My mom left today, after three weeks of cooking, cleaning, rocking, diaper changing, laundering, organizing, reorganizing, addressing thank you note envelopes, and just generally taking care of me, Dave, and Zeke in every possible way. I, especially, am not so easy to take care of (resistant to every suggestion) and these were not easy weeks. But she was eternally patient – even on the day I wouldn’t come out of my room and screamed at her when she tried to comfort me.
In these three weeks, she’s witnessed some of Zeke’s most miraculous changes. He’s gained almost 2 pounds and grown nearly 2 inches. His little belly is expanding and he’s getting chubby dimples in his arms and thighs. When she arrived, Z was barely opening his eyes. Now, he’s spending a number of hours each day wide-eyed, starting to connect with the people around him. He’s starting to enjoy bath time. And he’s just beginning to smile and coo.
My mom is an adoring Omi, clearly in love with our little guy. And Zeke clearly loves her too – her gentle touch and soothing voice, her ability to hold him for hours without getting tired.
While we’re happy to have some time to ourselves before the next guests arrive, I, for one, am feeling a little lost without her presence. We all are so grateful, and look forward to the next visit.