Gideon at 1 month

Gideon Arthur is officially one month old today! He came for a visit yesterday. We’ve been gone for ten days so I haven’t seen him in two weeks. When last I saw him, he was just barely opening his eyes to peek at the world, far more content to keep them closed, sleep and hang out with mommie. Not so yesterday, he was alert most of the time, content to sit on a lap with a face to look at and look he did. He let his little eyes roam all over the room taking in everything around him without a peep.

On first meeting yesterday, he sported a full-face smile for Grandma and then again for Grandpa. How they put their whole face into it, I don’t know, but it was very cute. Baby G is awake and ready to get to know his world. He let both of us hold him to our heart’s content. He has a lot of reddish hair, more than his brothers at this age. He’s grown and gotten heavier in two weeks. He looks more like a full-fledged infant and less like a little burrito.

His brothers seem to easily embrace their new family member. Lewis was in three months of denial when Evander was born, but now having a brother is a normal part of life. Evander frequently comes over to give his baby a kiss. The very first thing Evander did upon arriving yesterday was go straight to the bookshelf for “book-ahs” which he loves. He had Grandpa on the couch reading before Heather even got settled in. Evander’s language skills are increasing rapidly. He loves all kinds of books, long and short. He sat and listened to regular bedtime story length books yesterday. I think he has “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” memorized.

Meanwhile, Lewis headed straight for the new books shaped like bulldozer, fire truck and dump truck to play with and read. He had out all the heavy equipment toys and was excavating first thing. Later in the day, I took the boys across the street where a real back hoe had arrived and let them check it out. We even stopped to ask the workmen what they were doing. Evander is repeating, “Ex-ca-va-tor, Ex-ca-va-tor.” Lewis knows more about equipment than I’ll ever know. After lunch while little brother naps, Lewis and Grandpa watch Bob the Builder and Mighty Machines together. Well, I suspect that Granpa naps and Lewis watches.

About six, Heather straps in three little guys in her mini-van. Tired Lewis cries because he’s had no nap and “wants to sit by the baby.” He’s only three, even though he’s the big brother. It’s been a good day at Grandma and Grandpa’s House.

Author Profile:  Kathy Varis is a speaker, writer, personal coach and mentor, musician, youth drama guru, educator, a codirecting member of the FOCUS Leadership Team at Portland State University, and a long-time campus minister with Chi Alpha Campus Ministries. Kathy served 12 years as a lead instructor at Mt Hood Community College directing the Rockwood Lifelong Learning Center, helping establish the Mt Hood Literacy Coalition. She has lived with her husband and family in the Hawthorne district of southeast Portland since 1992. Read more from this author