Happy 4th Month, Liam!

You get cooler every day!

Daddy Has His Day

It's daddy Greg's first Fathers Day and all appropriate celebration is in order. He survived the ups and downs of Kate's pregnancy and was truly the best labor coach any woman could have. He's a real hands-on poppa and gets as big a kick out of GrandBoy Liam as anyone on the planet. Here are some of the highlights of the past four months. Happy Fathers Day, Greg!

Ain't No Cure for the Summertime Car-Seat Blues

See the happy baby? Oh, sure, he's smiling now. But once he's buckled into the backseat of the car? That smile will turn to tears. Fact is, GrandBoy does not like his car-seat. Or rather, GrandBoy does not like being strapped in, facing backward and out of what he perceives to be where the action is. Yes, he has plenty of dangly, rattly toys within grasp and a mirror with which to entertain himself, but he is not a happy camper once firmly affixed in his high-tech safety car-seat.

And he lets you know it. Anyone who's ever spent time around babies and small children knows that they have an almost infinite capacity for crying. Loudly. That 20-minute rule (that babies cry themselves out within 20 minutes) is a myth. Face it, it's the only real power they have as infants, except for their extreme cuteness. They're too small and rubbery to haul off and give you a good kick when they're upset about something. So Liam gets very vocal about being strapped into a car-seat or stroller.

True, if you drive around long enough (i.e., longer - often, much longer - than 20 minutes), he'll wear himself out and fall asleep. Then woe be to the pothole or screaming siren that disturbs his cry-induced slumber! Still, we're praying he'll get used to the car/stroller sooner or later. I don't have any particular memories of his mama throwing car-seat fits (and she always loved the stroller), but maybe I've blanked out those episodes. And, yes, she finally got used to being strapped in whenever we got in a car.

My advice is just to block out the car-crying by plugging in the iPod and letting him cry himself to sleep. Daughter and Son-in-Law will need all the help they can get when they strike out for a wedding in Connecticut in a couple of weeks. Maybe a long road-trip will help GrandBoy get used to cruisin' in the backseat, watching the scenery fly by his window. Otherwise, crank up the tunes!

Anyone have suggestions for traveling (driving, not flying) with an infant? I'm sure Mama and Daddy would welcome any tricks of the the trade before heading north.

Cloth Diaper Update

I promised to give a cloth diaper update once I saw them in use with GrandBoy last month. These are not your grandmother's cloth diapers - or even the cloth diapers available for Daughter 27 years ago. Forget complicated folding, but do expect a lot of Velcro and snaps. And wonderful colors like "Grasshopper," "Zinnia," and "Twilight," and even animal prints. No, your sweeet dumpling does not have to settle for tidy-whities in this day and age!

Cloth diapers come in all sorts of configurations - all-in-ones, diapers with insertable liners, all-in-ones that let you add in a liner for those days that need a little extra sumpin'-sumpin', snaps, Velcros, more combos. Fortunately, many retailers offer trial deals, whereby they send you a sample package that includes the many variations. We ordered from three different places, based on recommendations from friends, and the diapers arrived very quickly. (I guess they know how desperate a new mother can be.)

Daughter and I used all varieties on GrandBoy to see what suited him (and us) best. The main criteria was leakage, so the way the diaper fit our particular babe was important In the end, we had three winners: bumGenius V3 All-in-One, Gro Baby One Size, and Happy Heinys One Size.

Cloth diapers are expensive. Our particular favorites are in the $15-$17/each range, and you have to make a commitment to stock in enough to avoid running the washer and dryer four times a day. That's one little thing that GrandMary can do - go online and top up the diaper supply every now and then. And let's face it, cloth diapers don't eliminate the need for disposables, which are easier if you're going out. But the price of buying disposables - even in bulk - adds up, too, so parents will just have to decide what works best for their pocketbooks. I reckon that investing in cloth diapers really makes sense if you're planning on having more than one child. Since GrandBoy's mama and daddy hope to have a couple more, what we're spending now will make sense as the diapers are used down the line.

