January 9 – Baby Time

By Linda Hoye

On January 2, 2009, my daughter gave birth to a beautiful baby girl! I was blessed to be with her as she labored to bring Makiya Rose into the world and to spend a week helping the new family adjust to the changes. This trip provided an unexpected opportunity to step out of my regular stress-filled existence into a simpler, quieter, more peaceful place run strictly on baby-time.

In baby-time there is no attempt to adhere to personal schedules as everything revolves around the needs of the infant. Aside from tending to the baby’s needs, one could (and we did) spend countless hours just looking at the face of the sleeping baby, fascinated by the expressions she makes while sleeping. In baby-time, holding the child to coax a burp is an opportunity to kiss the top of the cloud-soft head, and to inhale deeply the scent of newborn baby that is like none other.

Holding this new baby in my arms over the past week has been one of the most profound experiences of my life. As I have held her, rocked her, talked softly to her, and prayed over her my mind was not tempted to wander. Tasks not completed, or put on temporary hold back home, held no interest for me. I was not tempted to check my email and only logged on to distribute pictures of my beautiful granddaughter to friends.

Occasionally, I found my mind wandering back to the time when my daughter was born. As I cradled my granddaughter I was struck with the miracle of this circle of life as I remembered my mom being with me soon after my daughter was born. Then, soon, softly, gently, and with little effort, I would return to baby-time.

Today I journey back home and I find myself walking through the airport with a serene smile on my face, wondering if anyone can tell that I am a new grandma. I consider how the birth of this tiny infant has changed not only the lives of my daughter and her husband, but also my own. I will never forget the privilege and honor of being able to share the first week of her life with her and her mom and dad.

Linda Hoye is a full-time HR Management Systems Analyst, a part-time writer, and a full-time and fanatical grandma. Linda and her husband have four children and two brilliant grandchildren. She maintains a website at http://lindahoye.com/.

January 5 – Two Years Ago Tonight

by Laurinda Wheeler

It’s hard to believe that two years have passed by already…

Two years ago tonight, I lay alone in a hospital bed with my two day old baby girl beside me; we didn’t realize, and no one offered, that my husband could stay with us. Baby girl was having a little bit of a problem with phlegm, choking and not being able to breathe; in the end it was nothing serious, but as a new mom, I was terrified! Next to us, was a rather loud baby, mom and dad; this baby would NOT stop crying!! When it finally would fall asleep, mom and dad would continue to chat, not very quietly, especially considering the time of night that it was. Baby girl, as she continued to do for nearly a year, did not sleep very well either, being continuously awakened by the commotions behind the curtain. I was exhausted, nervous about being left alone with a newborn, and longed to me in the comfort of my own home, with my husband there by my side. I grew more and more anxious, and extremely irritable; I just wanted to take my baby and walk out of the hospital!!

Finally, after very little sleep, it was morning! I called home, excited to find out when hubby and mom would be coming to get us; not, of course, thinking of the time it would take the doctor to come around, or what the reaction to my legs would be. Unfortunately, by morning, my legs, ankles and feet had swollen up to a rather large and uncomfortable size. When the doctor finally came around to see us, several hours after I had anticipated, there was a great concern for what was going on with me; baby girl had been deemed healthy enough to go home. We had to wait even longer as I was being sent for an ultra-sound to clear the possibility of a blood clot.

At last, time for our new little family to go home! The concern with ladybugs choking etc., the insecurities, all soon disappeared; taken over by the routine of our new life with a baby, the natural and instinctive take-over that happens.

Now, we sit here, two years later. Baby girl is not so much a baby anymore. She’s now a toddler, a little girl; a child with a brilliant mind all her own. Independent and strong-willed, learning so many things so quickly, developing her personality, and discovering her very distinct “likes” and “dislikes”. Our beautiful, precious little girl…

Laurinda has three beautiful step-children, and is currently staying at home with her beautiful two-year-old daughter! She has been inspired by her mom to get back to her writing. Laurinda blogs at Seasons of Life.