The Big Day, and See You Later

Monday, August 18

Today Yarden starts "school", her nursery day care. It's a great facility that Dick and I were fortunate enough to visit earlier this summer -- professional, caring, secure, and all those good things. Aliyah and Seamus are very organized this morning: instructions printed out for the caregivers, clothing and equipment assembled, breast milk bottled and stored. I'm impressed, but surmise they will realize soon enough that not every morning departure will go as smoothly.

I wish I could say that I took a picture of this momentous occasion, but I couldn't. I come undone, although I promised myself I wouldn't.

So I have a suggestion for future farewells for all of us with children/grandchildren who live a distance away. My cousin and his beautiful family, who live in Costa Rica and visit the States frequently, simply say "see you later." It's better than "goodbye", and it's true.

This is the end of the blog. (Sorry, Rosaline, you will have to find another daily distraction). Thanks to Seamus and Aliyah for creating this beautiful child and for sharing her with me for one whole week. It was a chance of a lifetime! And I leave you with one more photo. You should know, Yarden, that Grammy -- and Da, and Bubbe and Grandpa -- will always be there right behind you.

BMw

Sunday, August 17
Today is party day. Seamus' little friend James is having a 7th birthday party in Griffin Park in Pasadena. (This story could get confusing with all the Seamuses and the Jameses). Of course, once Yarden arrives in her cute little outfit and hat, she steals the show. At some point I have to deal with the matter of changing Yarden's diaper. There is no flat surface nearby, but Seamus points out a table way across the field that would be suitable. Just then a delightful lady named Jennifer, who has already oohed and aahed over Yarden, asks if she can help. Her car is parked nearby and in the shade and we could change Yarden's diaper in the front seat. I hesitate for a moment but she says, "What the hell, it's my ex-husband's car." So off we go. Since this car is a very sporty low slung convertible, we decide to use the trunk of the car as the changing table. And that's how Yarden was introduced to a BMw. Kind of gives new meaning to the acronym, don't you think?

Keep on Rollin'

Saturday, August 16

I think I can safely say it's official now - Yarden knows me. She looks me in the eye and smiles directly at me when she awakens. She knows my voice. My laugh scares her (that's all right, it scares Dick too). She knows my scent (Irish Sprung). This is so exciting and yet so heartbreaking (to me, anyhow) because I have only two days left.

So here's some happy news. Yarden officially rolled all the way over today. Not just half way with her arm stuck underneath, but all the way. She didn't like it, but I'll bet she keeps trying.

The Fan Club

Saturday, August 16

Yarden has the undivided attention of both Daddy and Grammy today. Mommy has to continue the shoot and won't be home until late. Seamus and I decide to go out to lunch - it's such a rare treat to spend some down time together. We go to a barbeque place in LA (yum!) and enjoy lunch while Yarden naps in her stroller. When she wakes up she thinks that perhaps she is in heaven. What is that she sees on the ceiling? Not one fan, not two fans, but 12 - count 'em -- 12 fans!!! Good thing she is strapped into that stroller. Otherwise she'd be jumping around doing a jig. Sorry, I didn't get a picture of it.

Trading Spaces

Friday, August 15
Today is a busy day. Aliyah has invited Yarden and me to join her at a shooting location for "Trading Spaces." So first we drive Daddy to work and take his car up to Pepperdine University in Pasadena. We admire the ocean along the Pacific Coast Highway and marvel at how many surfers there are. Yarden thinks that maybe she'll be a surfer girl when she grows up, but then decides against it. She is much too fair skinned and would never tan properly. I sing some Beach Boys tunes to her anyhow.

Yarden is excited to see Mommy, so much so that she solves her constipation problem. Or maybe it was Grammy's freeway driving skills. So a desk in a vacant dorm room becomes a changing table.



Everyone is happy to see Yarden. Here is Paige Davis of Trading Spaces giving her some face time.




Yarden is quite unimpressed with all this equipment and celebrity. She needs her nap, and since Grammy forgot to bring the sling to carry her in, she sleeps in my arms. My right arm is now two inches longer than my left.




