Deep Thoughts by Gigi

I just returned from spending a week at the Baidas household to help out upon the arrival of Anthony Richard. Some observations from this over 60 grandma:

1. I am still truly amazed at what a miracle it is to create and give birth to a tiny human being. How fortunate for all of us that so far we have been blessed with this ability to reproduce. Not so long ago I remember how devastated I was that I couldn’t get pregnant and how on May 1, 1975 we put in for adoption at Catholic Social Services accepting the fact that we might not be able to have children of our own and also that the adoption process could take possibly 5 years. We had spent lots of money and I cried lots of tears prior to that 27th birthday. Just a few weeks later I was pregnant with Sarah.

2. Several times over the course of the week Sarah voiced her concern about taking care of two kids after I left, Loren went back to work and Joe was working at his other jobs. She asked me how I did it. For the most part I didn’t remember except that I got lots of help from family. Many of you took Sarah while I tried to take care of Kirsten and her defecation problem*. Kirst was literally crying most of the time except when she slept when someone was holding her. Sarah’s comment when Mom brought her to see Kirsten on the first day home from the hospital, “Send her back”. I was reminded of that when Anthony was crying and Lucas said, “Stop crying, baby!” and although he is being good isn’t all that thrilled that someone else is stealing his thunder.

3. Of course, we can’t forget the birth of Joseph Clayton in 1984 when I was a mere 36 years old. Everyone was told it was a surprise but "Mommie Dearest” had a plan and God saw fit to give me yet another miracle.

4. My observation of Loren for the week made me smile. If I had been married to someone like him, I would have celebrated my 39th anniversary last weekend. It was wonderful to see such a loving, patient and caring husband and father taking care of his wife and his children i.e. cooking, cleaning up, running errands, spending time with Lucas, helping with Anthony and comforting Sarah through the trial and tribulations of hormones raging and breastfeeding dilemmas. All of us worked together as a team for all the jobs that needed to be done and at the end of the day I felt very blessed.

5. My last observation. I am grateful for all the support that the siblings give each other, to their own kids, to each other’s kids and now to grandkids. This is really the way it is supposed to be. On more than one occasion we have commented that sometimes we think all families are like this but when you think about it you realize for the most part we are not the “norm”. Thank God for that. I can see Mom & Dad smiling...


* As moderator of this blog, I'd like to say, thanks a lot for mentioning the "defecation problem" mom.