If Elle Could Talk

"How about you mash me on up and stuff me in that sling o' yours, that's about the only way I can get to sleep. Reminds me o' where I usta sleep, ya see?"

Four of Elle

Freshman Move In Day

Freshman move in day was this week and it was a mind blowing experience. There were hoards of people, lines of cars, and piles of stuff everywhere! The process went something like this. A car would pull up in the unloading zone, the family would exit the vehicle being careful not to let the compressed contents explode onto the tarmac, and then unload all the belongings of the young freshmen on the curb. The parking staff would then ask the driver of the car to go park in some distant land to make room for others dropping off their kids. Once the freshmen obtained their room assignment, the real work of hauling 4 years worth of stuff to its new home began. One poor student had a dorm on the 6th floor and, due to the long line at the elevator, had to pack all his stuff up 6 flights of stairs! And the things these young students had for their dorms! One father staring in dismay at the 32 inch flat panel television said, “I am not sure where you are going to put that….Good thing we bought a stand for it.” A tragedy, I was thinking, had just been averted.

I talked to John for a few minutes, he had just arrived from Macon, Georgia, 2 hours north of Valdosta. He was dropping off his oldest daughter. I told him that my oldest was one month old. We swapped stories for a few minutes until his daughter was ready with her key. Campus was the best place for her, of course; the learning that would take place, the maturity, the personal development. Much would happen in her years of college, starting right then.

After I finished helping the last freshman, I started walking back to the car. Ahead of me were a group of ultra connected college students. One was texting, the other was talking on the cell phone, and the third was leading the other two, in goose-like fashion, down the sidewalk. Apparently there was a large party going on that night, lots of people, lots of fun, lots of…Welcome to College Freshmen, let the personal development begin.

Looking into Elle’s eyes, I can’t help but ponder her future. I can almost see her taking her first steps, falling in love for the first time, and reconciling our understanding of gravity with the Standard Model of particle physics. But expectations can be challenging, something we have been learning early on.

Take for instance labor and delivery. Of course we were going to have the baby naturally! The appropriate visualization was that of a wet watermelon seed shooting out from tightly pressed finger and thumb; that baby was coming out and coming out fast. We had prepared and read and walked and even had Momma take a few laps around our house with the mower. Things were definitely going to happen just the way we planned.

Heading into the 48th hour of labor, however, the seed analogy was gone, replaced with exhaustion. Our expectations were fading somewhere in our scattered minds and the means were beginning to take their appropriate place in relation to the end. During all of labor, Elle was gently reminding us that she, in fact, was the end. We could see and hear her heartbeat on the monitors next to the bed. No matter what fluid they pumped into Kristen, no matter what pain medication miracle flowed in her veins, Elle’s heartbeat never budged. She was ready and determined, if only her parents would see.

As if a healthy baby were not reason enough to be pleased with the outcome of our delivery, fate would teach us one more lesson that day. Mike and Jenny were at the hospital giving birth the same time as us. Delivery was magically quick and natural for them, but in the process, their baby aspirated meconium. We would be with Elle for eight days before they could unhook their baby from the monitors and take him home.

With a silent vow not to place expectations on our experiences with the baby, we took Elle home. Of course, breastfeeding was going to go great. The appropriate visualization was that of Iguaca Falls; milk was going to flow! We had read books, talked with other mothers, been in contact with lactation consultants, things were definitely going to happen just the way we planned. Okay, so we had not entirely learned the lesson yet. But Elle was working with us, teaching every day that the best laid plans must be laced with a heavy dose of acceptance.

I still love thinking about the future when I look into Elle’s eyes. Now, however, I can’t help but think, “Okay, maybe high school is optional!”

The Gator!

I really wanted the folks to be able to see an Alligator while they were here visiting. We visited Grand Bay twice and on the second trip down the boardwalk, we ran into some success! When my nephew learned that we had seen a gator, he was very concerned about Grandma's safety. Grandma?! What about the rest of the family?