On a beautiful BC summer day in July a miracle happened in our family when my second granddaughter IJ was born. When C heard the news she said ‘I knew it was a girl, I knew it was a girl!’ My daughter and son in law had waited until the baby was born to find out the sex and told C that it was God who made the decision but C had always wanted a girl and she told everyone that ‘I want a girl but God wants a boy!’ When we got to the hospital to visit the baby C wanted to show her how to use her Mackie. If you remember this is the remnant of her blanket. So she held the baby and put the Mackie close to the baby’s face. We are all smiling because the Mackie is her favourite comfort possession.
At home Charlotte had lots of attention from visiting granddad and did not appear to mind the baby’s presence in fact to the point where she seemed to ignore her. She is now much more aware of IJ’s presence as was evident this week when she pulled the bassinet close beside her while she ate at the dining table and told her “IJ, we love you. IJ, we love you.” When she wants her mother’s attention she will approach granddad or me and ask ‘please take IJ so that Mommy can play with me.’
Our beautiful baby, IJ, is growing steadily and eating and sleeping as she should. Of course, my daughter is exhausted but gaining strength and getting back to normal. I am delighted to hold this tiny baby and watch her sleep peacefully in my arms. As soon as she starts to cry I quickly hand her back to Mom. This past week IJ has been sleeping longer at night and my daughter will get more sleep. I think IJ is now switching her sleeping days to nights.
In the meantime, C has stayed with me at the beach a few days a week where she has enjoyed swimming at the little swimming club. She has met a three year old boy, M, and together they played and learned skills in the toddler pool taught by a coach. I have a feeling that these two children will become summer friends when they meet each year. I wanted to maintain C’s friendship with her friend, B, so I would take her into the city on Wednesdays and Thursdays. On Wednesday the two girls would love to play outside in the yard and on Thursday they attended a gym camp in the morning. Friday we were back at the beach and Mommy and Papa would join us over the weekend. I was happily surprised when C let the family leave her with me to return to the city. Here at the beach, she has a wonderful playmate in Granddad who supports her imaginary play as he pilots her around the world and of course she loves playing in the sand at the beach and at the playground.
At home C’s garden has grown and she has harvested radishes, peas and lettuce. She planted so many seeds close together and we didn’t thin them out adequately, so we have had needle like radishes, carrots and beets! The carrots and beets have now started to grow since we thinned them out. C enjoyed shucking the peas and eating them raw. C has watched the apples grow from the blossom and now we are enjoying the fruit.
My son in law’s family arrived from Quebec for a holiday and C was immersed in the French language and even responded in French. Daddy has enrolled her in a French preschool and she will attend a couple of days a week in September. He is hoping that C will meet and befriend a French speaking child. The reality of our lives is that we are all speaking English to her although her father always speaks and reads to her in French. September will bring new beginnings for C as she starts preschool and continues with her swimming, gym and dance classes. I am so grateful to be involved in my granddaughter’s lives.