Vivian Awaits Her Little Sister - May 9th to 13th

Have car seat, will travel. Frank and I arrived Monday afternoon May 9th in Southern California to help care for our two-year old granddaughter Vivian for the next nine days while her mom and dad would be busy having her little sister. Since we had a rental car - Frank is waiting in line for it - we brought the car seat we have in Livermore for when our grandkids visit. I bought a back-pack style traveling case for it so it could be checked like a piece of luggage. The seat is awkwardly huge but not too heavy. The zippered cover worked out very well. I wore it too. Nobody ever accused Frank and me of traveling light! Granted one of the suitcases is full of presents –  cue eye rolls from my son and daughter-in-law.

At a very huge nine-months pregnant, Carrie had still prepared a delicious polenta and sausage dish for our dinner at their house with Vivian on our arrival night while she and Dan went out for a quiet dinner of their own. We took Vivian to a local park where we held our breath as she fearless navigated the climbing structure. She wants to be independent and firmly tell you "I got it" when you try to assist her. Well, one time, she didn't "got it. She failed to reach far enough with one leg, slipped, and fell about 10". Frank and I were right there and she slid through both our hands. There were some tears and a pitiful wailing cry for "Mommy" but the drama was brief, Grandma hugs and kisses sufficed, and she was back down the slide in less than five minutes. We walked home shortly there-after and got Vivian ready for bed but dallied enough that her parents were home in time to say goodnight and finish putting her to bed per their request.

Tuesday May 10th, Dan, Carrie, and Vivian wanted to have their final day to themselves as a family of three, which conveniently gave Frank and me a chance to unwind from our travels. It is not the 1-hour 20-minute plane flight that tires you out; it is the house prep and packing before. We also were aware that we had a toddler marathon ahead of us for which we would need to pace ourselves and conserve energy. Frank and I had a luxurious brunch at Denny's and then walked across the parking lot to browse Hobby Lobby's home decor offerings. They were simple activities but we enjoyed each other's relaxed company. We met up with Dan, Carrie, and Vivian that evening to watch Vivian in her swim lesson. She is quite the little fish and is learning many safety skills at the same time.

C-Day: Wednesday morning May 11th Dan and Carrie took Vivian to daycare themselves on the way to the hospital for Carrie's scheduled C-section. Frank and I switched hotels that morning while they were in transit. Frank and I had stayed elsewhere our first two nights because the Staybridge Suites, which was closer to Dan and Carrie, had restrictions resulting in exorbitant rates if reservations were not made sufficiently in advance. The uncertainty around the baby's arrival, precluded an early booking for us even though we knew we would meet their minimum stay requirements. Transferring our luggage from the Candlewood Suites to the Staybridge Suites was not too difficult because we had not really settled into there. The relocation activity also provided the adequate level of distraction for us preceding Carrie's surgery. We ensconced ourselves in their home by noon however to await the news of our third granddaughter's birth. Dan texted us as soon as he could that mom and baby were doing fine. Vivian now had a little sister though it would be a while before she would get to meet her in person.

Lillian Diane Chambers was born on Wednesday May 11, at 1:23 pm, weighing in at a robust 7 lbs even and measuring 21.5 inches long. Starting life at 1 lb 1 oz less than her big sister Vivian, but 2 inches longer, Lillian was very alert and had two Apgar scores of 9 and 9. "See? Already an A student," thought the proud and relieved grandma. Lillian's hospital stay would be longer than typical newborns because she needed an operation soon after birth for a somewhat rare, but well understood and surgically correctable, intestinal anomaly, detected while in utero. I will write a birth post of her own with photos, shortly after Lillian Diane's arrival home.

Our next scheduled assignment for Vivian was to pick her up from daycare Wednesday evening. She was happy to see Frank and me and went with us without a hitch. After bringing her back to her home, I prepared a 10 minute, one pan, pre-packaged Gobble Dinner kit Carrie had left for us. We opened a Spin Again toy we had brought for Vivian and she enjoyed dropping the gears down on a corkscrew post and watching them whirl around during descent. She went to bed with no fuss whatsoever. Dan got home very late from the hospital and gave us a bit of a download of the days events. Carrie remained at the hospital, Lillian remained in the NICU, her surgery scheduled for early the next morning. I slept over at their house so Dan could leave early Thursday to return to the hospital and wait with Carrie throughout Lillian's surgery.

Thursday May 12th Frank and I took Vivian to Big Air Trampoline Park. Toddler time is from 10 am to 1 pm. The place is really well set up with padded surfaces every where and fun ways to jump and play with soft balls, blocks and other items. 

We initially bought a pass just for Vivian but she was a bit shy and apprehensive so I got a pass too and went in with her. Whew! I jumped, bent over, holding her under her armpits and bouncing in sync with her and higher than she could have done on her own. She loved it but I sweated up a storm. She also played with some of the balls and stacked some of the foam blocks but had had enough after about 50 minutes. That was fine with me. Dan texted with Lillian's surgery results while we were there and all had gone smoothly.

