This Mothers’ Day had me feeling blessed upon blessed. Lucy Angelina arrived Friday at 6:54 PM, joining our family. When my daughter-in-law was pregnant with her big brother Dean, my son presciently told me that he would be the center of my Universe. When he was born I discovered that being a grandparent is experiencing love on steroids. I often tell him that he is my favorite person on the planet. Now, there are two favorites. My Universe is ever expanding so that both of them are at the center. Dean has been prepping for being an awesome big brother. Books about what it means and t-shirts announcing his new role. Practicing with his baby dolls, putting on their diapers and feeding them. Patting them and saying “Awww.” got him ready for the real deal today when Mommy and baby sister were ferried home from the hospital by Daddy. When they walked in the door, he donned his ‘superhero mask’ and hands that been smooshing Play doh were washed so he could hold Lucy. He was delighted and kept saying, “Baby, baby.”
When he went in for his afternoon nap, I had the joy of quiet time with my granddaughter while the weary parents had time to doze. Belly full, she slept for nearly two hours as I gazed at her, awestruck. Tinier than her brother two days into life, she had the same strong grip on my finger while she floated in dreamland and the same hold on my heart. It is a weird world for babies born during the time of COVID. I had the thought that I hope her first impression isn’t that those around her are bird people with our n95 masks that look for all the world like beaks.
When my son told me her name, I was delighted. Lucy is “of Latin origin, and the meaning of Lucy is “light”. Feminine of Lucius; vernacular form of Lucia. The feast day of Saint Lucy (fourth century), patroness of sight, is called the Festival of Light in Sweden. Lucy is also a bossy little girl in Charles Schulz’s popular “Peanuts” comic strip. Actress Lucy Liu.” I add Lucille Ball, a character named Lucy Damon on my favorite show, This Is Us. Then there is Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds. Her middle name Angelina (in memory of my daughter-in-law’s grandmother) “has its root in Greek, and the meaning of the name Angelina is “messenger; angel, messenger of God”. She is in good company with Angelina Jolie, and she shares a middle name with Lady Gaga. Our little angel of light.
Time with Dean has been a revelation as I have witnessed his growth from a wee one whose initial routine was eating, sleeping, peeing, pooping and crying to an active toddler (he is 2 years and 5 months old at this writing) whose mind absorbs new ideas at the speed of light and whose moods shift that rapidly as well. He can be in the middle of a toddler temper tantrum because he can’t figure out how to get a larger object to fit into a smaller one and with one question, “Do you want help?”, he can bring over whatever is thwarting him and I show him to how reverse the order and shift his mood at the same time. Dancing along to a few favorite songs, including “Nobody Like U” from Turning Red and “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” from Encanto. He’s quite the snuggler, with sticky fingers leaving prints on my clothes and a deep imprint on my heart. I am eager to create those kind of memories with his baby sister.
Hard to imagine a decade ago, that being a grandmother would be a joy that would exceed most others. My role models for #grandmothering were my maternal grandmother Henrietta who I called Giggie who died when I was four and my paternal grandmother Rebecca, who died when I was 13 or 14, who I called Bubbe. They had distinctively different personalities and life experiences. The former being American born and decidedly more modern and the latter being a Russian born overprotective matriarch. My inheritance from both of them was fierce love for their grandchildren.
One of the reasons I am such an outspoken social justice peaceful warrior is that I want a healthy and safe world for my grandchildren and all the children who have come to the planet.
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Photos courtesy of author. Used with permission.