In the end (or should I say, on the end), the only thing that matters is what works for Baby, Mama, and Daddy. I'm not sure cloth diapers would've worked for me, since I went back to work when Daughter was a couple months old (and, no, it doesn't seem to have had a negative effect on her), and I knew she would be my one and only. Disposables were a godsend. But if you're a stay-at-home mom or at least have enough cloth diapers on hand to avoid running the washer and dryer 24/7, the diapers are wonderful.

And don't you just love the colors?

When Cousins Come to Call or Happy Cinco de Mayo!

The least a couple of grandmamas can do is to spring for a meal and watch the babies while a couple of young moms get the chance to eat a meal in one sitting. Cinco de Mayo proved the perfect time to do just that, as Aunt Cindy and GrandMary hi-tailed it to La Fonda to grab a celebratory take-away meal for all.

It was a beautiful day, so we spread the feast out on the table on the back deck and let Kate and Jessica dig in. Little Sarah seemed happy enough with her cheesy quesadillas, while the rest of us ate our fill of beans, burritos, tacos, chips, salsa, and guacamole. Cindy and I kept an eye on babies Liliee and Liam so the mamas could eat.

Lilee, who had a couple more weeks to go in her leg cast, was sweet as pie. Such a cheery disposition! Liam was a little fractious, since he missed his morning nap, but he pulled himself together nicely toward the end of the visit.

Another important role for grandmothers: maintaining those family ties, making sure that cousins, aunts, uncles, and extended family have as many opportunties as possible to be together. And we love spending time with our cousins!

Good talk, good fun, beautiful day - ole!

Just Too Stinkin' Cute

It's a grandmother's prerogative to bring out the brag-book. Here are a few pictures of my sweet GrandBoy. Once I figure out how to share the Flip videos - watch out!

Liam, incognito. No autographs, please!

Liam and his stinkin' cute Mama and Daddy,

celebrating Mama's birthday.

Liam - shocked, surprised, wishing

GrandMary would stop taking pictures.

Liam impersonating Alfred Hitchcock. "Good Evening."

It All Comes Back To You

It’s been years since I had to get up in the middle of the night to feed an infant. Or that my arm fell asleep holding a baby because I was afraid if I moved even a little, the babe would awake. Or that I had to wrestle with a wiggly tyke in an attempt to change a diaper. Funny how it all comes back when you need to call those skills back into action.

Lots of things have changed in the past 27 years. Different theories. New technology. But soothing a tiny human at 3am is the same as it’s always been. I fell into the early morning feeding schedule during my visit to Atlanta, tag-teaming with the mama (who had to get up to pump milk anyway) and the daddy, who usually took the 6am leg of the schedule. Lifting, positioning, cooing, rocking are talents that kick into auto-pilot when needed.

The routine was so familiar that it was easy to forget that I wasn’t handling my baby girl, but my GrandBoy. I think I was a little surprised by that. After all, a parent jumps from one kid-stage to another: newborn, infant, toddler, child, adolescent – it’s easy to leave each previous skill-set behind to keep up with an ever-changing offspring. But I guess you just store all of that knowledge somewhere until it’s called for again.

You can’t call up a skill you never had, though. The one thing I was lousy at with Daughter was putting her sleeping-self back into her crib without waking her. It was all a matter of luck. Sometimes I got away with it; many times, I didn’t. Well, folks, that lack o’ talent continues to this very day. You’d think I’d’ve gotten the hang of it, but I still managed to rouse GrandBoy several times during the crib put-down. I’m open to ideas on how to perfect my technique.

Some things never change.

The Best Mothers Day

Daughter was only five days old when I celebrated my first Mothers Day as a bonafide mother. I was in a new-mom haze at the time, and although there are pictures documenting the day, I don’t remember much about it. This year’s Mothers Day, however, was very memorable.

That baby girl, who conferred the honor of “Mother” on me, celebrated her first Mothers Day this year. And for the first time since I moved to New York four years ago, I got to be with her. It was doubly-special to watch her commemorate the day with GrandBoy.

