Grandpa's First Christmas

             Grandpa's First Christmas





     Since becoming an adult it has been my belief that the true enjoyment in Christmas is watching a child when they first view the Christmas tree surrounded by presents and toys. The innocence of a child is only compounded at Christmas time.  Their joy and happiness is pure and simple, untainted with knowledge and experience.
     Prior to having kids of our own Linda and I would sometimes be invited to a friends house to watch their kids when they walked sleepy eyed into the room where the tree was brightly lit and surrounded by gifts and toys from Santa Clause. The younger the child the more amazing the look they have on their face and the bigger their eyes get trying to take it all in.  I don't remember what Danny and Clay got for Christmas when they were younger but I do remember the expressions on their faces.
     It has been many years since we have experienced this kind of Christmas but now I am a Grandpa.   Last year was MJ's first Christmas but she was only ten days old and Linda was in the hospital recovering from some serious heart surgery. Needless to say Christmas of 2012 was different.
    This year Linda is much better and MJ was one year and ten days old on Christmas morning. Danny and Marie made plans for Linda and I, Bob and Judy Loftin ( the other grandparents with whom we share MJ ) to be at their house by seven o'clock in the morning to watch MJ open presents and eat breakfast.
      When we arrived MJ was in the den with her mother playing with her toys. We walked around the kitchen corner and there she was looking up with a smile on her face.  By the time Linda had figured out how to open the baby gate MJ had already crawled over to the step and was waiting to be picked up. Being the proud Grandpa that I am I never miss an opportunity to hold her and neither Linda or I miss and opportunity to smother her with hugs and kisses.  Christmas morning was such an opportunity for both of us. When you kiss her neck or tickle her she has the best giggle and biggest smile. I do love being a Grandpa.
     We played with MJ until Bob and Judy arrived and Linda reminded me that I must share. With reluctance I handed her over to Judy who proceeded to shower her with more hugs and kisses.  MJ is one lucky little girl.
     We gathered around the Christmas tree, us Grandparents sat off to the side while Marie and MJ sat on the floor and Danny handed out the presents. I think MJ was a little overwhelmed with everything.   She doesn't yet understand that she is supposed to rip off the colorful paper and bows to quickly get to the present inside.  She still thinks she should eat the paper.  It took encouragement and help from Mom and Dad but she finally got the presents unwrapped - now the problem became what to play with first.
     All of the big stuff was nice and pretty but it was the individual pieces that caught her attention. Anything that she could grab and hold on to with her fingers and then stick into her mouth were the most fascinating gifts. It mattered not that the little horsy would slide down the incline with a princess on it's back - she wanted to chew on the horse.  The big attention grabber was a double sided electronic tablet with buttons.  When you push a button it makes a sound relating to the picture on the button.  One side had the alphabet and numbers 1-0, the other side had pictures of things that made a sound and at the bottom there were musical notes that played a tune when pushed.  This she hung on to and drug around.
     After eating breakfast we went home for a nap and later went to Bob and Judy's house for another get together. Bob and Judy's son Will and wife Tara were there and Tara's mother, Clay and Maggie and later more of Bob and Judy's family arrived.  MJ was passed around from one lap to another.  She was hugged and kissed by everyone several times. She looked so cute in her red Christmas dress and white tights. Her bright eyes and big smile made the day for all.
     MJ is very close to walking now and she is cute when she is standing next to her Daddy with a handful of his pants in her tiny hand. During the afternoon she would crawl over to the storm door and stand with one hand on the glass and talk to the dog and cat on the other side. As long as she has something to hold on to she will take a step or two and then let go falling down to a crawling position.  Her verbal skills are improving also but I think it will be quite sometime before anyone can begin to understand anything she may want to say. I do enjoy the baby sounds she makes now.
     All of the excitement and attention of the day might overwhelm other babies but MJ seemed to thrive on it.  I don't know how long a nap she took in the morning but she was still going strong when Linda and I left about 5:30.
     I have no idea how many more Christmas's I will celebrate but after almost losing Linda last year  I look forward to all of them just as I look forward to our time together watching MJ grow.  MJ is at the age where she is constantly fascinated by everything she sees and hears, every moment is a learning experience, everything is a challenge.  I love to take her outside for a short walk and watch  as she continuously turns her head from side to side taking in all of the sights and sounds like a sponge soaking up water.
     I look at this as my first Christmas as a Grandpa.  Needless to say it was also Linda's first as Grandma.  I was hoping for more excitement from MJ but I realize that she is only one year and ten days old, still she adds a whole new dimension to getting old.  This was a great Christmas and they will only get better from here.
     Did I mention I am a proud Grandpa ?