I'll try not to lay it on too thick, but I was very impressed with Aliyah's skills as a producer. She makes decisions quickly and clearly, she knows her business, and she has the respect of her coworkers. The Laks/Silversteins should be proud for having raised such a fine young lady.

We head back home and hope that we avoid too much rush hour traffic on the freeway. It really is quite different than driving in Simsbury, but I manage. I think I saw a bottle of Ketel One at the house, and it's starting to look really good to me once we put Yarden to bed.

Oso

If you had to call central casting in search of a junkyard dog, they would send Oso.

Seamus has already blogged about his background -- a rescue dog from the streets of Guatamala with irritable bowel problems. He has a torn ear, a scar on his nose, and six stitches in his side where a growth was recently removed. So it was with some trepidation that I approached this animal. (I know some of you will not believe that last sentence -- moi, who falls in love with almost anything with four feet and a tail). I decided to simply observe the dog's actions, especially around Yarden. And here's what I found out.

Oso is smart. He stays in the enclosed back yard all day. He doesn't bark. He follows the shade and digs holes to keep himself cool.

Oso is loyal and affectionate. He is allowed in the house when Seamus is home, and follows him everywhere. He seems to understand that Yarden is the priority in this house and doesn't try to take attention away from her.

Oso likes a routine. Seamus feeds him, walks him, and cleans up after him every morning and night.



Sometimes Seamus and Yarden find some time to catch up on their reading.

Oso is learning. A dog trainer has donated her time to work with Seamus and integrate Oso into their family life. He is learning to stay down. Perhaps soon he will learn that pushing out the screen in the bedroom window is not an acceptable form of egress. Use the door, please.

So my feelings after one week of life with Oso is to give this dog a chance. He is a survivor with a good personality and some stomach problems. In time I think he will win us all over. And he is still ugly.

Constipation

Thursday, August 14
It's been two days now. It makes her cranky. Aliyah says not to worry - this too shall pass. Babies on breast milk exclusively sometimes use up every bit of it and there is not much waste to be extruded. Still, I worry. Maybe I'll give her another squeeze before bedtime.

A day at the beach

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13

After such a busy night last night, the kids are exhausted but Yarden and I are ready to tackle the day. We put on our Montauk t-shirts (doesn't it look great on her, Auntie Pat?) and head out to the back yard. It's hard to describe the sea of foam that is created as I hose down the sudsy towels from last night's washing machine disaster, so I'll ask Aliyah to help me post the video I took, when she gets a chance.

Meantime, here are some more photos of the girl (be sure to scroll down to previous posts)

Yarden's big smile



Aliyah insists she is not outgrowing her 0-3 month clothing, but Yarden and I know better. Give it up, Mommy, you can save those cute outfits for the next baby

The I Love Lucy Incident

Tuesday, August 12

Please don't tell Seamus and Aliyah I said this, but I think they multi-task too much. When they get home from work they do a thousand things. We have a nice dinner outside around 9:30, and they still have a thousand things to do.

At 10:30 PM, Seamus is trying to fix the freezer problem, which means he has to disassemble the entire freezer. Aliyah is on the computer still doing her job plus researching a thousand things to make life better for Yarden, plus pumping breast milk, plus preparing for tomorrow, etc. Multi-tasking.

Here's another little family secret to keep in mind for this story -- My beautiful daughter-in-law is a laundry freak. Everything - and I mean everything - must be washed and dried just so. In that regard, she has purchased a GALLON of special detergent to economically launder Yarden's cloth diapers. Two teaspoons will do an entire load.

So at 11:30 PM I head out to my little room at the back. I walk through the laundry area and James is there spreading towels all over the floor. "What happened" his mom asks. "The laundry detergent spilled" he replies. "Good luck" say I, "I think your wife will be upset." And off to bed I go.

James puts the detergent-soaked towels in a laundry basket. Then he takes the dog for a walk. Meanwhile, Aliyah sees the basket full of dirty towels and throws them in the washing machine. The exhausted woman falls into bed. Man and dog return and realize there is a problem. Are you getting the picture yet?