Son-in-Law did an outstanding job of pampering and gift-showering on Liam’s behalf. We all went to church – where we did a lot of showing off (and who wouldn’t, with such a handsome little feller?), then had a fondue-per time at The Melting Pot. Mm-mm-mm! I think the best gift Liam gave his mama (and all of us) was sleeping through the entire meal at the restaurant, allowing us to eat, drink, and be merry in peace.

As a new grandmother I had a double reason to celebrate. Watching my own baby girl join the Mothers Day Club made it the very best Mothers Day!

That Sweet, Sweet Smell

There is no sweeter smell in the world than a little baby's head, face, and neck. All I did for nine whole days in Atlanta was nuzzle Liam's neck, kiss his fingers, and chew on his baby-feet. Like all human beings, he has his own smell. Whether that little head is freshly washed or sweaty from sleep, his distinct fragrance comes through. Blindfold me and put me in a roomful of babies, and I could pick out GrandBoy.

I could (and still can) do the same for Daughter. Whether a dancing 8-year-old, a sleepy 17-year-old, or a busy 27-year-old mama, she's still that infant in my arms whenever I catch a hint of her baby-smell. I could find her in a sea of humanity if I had to by her scent alone (and I'm not talking her shampoo/perfume).

Is everyone as smell-centric as I am? I have always been accused of having an acute sense of smell, whether busting Step-daughter smoking outside at 3am, the smell of which would wake me from a dead-sleep, or getting the first whiffs of burning wires or a gas leak. Well, maybe not everybody has that gift - though sometimes it's not such a gift - so maybe folks miss out on the sweet baby smells (versus the not-so-sweet baby smells).

Anyway, Sweet Liam, I have your unique smell locked into this nose of mine. Even when you're grown with big stinky man-feet, I'll know how to find you by your sweet baby smell.

The debate rages: cloth or disposables?

GrandBoy is trying out cloth diapers for a while. Face it, the cost of buying disposables in bulk every time you turn around does mount up. So Kate is giving cloth diapers a whirl to see if they fit into the modern lifestyle. There seem to be all sorts of makes and models now - not just a square of soft cotton (grab the rubber pants, folks) and safety pins.

I reckon one can make an environmental argument for using cloth instead of tossing all those soggy disposables in the garbage - though, running two or three loads of diapers through a washer and dryer every day must have an environmental impact as well.

I must confess that when Kate was a baby, cloth diapers never crossed my mind. OK, maybe briefly when I was pregnant and doing a hot Krispy Kreme run, passing one of the local diaper services en route - but, seriously? No. Disposables were just too easy - hang the cost - and Kate never suffered from any rashes or infections, so, yeah, I was all about disposables. And our mothers thought we were so lucky to have disposables (and clothes dryers).

Environmental pressures are greater today (sorry, I draw my touchy-feely save-the-environment line at air conditioning and disposable diapers), and cloth diapers come in a lot of configurations now. Plus, no pins.

I'll get to see how they work up-close-and-personal once I land in Atlanta tomorrow. I still have some concerns over the "shitey-nappies," greatly preferring to hold my nose, wad 'em up, and toss 'em in the diaper pail for trash. I'm hoping they've invented something that just magically makes all that stuff disappear without much work on my part.

In the end, whatever works for whoever's having to do the work is just fine by me. Cloth, disposable - doesn't really matter. Though, Kate may want to check the trash for "loaded" diapers if I'm the one doing the changing.

I will report back. With pictures.

It's good to be 21!

Today, Liam is two months old. But it's also my birthday. And we have one other lucky 21 in the family: Brother (Great Uncle) Bill's birthday is November 21.

So for the three of us, it'll be easy to remember each other's celebratory day. Now, if we can just remember the month . . .

Let's hear it for everyone born on the 21st of whatever month!

Liam's First Easter

Which I had to miss, by the way. Sigh. But here are pictures of his first Easter. Such a cute little Easter egg!

Rumor has it that Liam missed most of the Easter service, preferring instead to bounce around in his daddy's arms outside. Oh, well. He has years of church services ahead of him! Happy Easter!

