Year Three, Day 119: Amazing Grace

Baby Grace likes music!

I discovered this out of desperation. I spent the night to help my daughter and son-in-law get adjusted to parenthood. My son-in-law has ninja baby swaddling and burping skills. My daughter and Baby Grace are getting the hang of breastfeeding. Grandma Zita's station is the rocking chair and lullabies. We worked shifts last night.

Baby would wake up and shriek. Dad would check diaper, swaddle her with a blanket (turns out he is highly gifted in the art of baby swaddling), mom would attempt to nurse (but as of last night, her milk had not come in. Baby was just getting colostrum. And she was not a happy camper!). So then they would hand her off to me. I walked, I talked, I rocked.

And then...

I sang. I sang "Amazing Grace".

She instantly stopped howling. She opened her big blue eyes. Looked right at me. Her little mouth formed a round "oh". She sighed. And got really still.

I couldn't believe it. I was filled with the deepest rush of love for this little human.

I kept singing and rocking. I smiled at her.

I swear she smiled back. My daughter hobbled out of her bedroom at peered at us in amazement.

Amazed that her daughter had stopped crying. And perhaps amazed that my singing had a part in this little miracle. I have never been known for my singing voice. At least not in a very positive way.

I think Grace and I bonded for life last night. And I do know she will be my youngest piano student ever!

My daughter's milk came in this morning. Grace is a very content baby.

She rode in the car seat to her doctor's appointment. Sleeping contentedly the whole way.

She even got to meet Great Grandma Blanche who burst into tears when she came up to the door.

I think we all needed this sweet little baby in our world just now.

Hurricanes, floods, wildfires, earthquakes.

In the midst of all that, a baby is born. And our world will be forever blessed
.

Happy Friday!

Talk to you tomorrow.

Love,

Grandma Zita

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