It's Alright By Me

I know this came out a while ago, but this is my favorite song of the week.  It just fits.

Put me in, Coach

The family (minus six) went out to attend Manny’s final game of the season last night.  Despite many years of watching baseball I still don't know the rules, but when Manny runs toward the dugout with the pride of a pitcher who just won his game the World Series I know that something great must have just happened.

MANNY UP TO BAT

MANNY ON FIRST

 MANNY POSING WITH HIS PERSONAL CHEERING SQUAD

"SUNFLOWER SEEDS - OFFICIAL SPONSOR OF MANNY HOLLIGAN"

Ill-behaved Bird Dog

A few weeks ago Martyn and I were doing yard work out back when we happened upon a small headless bird below the deck. Marty wanted to throw it in the lawn and leaf bag that was full and headed to the curb for pickup, but I insisted upon a proper burial under the rose bush in the side yard.

Two days later, another bird was found outside the back door - again headless.

Over dinner at my parents’ house the following night, we brought up this phenomenon and posited our assumption that Joey may be responsible. My niece Liz seemed to think that bird flu was to blame; while my father’s odd conjecture was that a neighbor had thrown them over the fence into our yard. I hardly believed either of these hypotheses and promptly decided to put the sightings out of mind.

However, this afternoon I caught our culprit in the act:

"Yes! Finally caught up to you!"

"Hey, why'd ya stop moving?"

"Whatsa' matter?  You don't want to play?"

Although I sure wasn't pleased, I know my Great Grandpa Wright --who bred and raised German Shorthairs and hunted them-- would have likely been proud as could be.

Cleveland or Bust

Last Friday morning my father and I set out for Cleveland.  As we traveled down I-90 we talked about how anxious we were to pull up to Meghan’s place on Marlowe Ave and scoop up the two beautiful boys we’d been waiting so long to meet.  Upon our arrival, I practiced mo restraint and literally ran from the car to the front stairs --where Meghan stood with Lincoln in her arms-- and snatched the precious bundle from her.  With tears in my eyes, I stared down at Linc’s adorable little face and fell into a trance so deep that I actually forgot to greet Ryan who was swiftly passing McCann into my father's waiting arms. 

“It’s a good thing Meghan had two babies,” I later joked, “because I’m quite sure it would have been hours until I’d given up Lincoln for his Pa to hold.”

 LINCOLN

MCCANN

Within hours of our arrival, there was a knock on the door.  It was a visiting nurse there to check on Meghan and the boys.  As Meghan opened the door, the nurse peaked in, and seeing my father and I holding Lincoln and McCann, asked if she should come back at another time. Meghan agreed that the time was bad and said it may be better for her to return another day.  My dad and I insisted that we didn’t mind and Meghan welcomed the nurse in.  As I prepared dinner in the adjoining room, I heard the nurse thoroughly address every topic under the sun: how are the boys eating? how are they sleeping? how are you adjusting to parenthood? etc.  As the nurse weighed the boys, she appeared particularly concerned with Lincoln’s increasingly orangey complexion and decided it would be best to take a blood sample to test his jaundice level. Upon her departure she stated that she would promptly deliver the samples to the lab and call if his levels had gotten too high.

A phone call received hours later revealed that Linc’s levels were , in fact, too high and the hospital requested he be brought in right away.  Ryan packed up Lincoln and prepared for an overnight stay in the hospital, while Meghan stayed behind with McCann, troubled by the awareness that she was separated from her baby for the first time since conception.

LINCOLN (L) AND MACCAN (R)

 MAC (L) AND LINC (R)

I stayed with Meghan that night – falling asleep next to her and Mac after laughing our butts off at funny home videos and criticizing the ignorance of the cast members on The Real Housewives of NYC.  There is no one who can make me belly laugh like my sisters can.

MEGHAN WITH LINC (L) AND MAC (R)

The following day Linc’s absence was palpable despite the fact that we were fully occupied oohing and aahing over little McCann…marveling at the length of his legs and his tiny fingers.  

 MAC

In the late afternoon, I packed up a lunch for Ryan and Meghan and my dad headed off to the hospital to see him and Lincoln.  I was happily left behind with Mac and I spent the entire time holding him on my chest and talking to him about how perfect he is -- overjoyed to be his first babysitter. 

 

MAC

When Meghan and my dad returned some time later, it was without Ryan and Lincoln, and we spent most of the day waiting patiently for the next text message to alert us on Linc’s status.  Although we postponed dinner with the hope that they would return in time, it was to no avail and we sat down to our meal heavy-heartedly around 7:30.  

When Ryan and Lincoln’s returned a half hour later, we all breathed a sigh of relief and with great cause for celebration, Meghan and Ryan enjoyed their first alcoholic beverage since Meghan learned she was pregnant.  Me and my dad?  We got busy doing what we do best:  staring at Linc and Mac as they slept – adoring every rise and fall of their chests as they breathed their baby breaths.

MAC (L) LINC (R)

 RYAN AND MEGHAN WITH LINC (L) AND MAC (R)

 MAC (L) and LINC (R)

LINKY LOUNGING WITH PA

"AUNTIE CARRIE, I AM TRYIINNNG TO SLEEP" - MAC

LINC 

MACKY

 LINC PUTTING HIS BEST FOOT FORWARD

Parting on Sunday night was difficult to say the least.  I never do well with goodbye and I hate change, so it was hard to leave the boys knowing how different they will be next time I see them.  The following morning, as we drove down the ramp out of Lakewood and onto I-90, I swallowed hard to hold back my tears and thought of how spoiled I’ve been for the greater part of my life to have most of my family fairly close within reach and to be able to watch as my nieces Liz and Willow and my nephew Manny grow. 

Dad and I talked about our visit until I nodded off somewhere near Mentor, OH and awoke a while later to navigate us toward Niagara Falls.  

The falls were breathtaking, of course, but nothing can compare to those first moments you hold your newest family member in your arms.

I don’t think I’ll ever drive on I-90 without thinking about pushing a bit harder on the gas as my exit approaches and cruising the 400 miles to my boys.

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It's Amazing How You Can Speak Right to My Heart

On the evening of May 31, 2010, my sister gave birth to two beautiful boys:  Lincoln Frederick (6lbs, 12 oz) and McCann Russell (6 lbs).

Before their arrival, she likened Linc to an alligator because of his penchant to toss about in the womb, and Mac to a moose because he moved slowly when prodded and did everything in his own time.  Linc was the first to make his star appearance in an ultrasound video, while Mac waited weeks until his time to float into the spotlight and show us his beautiful face.  Linc was head down and ready for action weeks before delivery, while Mac  waited until he was good and ready to flip head down and prepare for his departure from the womb. As it were, Linc was the first to greet this crazy world, at 5:42  pm, while Mac mosied his way toward the light, arriving at 5:47 pm. 

In the days that have followed, Meghan has reported that Linc is the first to make clear just what he wants and when he wants it, while Mac is happy doing his own thing.  Mac is our moose calf. 

I trust as they grow, my sister will be the protective mother watching from afar, doting and attentive, with a presence that is unmistakable and omniscient - much like a momma moose. 

If Mac and Linc were the twins featured in this video, I imagine Linc would be the twin who boldly trots forward to test the water, while Mac would be the one requiring a sweet nudge from momma. 

Come what may, I pray they always stay as sweet as the day they were born.