Dogwoods, mite boxes, Cadbury Eggs, and ukeleles

Try explaining Easter to a little kid. I tried once when Kate was 4-years-old and knew I'd failed miserably when her big blue eyes got even bigger and she said "Oooh! A ghost story!" Sigh. Christmas is sooo much easier to talk about. Even a little child can understand the birth of a new baby, eh? But this raising-from-the-dead thing is a tough one to sell to, well, lots of people, but certainly to a youngster.

So we build Easter traditions and trust - we hope - that if the kid hears the story enough times s/he'll grow into it (OK, maybe four was a little young for the resurrection part). GrandBoy's Easter traditions will be set in motion by his parents and family, his church family, and perhaps some friends. He's a wee boy on his first Easter, and those traditions will start tomorrow for him.

But when his mama was growing up, her Easter traditions involved:

• new clothes, usually with a hat of some kind
• mite boxes (for an Easter offering) full of so many coins that they had to be taped up to hold them together
• dogwoods (and whatever other spring flowers we had in the yard on Easter morn) to flower the cross at church
• a crazy priest with a ukelele leading the congregation in a round of "God Is A Surprise" (Your mama will teach it to you, Liam.)
• the wild and woolly race to find the Cadbury Eggs at the annual chaotic family Easter egg hunt (Cousin Mikey was ruthless where those Cadbury Eggs were concerned, as I recall.) 
• Honey Baked Ham. Mmm-mmm. (And one year we watched the film Babe after lunch. I know. Sick family.)

Until GrandBoy is old enough to understand the deeper meaning of Easter, lots of lovely traditions will lay a foundation for him. Not very theological, I'll admit (especially the new clothes/Cadbury Egg part), but it'll have to do for now.

Happy Easter to all! God is a surprise!

Happy Keester!

A little light-hearted Easter message. Thank GrandMary's brother and your great-uncle Bill for this one, Liam!

ALL I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT LIFE I LEARNED FROM THE EASTER BUNNY

• Don't put all of your eggs in one basket
• Walk softly and carry a big carrot
• Everyone needs a friend who is all ears
• There's no such thing as too much candy
• All work and no play can make you a basket case
• A cute little tail attracts a lot of attention
• Everyone is entitled to a bad hare day
• Let happy thoughts multiply like rabbits
• Some body parts should be floppy
• Keep your paws off other people's jellybeans
• Good things come in small sugar-coated packages
• The grass is always greener in someone else's basket 
• An Easter bonnet can tame even the wildest hare
• To show your true colors you have to come out of your shell
• The best things in life are still sweet and gooey !!

Happy Easter, GrandBoy!

Announcing Liam Samuel

Remember the photography session when Liam was a week old? And the thermostat in the house turned up to 78 (for those of you concerned about him being cold)? Well, here's Part I of the results: the baby announcements. I'll share the family pictures later, but for now, the announcement proofs will have to do. Enjoy!

One Month Old!

Dear Liam,

A month ago today we welcomed you into the world. You were already greatly loved, even before you made your appearance, but after a few short weeks we cannot imagine a world without you.

You've had a busy month, getting to know your Mama and Daddy (and GrandMary) and lots of other family and friends. You had to learn to eat, pee, and pooh outside the comfort of the womb. Your belly button and circumcision healed. You've worn lots of cute little clothes. You've been the subject of digital cameras, Blackberry cameras, a Flip camera, and a professional photographer (and you slept through most of it). You've met the dogs.

Well, face it - there's a lot to do for a GrandBoy making his appearance into the wide, wide world.

The main thing you need to know right now (and from here on out, really) is that you are loved. You were lucky enough to be born to wonderful parents and into a big crazy family who will love you to the point of frustration when you're a teenager, but until then, enjoy it. Settle back and get comfortable in all the love.

Wish I were there to kiss your sweet face.

Love,

GrandMary

What's a newborn grandparent to do?

Well, GrandMary took her cue from Kate's Grandma Marie. Right after Kate was born, her Grandma Marie came to visit for a couple of weeks. A mother of six and a nurse, she knew just how to lend support without overstepping the boundaries of new-parenthood.

