Baby Photos

I made it down to see my little nephew/grandson today. I didn't get to see him last week due to a series of unfortunate incidences, so I was really excited about seeing him and spending time with my niece.

When I got there, the NICU was closed because the doctors were doing their rounds, so I treated my niece to a nice lunch. She has been staying alone in a hotel room, and eating Cup of Noodles, and fruit to get by without spending any more money than they have to, poor thing. Her husband usually joins her on Fridays, but during the week she is 1 1/2 hours from home coping on her own.

She is so strong and positive about it though. I am really inspired by her. I can't imagine going through a c-section then being released without having a baby to take home. Instead of being home, recovering from major surgery and bonding with her baby, she's been shuttling back and forth to the hospital, pumping milk every 3 hours, and going home on the weekends to see her 3 year old girl. And that's not including the really difficult pregnancy and 10 weeks of bed rest that led up to Zach's premature birth. It's overwhelming for me to think about, and she's living it and taking it all in stride.

Again, I had to use my "grandma" credentials to visit Zach. I feel rather guilty about lying to the nurses, but I also think my niece not only likes the company, but enjoys showing off her baby and have someone make a fuss over him. That's how I'm trying to justify it anyway...

Today though after we signed in and washed up, a nurse came over to us and after updating my niece on the baby, asked who I was. I told her I was the grandma. She said, "You're kidding!" Oh, how that made my day! Finally someone had a bit of compassion to question my grandmotherliness. I told her that well, really I was the step-grandma, and she gave a little nod and said, "Oh..." like that explained everything.

I got to hold my little psuedo-grandbaby for the better part of an hour. I told him how many people were looking forward to seeing and holding him, and encouraged him to grow and get strong so he could come home soon. I then assaulted him with the flash on my camera, as any proud "grandma" would do.