My husband and I have breathed air from Mexico to China, from Cape Canaveral to Gibraltar. We've rafted the Colorado River and climbed all 235 steps of Brock's Monument at Queenston. We've seen the old growth forest of Cathedral Grove, and walked on Hadrian's Wall. And we've taken the helicopter ride over Niagara's Falls. None of it compares to holding our precious grandchildren. We have two (so far!) I have reservations about putting their pictures on the web so have undertaken today to give you word pictures about each of them.
Chelsea was born almost a year and a half ago and we flew out to see her three weeks later. What utter joy to press her cuddly body to me, her head turned toward my neck as she slept. I had forgotten that contentment, that peace of holding a trusting baby so close. Her little nose turned up slightly as she snuffled in her sleep, happy to be held, unaware of how cherished she is.
Last week I talked to her yet again on the phone and for the first time she tried to talk back. Of course she doesn't really talk yet but she got the idea and voiced her own language to me. So simple but so sweet. Yesterday when Beth put her on, she didn't make any sounds but stood motionless, totally listening as I talked to her. For once she didn't try to take the phone away and look at the earpiece. She seemed to get that the voice she was hearing was the interesting part and didn't try to 'see' me.
So what does Chelsea look like? She still has that tiny turn-up nose and her eyes are beautifully blue (like both her parents'). Her smile can be small and sweet as though she's not sure she should commit just yet, or fully fashioned across her face, pushing her pink cheeks into soft mounds of joy. And she has her grandfather's dimple. Only one, in her left cheek, and only visible when her smile erupts. Chelsea was chunky until she learned to walk and then run, so fast that she wore off her baby bits. She still has a wee tummy but is long in the waist and shorter in the legs. She has a great pose when she has something to laugh about or someone to laugh with. Her little legs spread apart she tips forward slightly at the waist and her wee bottom juts out. Her hands are moving always, punctuating her happy mood, and her grin with wide-spaced snow-white teeth melts my heart in a second. When teething her cheeks glow red but she still smiles and keeps moving, busy all the time. Lucky I can remember her falling asleep in my arms, as these days she is too interested in her total world to sleep except when in bed. Then she is a great sleeper. In case you haven't guessed, she's also a keeper.
Our Benjamin started his life with some difficulties. With my left hand I held him facing me, on my lap, while with my right I held a tiny medicine cup holding one ounce of breast milk for him. My son told me to keep waking him up as he needed to eat. I talked to him, jiggled him on my lap, saw his eyes flutter open and tipped the cup into his mouth. Softly he sucked away on the dribble then closed his eyes again. I did this over and over until, half an hour later, the cup was empty and Benjamin was fed. Such a joy for me, even though he was so small I was almost afraid to hold him.
He, too, has come a long way since that time seven months ago. Today he stands strong in my lap for as long as I want to hold him there. He sits up straight and true, and watches the world around him with bonny blue eyes wide. He is beautifully proportioned although I think he might end up with extra long arms like his grandfather. Too soon to tell, though. His hair is blond and soft and his gummy smile when he sees either of his doting parents makes me laugh out loud. He is mostly happy although he can have some 'off' days now and again. He took a while to catch on to sleeping as much as he should but now seems to have it figured out. When his father takes him and swings him up in the air or his mother comes through the door and snuggles him, Ben giggles a lot. He seems to be trying to get out the biggest laugh ever. I think he will be a happy boy, too.
Both of these children are totally enfolded in love by their parents and their grandparents. When we saw Chelsea for the first time I took her, held her awhile and then offered her to my husband. He was content to watch me hold her but took the bundle in his arms and lost his heart to his first grandchild. And when we held Ben for the first time the same gut level ache caught each of us by surprise. We were happy, we thought, without grandchildren. Now we know a greater visceral joy. Maybe we see our 'line' will carry on, I don't know.
Oh, we'll continue to travel and see the world and its secrets, but now we have so much more to come home to. Our blessed grandchildren.
I was excited about doing this research for another book but not prepared for the pleasure I would get from meeting Mrs. Simcoe. I would have loved this book even if I weren't doing research. I even kept it five days past the library due date so that I could finish it.
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