Angels Watching Over "Little Monsters"!
Wow! my grand twins are two months old! I am so proud of their progress so far! It is also the first week that Grammie has been with them as their care giver after Mommie returns to work. I have to make a huge confession! I now understand the nicknames my son has given them. Jayden's is "Monster" and Lailie's is "Monster Jr." Mom and Dad even went shopping and returned with a little outfit that says "Mommie's little Monster" across the front! Jayden was given the onesie and Lailie was given the bib! Even as I laughed, I said to them " Stop calling my beautiful little angels 'monsters'"! They are very good natured babies who only fret or fuss when they are uncomfortable in some way! Yeah, right! My first confession to my daughter in law last week after my second day of Grammie Sitting was, "I understand now why your babies have the nicknames Monster and Monster Jr."
Oh yes, the first full day we were together was just fantastic! Lailie played and slept after having her formula and went to sleep on her own just fine. Of course she had her comforter, the pacifier, to make the transition from play to sleep happen peacefully. Jayden, on the other hand, wants to be cuddled until he falls soundly asleep as did his daddy when he was an infant. Forget the pacifier, just rock me! I am still so full of joy as I help with the twins. I look at them and thank God for the precious love we have for each other. It is so comforting to know that the example of complete trust they show in their parents and grandparents is the same trust that we grown ups should have in The Almighty God! Jayden and Lailie's parents love watching their first born twins while they are learning to be great parents. I am happy to say that they are teaching their parents well since the babies know instinctively what to ask for without actually speaking words. So now we, the caregivers, have to "discover" what they are saying based on their actions. After about 3-4 hours or so they are ready to be changed, fed, cuddled and swaddled to go off into their dream world and get much needed sleep in order to maximize their growth and development process. Well after learning this initially critical phase, the lesson plan changed again!
Now Jayden has started to wake up as soon as his little head touches the bed and wants to snuggle more. Gas bubbles are rolling in his tummy even though I know I had just spent 30 minutes burping, and patting him. I still can't seem to figure what is going on this time. Well I stood up and walked through the house patting his back some more and noticed that "gravity" seemed to get out the air bubbles more readily. He quickly quieted down! Jayden turned his head from side to side and scooted into various positions in my arms and chest crevices as I held him. He has learned to seek to find his own comfort zone! After all, I am two months old now and the lesson planned has just changed! So says Mommy's sweet "little Monster"! By the way, Thanks for the memo regarding the changed lesson plan! And then I learn that Miss Lailie, aka, "Monster Jr", is no longer content to be wrapped "Burrito style" in her security blanket, so she can go to sleep on her own, while her brother is rocked to sleep! She seems to be thinking, "who is this other little person anyway?" Nor is she content any longer to sit in the corner of the chair while he gets all of the cuddling because he can not put himself to sleep. After all, I am the princess, and I am two months old! I want to see people, watch TV, and just stay awake for a little while. "I am woman, Here Me Roar!" So says daddy's "little Monster Jr"!
So as the lesson plan changed, (again, I failed to get the memo), on day two of Grammie Sitting, I thought I would need to call on the Army, Navy, Air force, Marines, the National Guard, the Coast Guard and the Red Cross! I had two babies screaming for attention at the same time for the same thing! We want diaper changes and Formula and we want them now! Lailie will have her pacifier for a few minutes while her bottle is warming and her brother is feeding, but only for a while. If I wait too long, her delicate patience wears off and her little infant baby girl voice takes on the panicky sound of a siren chasing traffic lights! And during all of this, her calm little brother, Jayden is still taking his sweet little time finishing his bottle. Oh well, now I place him down and pray that he has had enough formula to hold him for the 10-15 minutes his sister needs to take her bottle. She whimpers a little when I pick her up as if to say, "Grammie what took you so long?", but starts to suck vigorously as she consumes her formula with loud clicks of pleasure! Then the next phase is to sit Lailie down for another few minutes so I can now finish feeding her brother, who desires cuddling after he is done with his bottle . He goes back to sleep in my lap after I wrap Lailie in her blanket "Swaddle style". She now sucks her pacifier until she falls asleep! Finally, is there a moment for Grammie to check her email, her crops on Facebook, make a phone call to a friend? OK, take 30 Grammie and do not take took long!
We did notice that at around six to eight weeks old, Jayden and Lailie were indeed beginning to to sleep longer in the evening and stay up more during the day. It will be a blessing if, by the time they are three months old, they are on a schedule where they will sleep more in the evening, if not all night. This will be a welcomed time, especially for Grammie, who still helps one or both parents when they get up during the night. Okay! I know it may be wishful thinking but with God, "All things are possible for them that believe", right? Mark 9:22 I remember early on when Mom and the babies were adjusting to being alone during the day, (dad had returned to work) I got a call from Mom about 4 am saying that she had not had very much sleep during the night. She was tired and frantic. She needed to sleep. She was still in recovery from surgery and was dealing with high blood pressure and fluid retention. This was not a good medical combination to have or emotional situation to be in. I told her that I would pray that both babies would sleep for several hours so she could get some much needed rest. In the meantime I agreed to drive over and help out. When I got there later that morning she informed me the babies had indeed slept so that she could sleep as well. Mom told me that her young ones had heard her speaking to Grammie and they went to sleep in an answer to my prayer! When all else fails, Prayer Still Works!
This is when I first reflected deeply on just how involved God is in every aspect of our lives. Something so timely and so needed as sleep can play a huge role in the new parent's outlook on becoming good parents. Adequate sleep can help determine the sufficient energy level needed to positively care both emotionally and physically for newborn infants. Yes, even Grammie needs her sleep. After all I am not quite as young as I once was. I am determined to continue to Seek Balance in Ministry, Life, and Grandparent-hood. I must admit this effort is a universal challenge that supersedes logical thinking. Knowing that it is wise to seek balance in one's life can itself become a challenge when seeking balance can become an obsessive effort. I have learned to trust God in my everyday walk and remember that He is my Source of life, strength and hope. Therefore I must entrust the One Who can do all but fail, to be The One and Only Source to provide the balance I need to care for the new Valentines in my life, Jayden and Lailie, and all of my other grandchildren. All of them! This means also the balanced care for their parents; their jobs, and their businesses. Even in all things, as we Seek First The Kingdom of God and His Righteousness, I Trust God to give my family members, just what is needed to survive and exist in the safety of His Presence. So I do not worry needlessly when Mom and Dad refer to my Grands as "little Monsters". They are sweet "little Angels" to me! I know that The God I serve is able to turn night into day and to make all things new. I do not worry needlessly about what Jayden and Lailie or any of my Grand kids will grow up to be! The world is there for the taking as long as they do so in The Name that is above all names. I marvel when I read the comforting Word of God in Psalm 91:9-16 esp 11-13 where I am specifically reminded that God himself will protect my "little Monsters" because they have made Him, The LORD, their Refuge. This is the best Lesson Plan any Parent can give their children and we will do so, in Jesus' Name! Praise The Name of The LORD!
Psalm 91:9-16
9 Because you have made the LORD your refuge, the Most High your habitation, 10 no evil shall befall you, no scourge come near your tent. 11 For he will give his angels charge of you to guard you in all your ways. 12 On their hands they will bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. 13 You will tread on the lion and the adder, the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot. 14 Because he cleaves to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. 15 When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will rescue him and honor him. 16 With long life I will satisfy him, and show him my salvation. (Bold italics mine)
I hope you enjoy my Blessing!
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