She took care of the the rest of the family while I was given the luxury of getting used to the baby's routines. Cooking meals, taking care of the laundry, making sure the rest of the family had what they needed, and holding Baby Kate while this new mama took the occasional nap or washed her hair made those first crucial weeks much easier.

Marie was a great role model for how a new grandparent can help during the early days. I'm trying my best to follow her lead, even when - ooooooh! - I just want to get my hands on Baby Liam!

Marie died last September. We all wish she were still here to enjoy the newest in the clan, Liam and his cousin Aidan. But she certainly taught this new grandparent the right way to be of help to parents with a newborn babe. And I hope I do her memory justice.

America's Next Top Model

Newborn photos are all the rage right now. At the recommendation of friends, the new mama and papa arranged for Amanda Treiger to showcase Baby Liam's star-potential. Yesterday morning was all about lights, camera, and as little action (great arcing streams of pee, fussiness, etc.) as possible. Fortunately, Liam is pretty calm, cool, and collected, even when naked and having his legs and arms tucked around him.

Our only instruction was to have the heat cranked up to 78 degrees so that the babe would stay warm. Once the photographer's lights, the fireplace, and central heating were on, it was like a sauna in the living room. The rest of us were sweating, but Liam was quite comfortable for his first nude photo shoot.

Amanda brings props but also uses whatever's available at the baby's home. Kate and Greg have a great black-and-off-white animal-stripey chair that worked as a very artsy-fartsy prop for GrandBoy. We also made use of the baskets, pillows, and backdrops that Amanda brought.

She knew just what to do and how to position the baby, mama, daddy, and GrandMary (yes, I got in on a couple of shots) for the greatest effect. Of course, Liam was the star, and it takes a lot of patience to wait for just the right mouth or hand position. I also liked that she made sure his little legs were crossed modestly over his private parts in every shot. Yes, his little behind shows, but that's the extent of the baby-cheesecake.

The whole thing took about three hours. We had to stop down for a feeding and, yes, had to clean up a couple of pee-accidents, but all in all, Liam took the whole thing very calmly. He slept through most of it.

We've seen a sampling of the pictures, and they are fantastic. Can't wait to see the rest of them. Thanks, Amanda, for a great experience and fabulous results!

Remembering Day One

Liam is a whopping 7 days old today. So much happened from 12:30am last Sunday, when we got to Piedmont Hospital's Labor & Delivery Room #14, until around 4pm, when we left the LDR for the postpartum room! I have a little list:

• The chatty euphoria brought on once the epidural took effect. The sheer relief of not having to feel the pain caused Kate to remark over and over "This is great! Why wouldn't everybody want this?" and wonder about the mental stability of anyone choosing to go natural. Hail, St. Epiduria!

• Greg sleeping on the floor of the LDR. I was on the couch, and he couldn't get comfortable in the rocking chair, so he made a pallet on the floor and crashed there. For at least 4 hours. Good thing, too, because he needed all his strength to help coach Kate through the pushing phase.
• Legally Blonde was playing on the TV during final labor and delivery. We chose that rather than the Sunday morning news shows. After all, w ho wouldn't want to be born during the movie that taught us all to "bend and snap"?
• It was all hands on deck once the pushing phase commenced, around 10:30 Sunday morning. Kate, of course, was center of attention. Greg had her back and counted her through the pushes. I held one leg, while a nurse had the other. The doctor was where she needed to be.

• Liam came out face up, just like his mama did. Neither one of them want to miss a thing, I reckon.
• The whole delivery team worked like a well-oiled machine - measuring, washing, testing quickly and efficiently. But everyone was warm and cheerful, not coldly clinical.
• As we were passing the nurses' station outside the LDR on the way to the postpartum room, one of the nurses told me to push a red button. It activated Brahms' Lullaby as Kate was wheeled to her room. We were told that every time a mother moves from LDR to her room the tune plays all over the hospital. True, because I heard it several times over the next couple of days wherever I happened to be - snack bar, on my way to the parking deck, in the gift shop.
• The folks and facilities at Piedmont Hospital are the best! Everyone was friendly and helpful. Kate was born there almost 27 years ago. Glad she birthed her son there, too.
• Greg was an outstanding labor coach. He did the counting during contractions, counting very slowly and keeping Kate focused. Excellent job, Dad!

