Gratitude for life

One of my Facebook friends said it in response to the post where I announced the news: "this grandma thing is the best gig I ever had!" Just two and a half days into it, I already have an inkling of what she means.

Meet Ernest Quincy Moore, born Feb. 18, 2010, at 6:49 pm. Great heaps of gratitude to Sue Browning, who was in the office just after I got the news that labor had begun. She forced me out of my awestruck stupor, urged me to make travel arrangements to go to Boston, and took care of Toby the Dog for me besides! Thanks to Sue, I got to hold Quin when he was less than 24 hours old. Got to watch my son, Galen, learn to swaddle his son; got to reassure my daughter-in-law, Leigh, that they would soon get the hang of this nursing business.

"Quin:" we're not sure that's what his everyday name will turn out to be. When one of the nurses (or consultants, or social workers, or photo salespeople -- it's an endless parade there in the OB wing) walked into the hospital room and asked, "What's the baby's name," Galen said "Ernest" and Leigh said "Quincy."

Not sure what my name will be to this new being either, though since the anagram of "Mary Ganz" is "Zany Gram," chances are that's who I'll be.

Saturday, the day they went home from the hospital, I arrived in the morning and found him wearing a whole new look. It'll be that way, for a while -- visible changes, day to day. I want to be there for as many of them as I can. Meanwhile, I"m buying stock in Skype ... and walking around with tears of joy and gratitude in my eyes.