will be delighted with his new little friend, Allison, and I can't wait till they both are sitting at my dining room table, playing with play dough and painting pictures to decorate my kitchen walls.

So I welcome you Allison, to my growing list of pretend grandbabies! I hope this world treats you well and that you find exciting adventures ahead. Your Mama and Daddy are good, good friends of mine and I have always wished them the best so I believe that you are the best that God has to give for them and I rejoice in that. Ah, the joy of a new soul, a new life in this tainted old world! Fresh air from the God that created it all!!!