Category: Grandpa’s Sweeties

The Sweeties know what to be thankful for

Jill, official oldest daughter of NewMexiKen, reports on Mack, official oldest grandson of NewMexiKen (nearly four):

At preschool yesterday, each child colored a picture of Pilgrims. Then the teacher asked each one what he/she was thankful for. She wrote the response on the picture to send home.

I’m sure most kids said “Mommy and Daddy” or “My sister” etc.

Mack’s paper said, “I am thankful for cookies with goop.” (That’s what he calls Oreos.) I was so moved.

Into the mouths of babes

Jill, one of the two official daughters of NewMexiKen, reports:

[Three-year-old] Mack and I picked out some lovely ripe cherries at the market today. We’re going to chop them up put them in homemade ice cream.

At lunch I diced some of them and gave them to [8-month-old] Aidan.

He grabbed a couple and stuffed them in his mouth. Immediately, his eyes shot to me with an expression that perfectly conveyed two thoughts:

“My God, but I do love you, woman.”

and

“Exactly what else have you been keeping from me?”

Look out, Barry!

Three-year-old Mack informs everyone (through his mommy) that he was one of only two kids to hit a home run* during his at bat at tee ball class today. Yay Mack!

*”Home runs” are conditional in many ways. Some, but not all, of the factors that contribute to a tee ball home run include:

1) How well the child hits the ball off the tee.

2) The speed with which the instructor reaches the child and redirects him towards first base after the child goes tearing indiscriminately towards left field.

3) How many of the children playing in the field are actually paying attention to the at bat, rather than standing at the bleachers asking their mommies for goldfish crackers.

4) The “coming within ten to twelve feet of second base is close enough” clause.

5) Which child fields the ball. It’s usually Zachary or Carson (“The Big Kids”), and no way are you getting a home run. But if your ball accidentally trickles right up to the feet of Noah (“The Kid Who Won’t Participate Without His Mommy”) you stand a chance.

Update: Lest it not be clear, Mack’s mommy provided this report.

Aidan Gabriel


By Emily [with permission]

This is Emily, Jill’s sister, writing to tell you that Jill and Byron have a beautiful new son, Aidan Gabriel. Aidan is gorgeous and everyone is doing well.

After 48 hours of labor (yes, that says 48), Aidan was born at 8:59 PM, Friday, September 19. He weighs a perfect 8 pounds and is 20 inches long. After all that labor, you’ll be happy to hear that Aidan arrived through a non-surgical delivery. He is a perfectly healthy boy. Both Mom and baby are doing very well.

All this in a hospital that had no water due to the hurricane that hit Virginia Thursday. In fact, the hospital had cancelled elective deliveries, so they had the floor to themselves. The strange part of this story is that Jill was also born in a building with no running water. She was delivered at home and the water in the house had been turned off to fix a leak. (There’s a story Aidan will get sick of hearing!)

Aidan is a cutie-pie with sandy hair, blue eyes, and a small cleft in his chin (like his daddy). He seems very curious and was eager to look around and meet his family members. The whole time we were there, he made sweet, soft cooing noises. (Just imagine the story he was telling after 48 hours of contractions!)

Mack has already talked to his mommy tonight and can’t wait to head to the hospital first thing tomorrow morning to check out his new sib.

To quote Jill, “Thanks for all your warm wishes and loving thoughts during the last nine months. We can’t wait to introduce everyone to our new little guy. — Love, Jill, Byron and Big Brother Mack”