Tuesday, April 8, 2008

tending baby jake

for the next six weeks, my tuesdays and thursdays are committed to taking care of baby jake while my oldest daughter, his mommy, works, and my middle daughter, his babysitter, goes to school. this grandmother thing is an interesting journey in and of itself.

i remember the first day i had him in my care. he woke up from his first nap. libby, my youngest, is only 14, but suddenly it felt like lightyears since i'd taken care of an infant for any length of time. i picked him up, changed his diaper, all the while wondering what to do next.

i buttoned his snaps, pulled up his little sweatpants. and suddenly it clicked. i knew exactly what to do. it's time for lunch, i said.

it was something like the feeling i have when i get on a bicycle. i don't consciously remember knowing how to ride one, but somehow, my bones and muscles and joints all seem to.

baby jake is an even-tempered baby, who nonetheless, as meg acutely observed, might be described in classical baby terms as "slow to warm up." he isn't sure whether he likes me or not, but i can tell he's starting to trust - if not me - then the memories contained in my hands, in my arms, in my shoulders of rocking and soothing and changing and feeding.

and furthermore, the war must end. blessed be!

1 comment:

Stacie said...

Good luck with baby Jake. I'm sure he'll warm up. It must be quite an experience after 14 years. It's only been 8, well almost 9, for me, but I too would feel a bit awkward having to care for an infant again.