Outside Big Air Trampoline Park is not very impressive and does not reveal the well thought out set up within. I was drawn to the speed bump outside in the parking lot. But what is that covering on it?

Closer inspection revealed that it must be a tradition to place your time-stamped sticker pass on the speed bump when you leave. There was quite a collage there. On the drive home we picked up TOGO's sandwiches, soups, and salad for lunch and dinner.

Dan came home midday Thursday and, after Vivian's nap, took her up to the hospital to see her mom. She would not yet be able to visit her baby sister but Carrie was missing Vivian. Since there is a limited window of time for a toddler to be a hospital room, we planned to pick her up before she overstayed her attention span or her parents' energy. We went to the hospital at 5pm, met Dan and Vivian in the lobby, and took her home so that her visit was just long enough. In the car on the way back, we were stopped at a red light and a firetruck sped right past us, close on our left, going our direction. Frank, in the excitement of the moment, rolled down the car windows to experience it better. Just then the truck sounded its extremely loud, blaring horn, as it was directly beside our car. I yelled at Frank that he would scare Vivian. She merely observed it all and, in the ensuing silence after the emergency vehicle's passage, murmured calmly, "Fire Truck." So much for being afraid or startled!

Dan came home late Thursday night after a very long and arduous day. I was glad we'd had the forethought to buy extra sandwiches and soup to warm up for him. I camped out on their living room couch once again so Dan could get an early start back to the hospital on Friday morning.

Mid-morning on Friday, May 13th Frank and I took Vivian to a Music Together class in which Carrie had enrolled her. I said to Frank,"Music class – that is right up my alley. I can handle that." I thought to myself that this would be a piece  of cake after those trampoline aerobics. Music Together is an internationally recognized program initiated in 1987 but, to quote Carrie on the topic, "It's a @#%^& workout". And she was right!

There are hand and body motions to accompany the rhythm of the music. Adults are to mimic these motions while assisting their child's appendages to do the same. We sing in quasi-pitch or just do rhythmic echoing of la-la's or tic-tic's or whatever the guttural utterance of the moment is. Then we tippy-tippy-toe at the song's pace from one corner of the room to another and back again. And again. And again. Then we march around with instruments like tambourines and bells. Then we toss scarfs in the air and catch them and hide behind and among them. Then we hand-over-hand strum ukeleles. Then we do stick clacking to different beats. Then we dump out the toys. Then we put away the toys. Then we sit in a circle and tap on each others backs in a syncopated beat. Then we reverse direction and repeat. Then the non-toddler participants collapse in exhaustion.

There is one song that stuck in my mind. I remember the verses as going something like
1...  Three little owls say "whoo, whoo, whoo" (3x) as they sat in an old oak tree
2...  Three little squirrels say "fft, fft, fft" (3x) as they sat in an old oak tree
3...  Three black crows say "caw... caw..." (3x) as they sat in an old oak tree
4...  Three little kittens say "meow, meow, meow" (3x) as they sat in an old oak tree
5...  Parents say "hold on tight" (3x) as they sat in an old oak tree
In the final verse the tree laments "All these things are sitting on me." By the end of class I was the physically drained tree!

We all got our hands stamped with musical instrument images at the end of class.

After the musical workout within, Vivian climbed on and hung from the equipment on the playground outside the music classroom. I said to Frank, "You got this one. I'm sitting down!"

Then it was off to Baja Fresh for lunch. I got a milk for Vivian but, upon getting back to our table with it, I felt it was not cold enough. I took it back to the counter for the clerk to investigate and I requested another. The clerk took it from me and shook it vigorously before inspecting it. She did not check first that the cap was secure. Off flew the cap, showering the clerk, me, the entire counter, and all customers within a five foot radius, with a deluge of tepid milk. She got me a fresh colder milk from the rear refrigerator and was a good sport about it all. Vivian enjoyed her newer chilled milk, chowed down on her quesadilla...

... and practically inhaled her rice and applesauce.

We arrived home after lunch just in time for a big event. A garbage truck was out collecting the trash bins. Vivian loved watching these with Grandpa and waved to the drivers - who waved back!

I would sporadically text Carrie photos so she would feel included. She informed me that the cute Minnie Mouse outfit with the appliquéd daisies on the top and daisy print leggings was pajamas. Well, if that is the worst thing a Grandma can mess up, I wasn't doin' too bad.

After nap time we joined up with neighbors who typically meet at a local park within walking distance for a Friday night Happy Hour where the kiddos play on play structures while the parents socialize. This was the same structure we'd taken Vivian to on Monday but this time she really did "got it" and did not fall. I did not change her outfit so if any of the Dan and Carrie's friends there noticed she was wearing pajamas, they did not mention it. Maybe I inspired them to start a new SoCal trend for comfortable playground attire. Dan met up with us there. After Vivian was bathed and in bed we three ate takeout Chinese for dinner.