Time well spent

Kristian is living proof that being born with one’s intestines on the outside of the body does not prevent a baby from wiggling. His tummy is relatively normal now, except he has no visible bellybutton. We are grateful that all his body parts are now tucked safely inside where they belong. We met him for the first time over the Thanksgiving holiday.

He is barely two months old and never stopped moving or making noise the entire week we spent with his aunt, my daughter. I have never seen a child squirm so much and not get anywhere.

He doesn’t cry any more than any other infant but he has an entire repertoire of grunts, groans and squeaks that only his mother can interpret. I shouldn’t be surprised that he is so vocal. His two-year-old sister talked and sang incessantly in both Spanish and English. I have never heard the ABC song quite that often or in such a sweet voice. It surprised me that the letters she had trouble with were H, I and J. When I was little I always thought L-M-N-O was one word that was pronounced al-um-men-oh. This tiny blonde enunciated those letters perfectly. She also ate half a bowl of green (she called it pink) salsa using only one chip but that is another story.

We went to Houston over Thanksgiving to visit with my daughter and her family. My daughter, her sister, Rachael, her other sister, Chrisie and Chrisie’s two children were there to meet us at the airport. My son-in-law was busy hunting Bambi and friends with murder on his mind so he was absent the first couple of days we were there. (Bambi still lives.)

We almost didn’t get to Texas in the first place. My daughter had told me to bring change for the toll road. So I tossed a roll of quarters in the bottom of my purse. After scanning my pocketbook multiple times a gnome of a man escorted me to a table. I felt like I was being sent to the principal’s office and everyone was staring at me. It seems the scanner had picked up a “large hunk of metal” in my purse. I told him about the quarters and was about to show him where they were when he brushed my hand away and told me not to touch anything.

After unpacking my book, reading glasses, two pairs of sunglasses, a billfold and several other items, he finally found the quarters. He held them up, squinted, then handed them back to me and told me I could repack my things. I felt like cursing the terrorists who made this scrutiny necessary. It only takes one fanatic to spoil things for everybody.

All this was forgotten when we were reunited with the girls. After listening to the story about the quarters, my daughter informed me that we weren’t taking the toll road after all. I gave her the money anyway then asked if I could hold the baby.

Kristian stretched and arched his back as he settled into my arms. The two-year-old went with my husband to help pickup the suitcases. I stared at my lovely daughter. We live so far apart I feel as if I can’t get enough of her on the rare occasions we get together. It isn’t enough to talk on the telephone several times a week. I can’t touch her through the phone. I can’t take her shopping when she lives across the country.

Speaking of shopping, one of the things I enjoy is shopping with her. She managed to get someone to sell her one slipper because the dog ate one. The shop owner told her to tell her dog to “eat more slippers.” Who ever heard of being able to buy just one slipper?

We had a wonderful vacation together. It added to the fun to have her sisters around. I learned a lot that week. I was reminded that daughters are always beautiful especially if they’re yours. Babies can survive frightening medical procedures and be healthy.

The most important thing I learned was to never, never crawl into a playhouse on the invitation of a two-year-old charmer even if she does call you, “Your majesty,” because she will velcro the doors and zip it shut to the sound of her aunt’s laughter.[[In-content Ad]]