Welcoming Our Granddaughter

My wife and I met our new granddaughter for the first time yesterday.

The adoption process, and a medical emergency which happily did not involve the baby, finally progressed to a point where #2 daughter and son-in-law could travel back to our part of the continent.

#3 daughter took this photo yesterday evening. That's my son, holding the new member of our family. I got his okay to use this photo on the condition that I make it very clear that he's the baby's uncle: not her father.



I've had my moments, holding my little granddaughter. Not so little, actually: she was around 9 pounds at birth, and healthily sturdy.

I'm looking forward to the first time she tugs my beard.

And Now, for Something Completely Different

My mind wanders now and then. Lately, it's been hanging out where mome raths outgrabe:


(From John Tenniel (1871), via Wikimedia Commons, used w/o permission.)
(John Tenniel's illustration for Carroll's "Jabberwocky.")

"Jabberwocky"
Lewis Carroll

" 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

" 'Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!'...
(From Project Gutenberg (www.gutenberg.org/files/12/12-h/12-h.htm))

I'm a Grandpa

It's been an interesting week.

A few hours ago, two inadvertent keystrokes wiped out four day's of work. I was not a happy camper. Most of it's recovered now, and #3 daughter suggested a common-sense way I can avoid this sort of thing: back up frequently. Obvious, in 20-20 hindsight.

My wife and I are now grandparents. #2 daughter and son-in law satisfied all legal requirements, and are now the proud adoptive parents of Elizabeth, a baby girl on the east coast. We've seen her via an Internet-based video link: Skype, I think.

Those three will stay where they are for — however long the state they're in sees fit. Legal requirements are met, I understand: but not the bureaucratic ones. This was expected, and they made necessary arrangements in advance for a long stay.

It's frustrating, but I remember the 'good old days,' and the reasons we've become increasingly careful about the adoption process.

I'm looking forward to meeting Elizabeth face-to-face.