10 Things From 4 Months-Part 4

The story of the event that tops my list of 10 things from my 4 months away began back in March. That was when, during a vacation in Orlando, my granddaughter, Aria, helped her mommy & daddy tell my wife and me that we were going to be grandparents again. See my March 29, 2016 blog post.

It was a long difficult pregnancy for my daughter-in-law. She had health issues all throughout. The baby was perfectly fine and never in any danger. But she was sick nearly all the time. 

Finally after nearly 9 long months, the wait was over. It was time for my new grandson to enter the world. 

Gabriel's Birthday: The events and timeline for the arrival of Gabriel Alexander was almost completely different than it was for Aria. But it was at the same hospital. 

With the birth of my granddaughter, our family held a round-the-clock vigil in the waiting room on the same floor of the hospital as the maternity ward. This time it didn't take nearly that long with my grandson. 

By the time Paula and I arrived at the hospital the process of his arrival had already begun; although there would be a bit of a wait. 

In the 4 1/2 years that had passed, the hospital's security had been tightened so much that the waiting room for family was not even on the same floor as the maternity ward.

Paula; my sister-in-law, Theresa; Brandi's sister and niece, Misty and Lexi; anxious 4 year old, Aria; and I waited for news from the delivery room. 

It was hard for the soon-to-be big sister to wait.  

But she did her best to be patient. 

Soon we all got the word that baby Gabriel had been born. 

Miss Aria was escorted to her mother's room where she met her brand new baby brother. 

The excitement and emotion that comes with the arrival of a new baby into your family is always a bit overwhelming for me. Today would be the same way. 

Soon it came time for those of us waiting to meet the baby to head up to the maternity ward. No longer can you walk out of the elevator and stop to see the babies in the nursery. The windows are gone. Just a sign of the times we live in now. 

Using an intercom to let the staff know who we were there to see we were let through the security door and found Brandi's room. 

After a few minutes the proud new dad introduced us to his brand new son. 

There were quite a few people there but we all got the chance to hold the baby boy.
His great Aunt Theresa was in awe as she held him for the first time. 

The most memorable moments of the day for me included: watching Aria doing very well in her role as a big sister. 

And Gabriel being held by his Nana for the first time.

 Of course, what really got to me was when I held my grandson for the first time. It was a moment in my life that I never thought would ever happen. So while I may not look very happy in this picture. It's because I was doing my best to keep it together and not cry in front of everyone. 

It was a watershed day for our everyone involved but not any more than it was for this now complete family of four. 

The happiness that filled my heart as we left the hospital that afternoon is a common thing but still hard to describe.

When I got home I created my own personal welcome for my grandson. Years from now when he's old enough to understand I hope this welcome will show him just how much his birthday meant to his Papa. 

I am writing this post just 10 days before Christmas when we celebrate the greatest birth the world has ever known. This year the spirit of that first Christmas will resonate with me more than ever. That's because of the joy I experienced that day in October and continues as I watch my grandson, Gabriel Alexander, grow each day. 

   

So there you have the 10 most important things that happened during the time I was away from this blog. 

Since I started writing this series, a month ago, a few more things I want to share with you have happened. Keep checking back for future posts. More are on the way. 

If you enjoyed this series, please share it with your family and friends and on social media. 

Thanks for your loyalty to this blog. See you next post.