• Kate was, as always, a real trouper. Her full speed ahead, let's git-'er-done attitude got her through the worst of it. Within minutes of giving birth, she said "Yeah, I can definitely do that again!"

So, for Liam, a little snapshot of events from the hours surrounding his birth. We're all in love with him. Looking forward to watching him grow!

"Thanks, Mom"

I know that new mothers (and GrandMarys) are emotional, tears flowing at the least little thing. But this Proctor & Gamble commercial airing during the Winter Olympics pushes all the mama-buttons, whether you're holding a newborn or having a glass of wine with your adult child. Grab the tissues, and have a look:

Settling in

At 4 1/2 days old and having spent 2 1/2 days at home, Liam is settling in nicely. He's tried out his cradle, his swing, his Pack and Play, and his changing table. You know, just checkin' everything out to see what's what and what suits him at a particular moment. He's pretty easy-going, being at the eat/sleep/poop-pee stage of life (which I'm rapidly approaching on the other end . . . ), and is easily soothed with swaddling, swinging, jiggling or bouncing.

It took three of us to change the first poop-diaper. Stuff was spewing, oozing, spraying everywhere, and we were all laughing so hard that the task took far longer than necessary, I'm sure. It really does take a village. At least when Old Faithful and oil gushers are coming out of a tiny baby. A pity there were no extra hands to record the hilarity on the Flip Cam.

Mama's already found the favorite blanket, and Liam is perfectly happy swaddled tightly therein. We've discovered that many "newborn" clothes are made for newbies weighing 9-10lbs, instead of Liam's comfy 6 1/2, although the Gerber onesies (0-3 mos.) fit fine. However, he is quite the dapper little guy, whatever he wears.

The exercise ball that Kate used during early labor to help move things along has come in handy as a place to bounce as we hold the baby. It's a different motion than rocking or gliding, and Liam loves it. Plus, I think I might be getting a little exercise out of it.

Flowers, visitors, and gifts arrive daily, adding to the festive "Welcome Home!" atmosphere. All in all, I think GrandBoy is settling in nicely.

GrandBoy's First Day

You'd think that a newborn could get a little peace and quiet after spending all those hours being squeezed out of that warm jacuzzi he lived in for almost 10 months. Not so.

Oh, the measuring and weighing and battery of tests! A guy barely drops off to sleep or has a chance to greet his many visitors, when in swoops someone to take him away to test his hearing or PKU or a photographer bounces in to take pictures. Sheesh!

Then there's the steep learning curve of how to maneuver his hands out of a tight swaddle or figure out the whole breast-feeding thing. Face it, things were a lot simpler in the mommy-jacuzzi.

But the little guy with the face of an angel and a headful of fabulous hair is a pretty smart cookie. He survived Day 1, usually in the cuddle of Mama or Daddy or GrandMary or friends who dropped by the hospital for a first glimpse at the little feller. He's catching on fast.

Which is good, because his second 24-36 hours will throw him another little curve: going home. No more nurse interruptions or hospital surroundings. It shouldn't be too hard for him to settle in to his adorable nursery, chill out in his swing or cradle, and start living the life of Liam.

You're doing great, kiddo!

Life of the party at an hour old!

Liam's first visitor was friend Lindsey, who found her way to the Labor & Delivery Room right after GrandBoy was born. Bearing yellow flowers and another camera to document the recent arrival's title of "Newborn Host With the Most," girlfriend Lindsey gave new Mama someone with recent birthin' experience to share the joy with.

Thanks, Lindsey, for being a part of this special moment!

Introducing Liam Samuel Richeson

He's here! Liam Samuel Richeson

February 21, 2010

12:03pm

Weight: 6lb 9oz

Length: 19 1/2"

Headful of black hair. Precious beyond belief.

Mama and Liam both healthy. Good job, Kate!

More pictures to follow! Thanks for your thoughts and prayers.