Zachary

2 Hands, 2 Feet, 10 Fingers and Toes! A sweet little mouth and adorable nose. He murmurs. He coos. He's such a sound sleeper. The image of perfection. It's Zachary Wheeler.

We've done it again! We have added grandchild #4 to the family. Zachary is the biggest cuddler I've ever met.

When I first saw Zachary, all I said was "He's a baby Nicholas!" He looks so much like his older brother...except for one thing. I think Nicholas was born with his eyes wide open. (And it is still hard to get him to close them when it is bedtime.) Zachary is a quieter copy of his big brother.

Those first few days it was obvious he thought this world was way too bright, much more so than where he spent the last 9 months! He squinted, he frowned, he scowled, and he kept his eyes closed. As soon as anyone picked him up he fell asleep in their arms.

He can make anyone feel like the most protective person in the world. Nicholas actually sat for over an hour holding Zachary on his first day home. No TV. Nothing going on. Just Nicholas on the couch with his baby brother in his arms. Not moving. Sitting very still. And protective. Nicholas is a devoted big brother. And so far he seems to have little problem sharing Zachary with his mom and dad. (Phew! Always glad to get past the jealousy hurdle!) Of course, every parent knows there will be moments.... but they are off to a good start.

Zachary is changing already. Looking bigger, and not so 'brand new'. He has unfolded and stretches out, nice and relaxed and checking out his world. Zachary has decided if he is going to stay, he might as well look around and take in his surroundings. He is beginning to be awake more often. I can see him start to focus and look at objects, lights, and faces. And he listens to sounds. Some will make him open his eyes, or look towards a sound. He may just raise his eyebrows. But he hears them. He doesn't startle easily.

Each infant comes with its own personality. As a grandparent it is so much fun watching them develop. I've learned (from being a parent) that half of who a child becomes is influenced by their parents. The other half is who they inately are. It is how those 2 parts interact that will ultimately determine who he will become. I've gotten to know my first 2 grandsons, and I love what I see. They are works in progress, as different as night and day, but still have lots of fun together. Samantha is obviously Warren's sister, and at 18 months gives us clues as to what kind of little girl she will be. Now it is Zachary's turn. His genes are set. He is who he will be. Today he is a needy infant, totally dependent on the adults in his life. Over time we will get to know who he is.

I'll be on the sidelines watching.

A Baby's Baptism

Being a grandmother is a special part of reaching the 'later' years! It is great seeing them grow and learn but we don't live close to our grandchildren so we focus on the special moments and try to be present for those.
Of course, it is easier for a retired Granbery to visit than it is for a working Paberry. Sometimes the best laid plans don't work out. Whenever we knew a baby was due, Larry would try to plan a visit into his travel schedule near the due date. Warren, our first grandchild, decided to set the bar high and let us know from the beginning that schedules and plans were meant to be rearranged. He was born 6 weeks early! I made the drive to Iowa and stayed with Jan for a few weeks until she was comfortable enough and Warren had settled into as much of a routine as a newborn ever does. However, Larry's plane tickets were booked for 6 weeks later. Jan and Mike decided to have Warren baptised when Larry was there which we thought was a great idea. Since I had just been there and planned on going to Florida in a few weeks for Nicholas birth, I did not make the trip back to Iowa and Larry attended the baptism alone.

That experience showed us that some things are too special to be missed. As Warren was baptised both sets of grandparents stood with his family. The baby was passed to each grandparent with a reminder that we are all responsible for his upbringing. At the end of the ceremony, each person placed a hand on the baby as he was baptized. Poor Larry. He felt so badly that I had missed it. Since then we have made a point of making that weekend a priority. No excuses. Not every church includes the grandparents quite as much, but it is still a special moment in a child's life and we don't want to miss it. When Nicholas was baptised we were there.

Last weekend, Samantha was baptized. This time it was scheduled around a weekend when we could both be there. On Saturday the family got together for dinner at Jan's and Mike's. On Sunday other relatives added to the ranks and we took up 2 pews in the church.
When Warren was baptized he wore the family gown. That gown had been worn by all of his aunts and uncles on his paternal grandmother's side. Because Samantha was 5 months old that was out of the question. I went rumaging through a cedar chest and found the dress that Jen and Jan had worn when they were baptized, complete with shoes, hat, and blanket (knitted by her great-grandmother). It just fit her.

The big question was how would Samantha respond to being passed from person to person. She much prefers her parents to any other people and is not happy with crowds. But on this particular day she made every grandparent feel like they were the most important part of her life. She patiently let us hold her, pass her, and lay our hands on her. And her smiles were abundant. It was a wonderful moment for all of us.

A special trip for a special event in a special little girl's life. That's what grandparents are for!