Month: August 2016

GrandDawn’s Log: Day 56 – guest writer

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Dear Nathalie,

Last night, I tried posting a video to Facebook but they would not let me.  It was a video of you sleeping peacefully while listening to your favorite lullaby “In A Week” by Hozier. Apparently, I don’t own the rights to the song…whatever.  This is your cuteness and the official notification we received.

nathalie 8 weeks In honor of you being officially 8 weeks old today, and though you are cute and wonderful, aside from the little kitten sound you made last night, there is nothing new to report so I am posting the letter that was written to you from your Aunt Pixie during the time your mother was in labor:

Dear Nathalie,

You are about to come into the world. As I was driving through the hospital campus, I was stopped by a parade of baby geese and the rest of the flock. I will consider that a good sign. Small babies with a large, loving family.

The sunset is as beautiful as could be and I think it is another way the world is trying to welcome you. I took a picture of it for you so that you can one day see it for yourself.

It is 9:14 pm on June 26th, 2016. I am terrified and excited for you and your mom. Your grandma and grandpa are in a waiting room with me right now. Your mother still has not been assigned to the room that will be your very first performance stage.

It is 10:30 pm. Your mom is finally in a room. Your last meal inside of the womb is chicken nuggets, french fries, nerd’s candy, and sweet tea. Your keep being a little impatient and it has made it difficult for your mom to eat.

It is 10:37 pm. I have decided to record a few “golden quotes” from this joyous event for you. Your mother said this zinger. “Laughing makes me leak!”

It is 10:57 pm. I finally felt you kick for the first time in 9 months! ❤ It was fantastic and well worth the wait.

It is June 27th,2016 at 12:06 am. Your mother is very hangry. Your last womb meal was, as previously stated, interrupted repeatedly by contractions. Thus far, your mom has continued to keep her spirits up the best she can. Her golden quote # 2 is “I don’t know what to do with my legs…just… I don’t want this. -gestures to her lower body- I just want to be an upper body.”  You have been rather cantankerous. She has also been praising your father’s soft hair, but I do not have an exact quote for you. I apologize. Just know that he has fantastic tresses that your mother adores and she has expressed a desire for you to also have such wonderful locks. I have faith in your hair.

Your mother is also taking my role of Captain Obvious. “Oh my word, this hurts a lot.”  Yes, that is a direct quote. Your mother has a very delicate manner of speaking sometimes. 

It is 1:00 am. You, coming into the world, made your mom cry. She is so strong.

Your grandparents and I are leaving the hospital for now. I will return with them in the morning. We are all exhausted. I can only imagine your mother’s exhaustion. Your dad is being such a wonderful rock for her. (Go, Daddy!)

It is 9:50 am. Child, it has been 12 hours. Get out of your mother’s tummy already so that we can gush over you!

It is 10:50 am. Small Woodsprite.Your mother loves you so much. You’re so close to being here. She is starting to try to move you from your cozy home into this giant world. Please be gentle.

It is 11:19 am. Tiny Woodsprite, I have been praying. I think you’ll one day have a voice like bells. I’ve been crying for you and your mother. I can hardly wait to meet you. I already love you more than you know. Please be kind to her. Your mother is so sweet.

It is 11:46am I just got a message from your dad. All it said is “11:23”. Tiny heart, are you here? I’m trembling like a rabbit!

It is 11:55 am. You are here tiny Woodsprite! I have not met you yet, but your mom did amazing and you are here! She has you pressed against her chest right now. Your daddy is right there with her. He must be beaming. Her heartbeat must be so loud in your tiny ears. Welcome to the world tiny amazing girl.

I was listening to music and the song that played the moment you were born is Florence + the Machine “Breath of Life”  How appropriate for that to be your theme song.

Amazing girl, I held you for the first time at 1:55 pm. While you were in my arms, I whispered to you about how much we all love you. I told you how happy we are to meet you. I described the world and the sky outside for you. It is blue and beautiful. I can’t wait to see your eyes. You are so tiny and cute like a little otter. You hiccup when you cry (just like your mom).

I adore you.

XOXO,
Your Aunt Pixie Aunt Pixie

Here are some pictures that Aunt Pixie took that day:
20160626_203613-COLLAGE

GrandDawn’s Log; Day 43 on day 44.

