I really don’t think there is anything in the world sweeter than a four or five month old baby. She is totally focused on Michael talking to her. Gia is already becoming more interested in toys than in people. She loves to bounce on your knee, playing riding the pony Macaroni. She does love her mommy better than any toy though.

My Mom reported: I babysit every Tuesday afternoon for Gia, and this afternoon we went for our first stroller ride.  She seemed to enjoy it and even glanced at the ducks who walk right up to anyone who comes down to the pond.  If no one comes, they go parading up the street to check out peoples’ yards for anything they might be missing.  

I have been babysitting quite a bit since Amy and Brad have a pretty noisy, busy house right now.  Gia is just as sweet and cute as can be.  She really does remind me of Amy as a baby.  She loves to have someone talk to her and is trying very hard to respond.  When she gets a goo or coo out, she is so proud of herself.  She likes to hear Brown Bear, Brown Bear and focuses intently on the pictures.  

Grandma Canterbury's Blanket

Wow, it has been snowing here all morning. It is almost noon and still going strong. The roads still look ok though so alas we can’t really call it a snow day.

This is a picture of Giada with the blanket my Grandmother Canterbury crocheted her. Giada loves to look at the contrasting pink and white. We usually have it draped over the sofa where she sleeps in the corner and cover her with it when she is asleep.

Giada and Zoe with Grandma Ann the night before she died

Brad’s mom passed away today.

It was surprising really. I mean we knew it was coming but we thought we had a month or more. She would have been 70 on the 20^th and I think in my mind I thought for sure she would see her birthday.

She was fine until yesterday. She woke up and was coherent but often disoriented. Whenever she closed her eyes she would talk to people who were dead for years. She would fall asleep and her hands moved all the time, acting like she was eating or writing something. You could hear the fluid in her lungs though. When you shook her awake she was surprised to see us there, but was talking. She was even up walking around and held Giada twice. She was very annoyed about us ordering her a hospital bed from hospice as she loves her temperedic and thought it was silly to have a bed brought in. This picture of her, Giada and her dog Zoe was last night about 6pm.

Thankfully she only had to sleep in it for one night. She took medicine all night but basically was already passing this morning as she could not be roused. Nurses were there and they couldn’t tell us how long, but the thought in the next 2 days or so. But it was just not to be.

In the end it was just me, her and Giada there together when she died. Brad and his sister Jenny had gone on an errand, to spend some time together as Ann seemed fairly stable. Giada and I were at her bedside when she began to pass. Her eyes had opened as I was talking to her about Giada and I was holding Giada up for her to see her and she was rousing slightly trying to talk a little when her breathing changed and the nurse told me that that signaled the end was near. I managed to get Jenny and Brad on speaker phone as they were returning home and they both got to say their good byes loud and clear for her to hear. I held her hand and told her how much we loved her and how lucky I was to have the opportunity to really KNOW my mother in law as we had battled her cancer together. I told her how glad I was that she had had time with Giada. She died quickly and peacefully.

I’m grateful she didn’t linger and wasn’t in pain but am very, very sad myself and even more so for Brad.

Cherish the time you have and give your family a hug and kiss tonight. We’re blessed to have each other.

My Mom reported: I babysat for Giada this afternoon while Amy and Brad got their Xmas tree.  She was a little fussy, but I got to feed her a bottle for the second time.  She really does pretty well with it.  She is beginning to stare at things and people, and it seems like she is trying to figure out who I am.  Seeing me two days in a row seemed to make a difference. The weather is really nasty, cold and rainy.  Only the pansies and the (I forget what you call them) are still alive.  Even my beautiful camellias succumbed.  It is even colder in Missouri according to the paper, but, of course, not as cold as St. Paul and Kate says they don’t have any snow.

From My Mom:  We babysat for Gia on Halloween so Amy and Brad could go to a party for a couple of hours.  So far she is just like Amy was – eat, sleep, poop, and eat some more.  Amy deserves a good baby.  I hope this lasts.

Born 4:04pm

6 pounds 11 ounces

Giada Julia Josephine Palmer, our third granddaughter and Amy and Brad’s first child, came into the world with dark hair (hair!) and a darling little cry.  She and Amy and Brad are getting to know one another.  All is well and we are grateful.