Vega Adaire Easterlie, April 30, 2015

I sent this photo from my email on the desk top direct to Blogger.

 

I am exploring new ground; having to learn.

 

Meanwhile, I nave a brand new two-week old granddaughter that I must learn to know. 

 

I already love her.

 

Thanks be to God that I have a new grandbaby, that Miss Vega Adaire got the care and attention she needed and is now a hale and hearty beautiful girl and that I can still learn new tricks!  Love, Nana

 

 

6-19-15 Happy Birthday to Isabella Noel!

 

 

Dr. Bolinger tried inducing Johanna about the day ahead of her due date but after two days of Pitosin, she was sent home to wait it out.  And wait they did!  Until April 30 when Miss Vega Adaire would not be denied! 

 

The water broke and little missie came hard and fast.  I believe Johanna said they were at the hospital for about 90 minutes before our girl was born.  Her little face was bruised and swollen from the birth canal but she is still just beautiful. 

 

Little Miss had what was called 'wet lungs' and she turned blue.  Turned as blue as the gloves in the pic above.  I wasn't there to see that but arrived shortly after as the nurses were still working on baby and tension hung in the air. By the time I arrived (maybe 30 minutes after the birth), Vega was breathing and getting her color back. 

 

Because of Baby's condition, Johanna was left dangling (so to speak : ) with after birth and cord still on the table awaiting identification and disposal.  And of course, love and fear in her heart.   

 

Blank Children's Hospital was sending an ambulance to get Miss Vega and take her back to Des Moines so she could be expertly checked over.  It was a L O N G  wait, for the ambulance. 

 

Erica and I drove Lee to Des Moines.  He was assigned the baby duty while Johanna was left behind to be stitched and checked and coddled a bit.  Lee stepped right up.  We hadn't been at Blank more than a couple of hours and saw that Lee would do just fine.  The nurse had explained to Lee that he could do all he could for the babe, or nothing.  If he chose to help, the nurses were there to provide moral support and advice.  If he needed to sleep, the babe would be taken care of.  Erica and I said, 'you are doing great, Lee.  We are off.'  And he was fine with that. 

 

 

Aunt Erica, who's goal had been to be in the delivery room with Johanna and Babe, stood in for me.  PaPa and I were at the cabin.  Johanna had shoo'ed us off.  Go, Go, she said.  We went.  Kristy texted about 6 pm and said "Johanna said we didn't need to let you know but her water has broke; better come."  I jumped in the car leaving PaPa to close up and put away. 

 

Isn't she darling?

Aren't babies miracles?

 

Miss Audri has had some adjusting to do but that is just natural. Especially being the 'only' for almost 8 years.   

 

I have noticed in the last couple of weeks that it is getting easier for Audri to love and admire her baby "Sissy". 

 

I praise God for the births of all my eight grandchildren.  Johanna has had two eventful deliveries. She says, two healthy babies are enough.  I am sort of hoping that there might be one more grandbaby in my future.  After all, Vega needs a special cousin or younger sibling!  just dreaming . . .  

 

First published 5-14-15.  Addendum, 6/19/15

 

 

Good Genes

 

My new Passport photo. 

 

 

I'm 65 years old in a couple of months which is just plain ridiculous.  Can't be.  I'm not that old.  Time and years are just weird. 

10 minutes on a drive to the ER with a 3-year old with burns on his legs can be a whole lifetime.  A decade, 10 years of my life, can go by in the blink of an eye.

In July I will have been married 45 years.  In one way, it is an eternity.  But looking back, it has gone by in a flash.  Time is relative.  I've heard and read that.  It must be true.  I'm studying on it.

Thank goodness for the good genes of my ancestors.  I'm going to be 65 years old and I'm a rarity in that I am not taking any prescription drugs.  No blood pressure or cholesterol meds. No water pills or anxiety medicine.  Still, because the government says I have to, I will spend about $16 a month on prescription drug insurance.  I take 4,000 units of Vitamin D daily to help my memory.  I use coconut oil to fry my eggs to help my memory.  I learn new cards and games with my grandchildren to help my memory.  I get out and go walk and go to work and learn new skills.  Yup.  To help my memory. 

The Humana Prescription Part D plan that costs me $15.70 a month isn't going to pay any of my daily preventative medicine costs or reimburse me because I have the common sense (and good genes) to get out and exercise my body and my mind.  So in my way of thinking . . . so much for Government.

I walked up the hill at the cabin yesterday.  Vi's guy, Bob, is gone to Colorado so I walked up to walk Vi's dog for her.  (Being useful and staying involved is also good for the memory.)   Vi has a bad knee and maybe a bad hip.  She walks with a cane.  So, I walk up and get Zoey on a leash and decide to walk around Vi's yard to pick up sticks as there had been wind the past week and I mow her yard (to keep active, fit and involved).  Leash in hand, I step on a railroad tie and it rolls down an incline.  I go head over heels, never letting go of the leash.  I roll and bounce and wallow myself up off the ground and the only damage I find is a sore ankle where it knocked against the railroad tie.  At that moment, I thank God! and am so grateful for my good general fitness and good genes.

At the same time, I am scoffing at the doctors and all the hoopla of the last three decades that told me to take calcium pills because

     1)  there is osteoporosis in my family
     2)  I was a smoker
     3)  I am white
     4)  I am within the recommended weight limits of a woman my height

Over the years the doctor suggested and all the medical health articles touted the use of  calcium to build strong bones.  About 15-20 years ago, I had a bone scan which showed I was 'at the low level' and should take a high-priced, high-faluting drug that could have caused about 12 serious side effects.  I refused the prescription and any further bone scans so when I turned that cartwheel yesterday and got up thanking The Lord there were no broken bones, I was also thumbing my nose at the medical specialists and pharmaceutical companies who had wanted me to hand over the $$$s for the calcium, tests and prescriptions. 

Oh, this post makes me happy!  I may write another. 

The Days of our Youth

I love kitchen and cookware from the 1930s, 40 and 50s. I am sure it is because that is what I remember my grandparents, folks and aunts using. I can take you round our house at home and point out collected items that were the same as Gramma's or mom's. so I was delighted when I brought this 1950s pitcher home and Himself said 'Mom had one just like that when I was a kid.' except the flowers were orange. I use it for tea at the cabin . . . it makes me happy.  But  i would make Kool - aid in it for grandchildren.  I am sure that was what Gramma Hof used her pitcher for - special treats for her boys.

Still learning!

Oh boy. We have done it now. We went out and bought a brand new Jeep with top of the line technology. Built in voice-activated GPS, phone, roadside assistance et al. 

Now we just have to learn how to install and use it. We may be calling on our grandchildren for guidance!