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Dear Nathalie,

It’s hard to believe that you are now (yesterday) 6 weeks old!  You are still so small but you are growing.

Before I begin gushing about you, I am going to point out a couple of things that I witnessed this weekend.  #1  While at a stop light where there were two lanes of cars at least 6 cars long, two guys on motorcycles drove between the two lines of cars to get in front of the lead car so they could be first when the light turned green.   Some day, if you EVER decide to ride a motorcycle… Don’t be that person.  #2 While driving on the bypass, we drove by a deceased racoon… with a “Get Well” mylar balloon tied around its paw.  I could not help but laugh but then my brain went to “Did the person tie it to the racoon BEFORE it crossed the road or after it was dead?”  Either way… Don’t be that person either.   Why am I including this in my letter to you… I am preparing you for the oddity that is humanity.  Expect the unexpected.

Now on to you:

This weekend you met many of your cousins (2nd, 3rd, etc…) at the family reunion for the Giles side of your family.  You may not know what side of the family that is, but my Dad’s (your great grandfather) last name was Giles.  Which means that my maiden name was Giles and that is why your Aunt Pixie has that last name as well.

The grown-ups at the reunion had the opportunity to snuggle you and you seemed to especially like sleeping on your cousin (my cousin is her father which makes her my 2nd cousin and your…cousin…lets just call it cousin and be done) Shelby.

After the reunion you finally met your Aunts Bobbi and Sherry!  I thought my friend Christa was bad… but these are your aunts!  Wait, they are your mom’s Aunts on her father’s side so that makes them your great aunts.  I guess we can forgive them. Your Aunt Pixie has been there since moment one and that is really the important thing… we will talk more about that in a minute.

Guess what you get to do this coming weekend?  You get to visit your Ohio grandparents and I think that means you get to meet your Aunts Paige and Jennifer!  These would be your Dad’s sisters.  Oh… and you have 1st cousins on that side of the family to meet!  They are boys… they might poke you, so be cautious.

Now, back to Aunt Pixie.  WE – your grandfather and I – were asked to watch you while your mom and dad went to a baseball game.  Well,  Aunt Pixie was home and she was having a heck of a time with some kind of neck pain prior to your arrival but let me tell you… she is a total Woodsprite (that is what she calls you) addict.  You cured her neck pain. Once she came upstairs from her dungeon she plopped down next to you and took over feeding you, and at one point she changed you but most of all she likes to talk to you and then snuggle with you when you are tired.  You, my dear grandchild, have your Aunt Pixie wrapped around your tiny finger.  Are you enjoying your power, you tiny little deity?

Nathalie day 43

I can’t wait to hear about your visit to Ohio… Look at you, less than two months old and you will have visited another state!

You GO Carmen Sandiego! Stealing hearts across the…state line.

Love, GrandDawn

GrandDawn’s log; Day 40:

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Dear Nathalie,

After 39 days you finally met my good friend Christa.  I know right?!?! WTFrank is up with the delay?!?!  Some day I will explain to you the Frank reference in “WTF”. However, there is a picture that shows you looking up at her with a WTF type of expression.

Anyway, this particular occasion seems to have spurred a weirdness in my dream life.  Last night I had a dream where Christa came to see you and then that weekend you began growing exponentially.  Mind you, Christa is pushing 6′ tall…

In my dream, you and your mother were staying overnight at our house.  Your mom put you to bed and the next morning you looked liked a little blonde almost one-year-old… throughout the weekend you became an olive skinned, brown eyed, brown haired nearly  4-year-old and the only clue to what age you appeared was when my friend Lori came over with her 4-year-old granddaughters and you were a bit taller than them.

Come Monday morning (still in my dream) your mother took you to the doctor and, after some testing, it was revealed that your growth was an indicator that YOUR FATHER HAD SOME RARE CANCER and that in your mother’s quick response to seeking a cause for your growth, you basically saved his life.

However, you did not stop growing and before I awoke you had turned into Joan Cusack.  I attribute this reference to the fact that I recently binge watched 4 seasons of Shameless.

Christa with Nathalie-COLLAGE

Welcome to the inner workings of my brain Tiny One, be happy you do not actually live there.

Enjoy the real world…where you are perfect size.

Love, GrandDawn