Baby Withdrawal

I’ve fallen in love.  Hard.  His name is Luke William.  He has silky black hair, bluish-dark eyes and a smile that will melt your soul.  Even if it is gas, and not a real smile.   (I’ve never believed that, though.)  At birth, on November 7^th, he weighed 7 lbs, 7 oz and was 21 inches long.  Yes, we’re talking about my grandson—my first grandchild.  I’ve just returned home from spending the first week of his life with him, and now I’m suffering from Baby Withdrawal.

It all began last Thursday, November 6^th, when my cell phone rang just as I was handing $4.00 over to an employee at Panera for a cheese Danish and a cup of coffee.  I’d been waiting for that phone call for what seemed like forever; Leah’s due date was November 4^th—and because she arrived three weeks early when I was pregnant with her, I kind of thought my grandchild would, too.  Not exactly logical reasoning, is it? 

Anyway, Leah was having contractions, and the hospital had decided to admit her because her blood pressure was a little high.  As soon as I got off the phone with her, I called Frank at work, and he agreed to meet me at home.  Coffee and Danish forgotten, I hurried home and gathered everything I needed for the two-hour trip to Maryland.  (Luckily, I’d had the foresight to pack a suitcase weeks ago to keep in Frank’s Forester because I’d be staying with Leah, Zac and baby for a week after delivery.)  As it turned out, though, we didn’t have to hurry.  When we arrived at the hospital, Leah and Zac met us in the waiting room of the birth center.  She was dressed in a hospital gown.  Because her contractions were erratic, the nurses had suggested she walk around for a while.  By ten o’clock that night, things still weren’t really progressing, so Frank and I went back to their house to stay with the dogs, and waited for a phone call that didn’t come that night.

The next morning, we went back to the birth center where Zac told us she’d started having strong contractions around three in the morning.  Around noon, the nurse asked Frank & me to go wait in the waiting room so they could check her, and Zac promised to keep us updated.  An hour passed, and finally, he called my cell phone to tell me that the anesthesiologist was on his way to give her the epidural—and that things would happen fast then.  Another hour passed, and I was really growing nervous.  It was about three o’clock when I finally walked down to the nurse’s station to get an update.  I talked to Leah’s midwife, and she told me Leah was pushing, and everything looked great.  Relieved, I returned to the waiting room. Minutes ticked by.  At 4:00, a young pregnant girl arrived; she was having contractions even though the baby was a month early.  I didn’t know it then, but this girl happened to be a neighbor of Leah and Zac’s.  At 4:15, Frank decided to drive over to the house to let the dogs out.  I’d been drinking water all day, and I had to go to the bathroom, but I didn’t want to leave the waiting room in case Zac showed up with the big news.  But as the clock inched closer to 4:30, I became increasingly uncomfortable.  Finally, I could wait no longer.  The bathroom was just off the waiting room, so I didn’t have to go far. 

I was washing my hands when I heard some excitement in the waiting room.  I opened the door, stepped out—and saw a beaming Zac.  “7 pounds, 7 ounces,” he said.  But he wasn’t talking to me!  He was talking to his pregnant neighbor. 

“What?  Did she have it?”  I shrieked.  (Okay, I wasn’t really shrieking.  But I was excited.)  “What was it?”  (Leah and Zac were one of the very few expectant parents who chose not to find out the sex ahead of time.) 

“It’s a boy!”  Zac said, laughing.  “You want to come meet your new grandson, Grandma?”

You bet I did!  I called Frank on my cell phone as I raced toward Leah’s room.  “Hi, Grandpa!  It’s a boy!” 

Luckily, Frank had just stepped off the elevator off the birthing center.  So, he was in the room almost as quickly as I was.  Finally, it was the moment I’d been waiting for.  Leah was holding her new son, and he was gazing up at her like he was trying to memorize her face.  It was the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen. 

Now, I know all grandparents think their newborn grandchild is the most beautiful baby ever born.  Well, I’m here to tell you that my Luke William isthe most beautiful baby ever born…of course, not counting my own Leah and Stephen.  J  If you don’t believe me, just check out his pictures on my MySpace page.  http://www.myspace.com/carolebellacera

The week I spent bonding with Luke William was just wonderful.  There were times that only Nana Carole could quiet him.  J  (Not to brag.)  One of my favorite moments was when I was rocking him, and he fell asleep on my chest—and slept for over an hour.  Another was when Zac, who comes from a family of musicians, composed an impromptu song for him while playing the guitar.  I told him he needs to remember the lyrics and actually record it for him.  Leah and Zac are going to be wonderful parents.  I can see it in them already.  They’re both so calm and collected—even when the little guy fusses.

Now, I’m trying to adjust to being back home and getting back to my regular routine.  But it’s hard because, like I said, I’m suffering from Baby Withdrawal.  Does anyone know a remedy?  I don’t know how I’m going to make it to Thanksgiving!!!  But I guess I have no choice.

Hey, more good news!  I’ve opened up a Beautiful Evening Beads shop at Etsy.com to sell my hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces.  Stop by and check it out, and bookmark it because I’ll be adding new jewelry on an ongoing basis.  www.beautifuleveningbead.etsy.com

Hope all of you have a great Thanksgiving!  I know I will because I’ll be seeing little Luke William again.  J   Sorry…I just can’t stop gushing. 

Blessings,

Carole

November 2008