     It takes me days and sometimes weeks to write a story to post.  Grandpa's First Christmas took only six days before I could turn it over to Linda ( my editor ).  New Years Eve was yesterday.  Another first for Grandpa so why not write about it also.

     Danny and Marie were given tickets to the Chick-Fil-A Bowl football game on New Years Eve and asked if Linda and I would babysit MJ.  What a silly question to ask.
     We got to the kids house about 5:30. MJ was there waiting in the den for her Grandpa to pick her up and give her kisses on one cheek while Grandma was kissing the other cheek.  She giggled and laughed and squirmed in my arms.  Marie proceeded to tell us what MJ had eaten and that she would be good until bedtime about 8 or 8:30. From the list of food she consumed one would think she would be set till lunch the next day.
     I held her while Mommy and Dad kissed her goodbye and left for the game.  Marie was worried that this would be the first time that neither her or Danny would be putting MJ to bed but there was nothing to worry about - Grandpa and Grandma had their back.
     I laid MJ on the couch next to Linda and the both of us proceeded to play with her and watch her play by herself.  To us she seems to be getting taller every time we see her.  According to a doctors visit the day before she now weighs 18.2 pounds.  I think she is going to be taller than her Mom.
     About six o'clock I drove to Wendy's and brought back dinner for Linda and I and as I spread out my burger and fries on the coffee table guess who climbs up next to me. You know kids love french fries. MJ may only have four teeth but she had no problem chomping on those fries as fast as I could give them to her - so much for not being hungry till bedtime.
      We watched Ice Age - Dawn of the Dinosaurs on TV.  MJ sat tucked in next to me and watched the movie with interest. She has to cutest way of laying one foot atop the other and occasionally wringing her hands like she might have been holding worry beads. When the movie was over I put in Monster's University which she started watching but slid off the couch and started to play with toys and Grandma.  Around 8:00 it was time to change the diaper and feed her a bottle.  The movie was still going and she watched as she wolfed down about 7 oz. of milk then it was play time again.  About 8:30 she made a grab for the rest of her bottle and let me hold her while she drank, then it was bed time.
     Now according to Danny and Marie bedtime was simple and easy just carry MJ up stairs, read her a bedtime story, put her in her crib with some stuffed animals, turn out the light and walk away.  She will cry for a few minutes and then fall asleep.  It all sounded easy - no problem,  I can handle it.
      I climbed the stairs with MJ in my arms and went to her bedroom.  I found a book and with her sitting on my lap I proceeded to read about a little boy whose mother let a friend come over to play with him and how much fun they had climbing trees and playing hide and seek.  After the story I put MJ in her bed and started to walk away as she cried deep heart breaking sobs.  Now I can say as a parent I remember walking away from a crying baby at bedtime but that was a long time ago and now I am the Grandpa.  MJ is not going to cry herself to sleep while I am around.  To curb your fears, I do not think this is spoiling MJ.
     I picked her up and held her in my arms as she laid her head on my shoulder the sobs and tears slowly turning to the even breathing of contentment.  I rubbed her back and hummed a tune as she went limp in my arms.  I walked over to the bed and laid her down, pulling a blanket over her but then she sat up again crying those heart wrenching sobs as she rubbed her eyes.  Grandpa picked her up again and held her close whispering in her ear that everything will be alright and soon her head rested on my shoulder and I could feel her breathing return to normal.  After a couple of minutes I again lowered her into her bed only to watch her sit up and start to cry.
     This time as I picked her up I stepped over to the rocking chair and sat down holding her to my shoulder.  I rocked back and forth as she calmed down and sighed.  This time I held her longer and rocked until there was no doubt she was asleep.  When I lowered her into the crib and covered her with a blanket she stretched out and sighed but she didn't cry though I was sort of hoping she would.  I could have held her in my arms and rocked her all night.
     I went back down stairs and Linda and I talked and watched episodes of the 1960's Twilight Zone until Linda fell asleep on the couch.  Even though the kids had a baby monitor I still made several trips upstairs to check on MJ listen to her breathing and adjust the blanket.
     Another day of memories ends.
     Did I mention how proud I am to be a Grandpa ?