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Tuesday
Oct142008
You had me at "Goo."
October 14, 2008
When Kid A was just six weeks old, my grandparents drove down from Alberta to California to meet him. I think they were visiting friends as well, but I'm pretty sure a yummy six-week-old baby was a big draw.
I was floundering, a little. I was doing okay. Just okay. I had hemorrhaged after Kid A was born, so I was very anemic and weak, tired and overwhelmed. I thought, though, that this was just how parenting felt. I was also working and was back in the bank making deposits just five days after Kid A was born, not realizing that this was just plain dumb.
Sometimes I look back at myself and think, "You poor girl."
Anyways. My grandparents.
They came and they saw our precious first baby (my Grandma was big on the word precious, and since she just passed away in April, it still hurts me to write 'was') and Grandma cuddled him close, just like I've seen that she did to us, when we were born, in photos in our old photo album. She always had this fierce, possessive look on her face when she was holding us. I feel that face glomming onto my own face, at times, when I look at my kids.
She was holding Kid A out, away from her a little, with his head in her hands, looking into his wee face. ("Oh the laddie," she would say.) He started to coo to her.
"Oh yes, tell me a story," she told him. "Tell Grandma Great a story."
And this is what I've thought of, every time my kids get to this absolutely incredible stage. The telling stories stage.
Because can't you just see the story begging to be told?
"It was big! No it was REALLY BIG!"
"It was a big, beautiful light, and I started to sing to it, like this!"
"That's all. Now you tell me something."
"I love it! I love YOU! I'm so happy!"
"You have really beautiful eyes, did you know that?"
"So beautiful that I will sing to them!"
The littlest things can be missed. I may never have realized that my babies were telling me stories, if it wasn't for my Grandma.
There's nothing like the lessons of someone in your life who already had grown up children when YOU were born.
(Chinua took these photos. I love them.)
I was floundering, a little. I was doing okay. Just okay. I had hemorrhaged after Kid A was born, so I was very anemic and weak, tired and overwhelmed. I thought, though, that this was just how parenting felt. I was also working and was back in the bank making deposits just five days after Kid A was born, not realizing that this was just plain dumb.
Sometimes I look back at myself and think, "You poor girl."
Anyways. My grandparents.
They came and they saw our precious first baby (my Grandma was big on the word precious, and since she just passed away in April, it still hurts me to write 'was') and Grandma cuddled him close, just like I've seen that she did to us, when we were born, in photos in our old photo album. She always had this fierce, possessive look on her face when she was holding us. I feel that face glomming onto my own face, at times, when I look at my kids.
She was holding Kid A out, away from her a little, with his head in her hands, looking into his wee face. ("Oh the laddie," she would say.) He started to coo to her.
"Oh yes, tell me a story," she told him. "Tell Grandma Great a story."
And this is what I've thought of, every time my kids get to this absolutely incredible stage. The telling stories stage.
Because can't you just see the story begging to be told?
"It was big! No it was REALLY BIG!"
"It was a big, beautiful light, and I started to sing to it, like this!"
"That's all. Now you tell me something."
"I love it! I love YOU! I'm so happy!"
"You have really beautiful eyes, did you know that?"
"So beautiful that I will sing to them!"
The littlest things can be missed. I may never have realized that my babies were telling me stories, if it wasn't for my Grandma.
There's nothing like the lessons of someone in your life who already had grown up children when YOU were born.
(Chinua took these photos. I love them.)
in Little Solo
Little Solo 
Reader Comments (23)
I love these pictures too! This post was beautiful and really touched my heart.
I just love your interpretation. Your little one is already changing so fast. He is a beauty....
Jen
This post makes me want another baby, and believe me the last thing I want is another baby!
*twang* that was my heartstrings. I totally forgot about the cooing stage (PPD does that to you - you forget the good stuff). Cooing. And they are so serious about it. Reaching out. Desperately engaging with you. Love it. It is, as you say, precious.
xx
This post almost made me cry, I lost my grandpa in June and the "was" is still so hard for me and to think that I won't ever have memories of him with my (future) kids.
This post was beautiful though and Little Solo is in fact precious.
Oh my goodness. How sweet are these photos? His little baby gums are prrrrrecious! Adorable.
Solo is charming and beautiful and Big. I can't believe how old he looks and what wonderful stories he tells. Just like his mama.
Precious is the perfect word for these pics. My kids had the blessing of growing up with my Grammy. I have pics of her bathing each one in the sink at her house. She was so wise when it came to home and family and how to make something from nothing as well as seeing the simplest things as thrilling. She passed away a couple of years ago at 95. I still miss her...
I love the photos too. You are blessed with so much love. Who knew motherhood would be like this? Many blessings to you my friend and fellow mama.
This post is simply the most lovely lovely lovely thing.
beautiful beautiful photos, made me pine for my children at that age/stage all over again
You do forget. So thank you for such a lovely reminder. Mine are now 3 and a half and 18 mths....so big.
And yes although happy with my two and dont logically want another child the longing is still there v strongly when reading this post and looking at your gorgeous boy "talking and singing"
(whats that saying? .... "he's so cute my ovaries hurt!"
Lovely age. Savour it. And thank you for sharing it
My heart is exploding...I LOVE the pictures. SO CUTE.
I am expecting my eighth baby this spring, after almost a 5 year gap. Yesterday's post gave me a little fear, as I also struggle with PPD and had sort of forgotten that part. TODAY'S post, however, gave me great anticipation. I had also forgotten just how beautiful those stories are, especially when they are told gazing into my eyes.
I hope I can get some photos of my next little one like these. After seven other children, you would think I would have some. Something to aim at!
soooooooooooooooooooooooo cute...I love the captions. Perfect fit.
oh, you made me cry with that talk of your grandma and those adorable pictures/stories.
Hugs.
I love these pictures too! What a doll baby, what a BIG baby. Wonderful!
oh rae, it's been ages since i've commented and i'm not sure you'll remember me, since you've never met me anyway!... my sister is rachel clancy. we both live in scotland and my little darling baby girl is just a couple of weeks older than solo. i loved what you said about your grandma and the baby telling stories... it's something they say all the time here in scotland about wee babies "you telling big stories?!" i love it too... it's fun to imagine what's going through her mind and what she's saying and laughing about. i just wish i had a better camera and eye for photography so that i could have such fabulous pics of my girlie.
Those pictures are absolutely adorable, and yes I miss Grandma Great also. I was thinking that when you were having trouble giving birth that usually I could call and ask her to pray with me, but she was not there this time, and it hurt.
Your'e such an inspiring person! You are a defining woman in a new movement of alternatives.
They are so beautiful. Photos are such a precious thing to keep- Chinua is very talented.
This post made me weep little tears of happiness as I read it.
So beautiful!
The mention of Kid A's birth reminded me of visiting you after he was born and being amazed by his large, focused and engaged eyes. Like his Padre's. And I recalled getting to have your placenta in my freezer for some odd amount of time. Your first placenta and Novembers are my only real placenta interactions (besides the one at my own birth of course). November and E made tree of life prints from Phineas' placenta. I might have even visited them on the way down from your wedding. Hmm... Well thanks for the sharing in the memory making of your babies (and sharing your placenta).
I look forward to meeting Solo.
XO