Lucy and Ethel did a great job of faking the scene of the overflowing washer. The real thing must have been a sight to behold.

When I figure out how to do it, I will post a video of Yarden and me hosing down the sudsy towels in the back yard.

Shots Fired

Tuesday, August 12

Yarden has a doctor's appointment this morning, so off we go en famille to the pediatrician's office. Yarden is 24 inches long and 13 lbs 10.5 oz of sheer delight. The lovely Dr. Shaheedy pronounces her hale and hardy at 12 weeks. And then the pediatrician produces a tray of three needles for immunizations. Ouch! Triple ouch! Yarden cries for about 10 seconds after each shot. Grammy has been permanently traumatized by the sound of that little girl's cry.

Yarden and I then went to Seamus' office so Daddy could show off his little girl. I wish I could have bottled the pride in James' face as he introduced Yarden to his coworkers. Many of them said that she looks like Daddy. We'll see how many people say "she looks like Mommy" when we visit Aliyah's office later in the week.

More to come about our eventful evening, plus photos I hope to post...

Yarden's biggest fan

Monday, August 11

You'd think the parents would be her biggest fan, or Bubbe Tamar, or me. Noooooooooooo - its the ceiling fan. I had been told about her fascination, but today she broke my heart. I'm standing with Yarden in front of a mirror in the living room and she rewards me with the biggest smile I've ever seen. Then I notice her eyes are focused not at MY baby blues, but slightly upward. There it is -- big ceiling fan, big smile. I test the theory several times with consistent results. It's not fair. I decide to distract her from her obsession by taking her for a walk in the stroller where she could focus on Grammy Grammy Grammy. She falls asleep.

The photographer from the kid's wedding, Toby Morris, came by this evening to take family pictures. You might recall he was a very creative person and took some amazing wedding pics with the evening sky in the background. It's dusk when he gets here, he sets up his lights, etc. and takes a zillion outdoor photos of the parents and baby. Yarden behaves perfectly and looks stunning. I'll post some photos of my own once I figure out holw to do it.


Of course it's late when he leaves, and then we do the putting-baby-to-bed routine, so now I'm getting used to eating dinner at 10:00. It's actually nice - almost Parisian - dining al freso with good conversation and good wine, albeit without the obnoxious French waiters.

Getting my feet wet ...

Sunday, August 11

Enjoyed my favorite flight to LAX on Southwest Air (www.swair.com), my favorite carrier. I can't say I'm the most frequent traveler on that route, but I did recognize at least one crew member from a previous trip.

And what do I find but a granddaughter who has doubled in size, smiles, and sparkling personality. I will try not to overdo it with the ga-ga stuff, but she IS amazing. I think I might have outdone Grandmama Roz for consecutive hours of not putting the baby down since my arrival.

Seamus and Aliyah have really got their act together since the early newborn days. They are wonderful parents. This week we are trying to establish a schedule for Yarden that will be the basis for her start of day care next week. Once we put the baby down, we enjoyed an al fresco dinner prepared by Seamus. Then I retired to my little corner of the world, the room in the back of the house that the kids have fixed up to make guests feel comfortable.

And at 3:00 AM, my body and bladder decided it was time to wake up. Didn't I know it was really 6:00AM? I debated going into the house to use the bathroom, but wasn't sure whether the new dog ("Oso" -- more about him later) would like a night prowler in the house. So I decided to use the portable chemical toilet the kids installed recently in the guest house - how convenient! And as I was marveling at the practicality of this facility, it gradually occurred to me that perhaps it was not functioning properly. Thus the title of this chapter ...

I can do this ...

"You can't expect me
to be in perfect shape yet;

I've just had a grandchild ... "

In a few days I'll be heading to LA for a week with Yarden (and her parents,of course) and thought I'd attempt a blog. Join me for news, and hopefully a few laughs, about caring for that beautiful 12-week-old girl all by myself. Of course Seamus & Aliyah's blog "Beyond Sycamore" (http://www.aliyahandseamus.blogspot.com/) is a class act, so don't expect great things from an amateur...