Month 14: A Divine Appointment

It's an amazing thing - the joy and levity an infant can bring to a dark situation. Last week, my grandmother passed away suddenly. My mom's mom. One of the most amazing women I have ever had the privilege of loving.

The loss was a profound one, with Gramma leaving behind a stunned family at a loss for understanding and words. We booked some flights and headed for Texas.

The flight itself wasn't bad - the highlight was passing through security as we were selected "randomly" for additional screening. They went through our bags, and corraled us into a large plexiglass holding tank. Fernando was put in a large scanning machine, and I was patted down by a guard. Then, unbelievably, then asked that I stand Daniel up on the ground so they could pat him down. He giggled the whole time - apparently infant patting is kind of like tickling.

From the moment our plane touched down, there was no question that Daniel had a divine purpose on that trip. He brought such energy and youth to such a sad situation - exactly the kind of happiness Gramma would have wanted around.
The silver lining of most funerals is that it's a time for family to be together, and talk about old memories while making new ones. Last week was no exception, and Daniel had a ball spending time with a lot of family - his cousin Lucas, his aunt Stacey and uncle John, his grandparents, his great-grandparents, and so many other relatives we weren't expecting to see until Thanksgiving.

It was amazing how Daniel latched onto Mom and Dad - he really recognized them, seeking them out to play or just be held. He also latched onto their labrador retriever, Molly. It took a few days of him warming up to her but by the end, he shrieked with laughter as he dodged her wagging tail. (He also developed a newfound interest in cats which took Max & Mittens by surprise when we got home!)

It was amazing to spend five days with Daniel - no daycare - and watch how much he changed. His banana obsession continued, and he developed a newfound interest in cats (our two cats were in for a surprise upon our return to Phoenix). At our favorite Mexican place in town, Daniel made the biggest mess possible, ate the most beans and rice he could fit in that bulging little belly, and (drumroll please…) he ate with a fork – unassisted! Spoons still require a little coordination help.

My favorite memories of the trip are of him playing outside, in the Texas fields or dirt roads between our family’s houses. Usually still in his pjs, still with his rhino, we’d throw his crocks on him and let him go. He loved running up and down the dirt road, stopping to pick up rocks, or point to a bug on the ground. He loved sitting in my Gramma’s front yard garden, sorting rocks and touching her lawn ornaments. At one point I looked over and he had a giant glass ball up in the air … I heard Daniel yell “Ball!” and before I could get there, the ornament had come crashing down on the driveway, smashing into a hundred pieces. Thankfully, he wasn’t hurt and the ornament had no sentimental value!

He fell in love with my parents’ wind chimes, and would bolt for the backdoor every time it was open so he could grab the chimes and either bang them together or sway with them, scrunching his face up in anticipation of the loud noise!

The two other big events were Daniel’s 2nd hair cut, and an unfortunate bathtime experience. The haircut was necessary due to the humidity – Daniel’s poor shaggy head was constantly sweaty. So we let the hair lady cut it very short – shorter than it’s been so far. He instantly looked five years old and significantly chubbier! The transformation was amazing.

The second event (the unfortunate bathtime experience) was nothing short of a milestone in Daniel’s little life. Fernando was bathing him and decided to jump in the bath with him, as this particular bathtub is very slippery. About five minutes later, from down the hall, I hear him yelling “Carrie! Help!” Fearing the worst, I burst through the bathroom door to find my husband with a handful of … poop. Bath poop. Little yellow floaters. Apparently, Daniel had turned to him suddenly, grabbed his arm, looked into his eyes and said … “Uh-oh” and out came the poop.

Understandably I was in a tough spot – do I grab the camera or help Fernando? I turned to leave for the camera, but my loving husband was insistent that I relieve him of the handful of poop. Hilarious. It was Daniel’s first time … but I’m sure it won’t be the last.

Well, this posting breaks the record in length, but there was a lot to say, and to remember. Gramma was one of the biggest fans of this blog – she always said it made her feel like she was able to watch him grow up. So it seems fitting that this posting would contain all memories and funny stories that she would have wanted.

We love you Gramma!