Ma Beagle

It has been brought to my attention that perhaps too much time has been given to the blatherings of family events rather than baby happenings. To that I say, "phooey." Ass kissing family bios are the key to a long line of committed baby sitters. But, note taken. I will try harder to offer actual experiences the fellas have had; I will continue to include those taking part in the ongoing story of babies evolving into boys. From Colorado to Illinois and elsewhere, too many people have played a huge role that has to be included. With that said, how about a big shout out to Ma Beagle. That is the nickname my mother has earned, which was inspired by the infamous Duck Tales character who repeatedly sprung her sons from the slammer. This is something I know my mother would do for me, and hopefully my sons. We have such high aspirations in this family.

Kristin travelled to DC for work a few weeks back, and I had a hard time accepting the wake up duties for the week. "Mommy help." So she did. The boys and I would probably have managed just fine sitting around in our pajamas all week, but this was a great opportunity for Grandma Kathy to visit for the third time in 6 months.

Not having any daughters of her own, my mother has always enjoyed being a part of the action during those critical hours at the hospital. Those stressful hours of waiting and hoping that everything goes well for all parties involved. Forget about the 5 minutes between boys, when you feel like standing up to help the doctors since anything over 30 seconds was too long. Seriously, enough chit chat! Where is the other baby? Granted, Bethany was the one leading the paparazzi as the boys made their way down a hallway to meet the crowd, but you can be sure that Kathy was front and center taking pictures with shaky hands.

Kathy's dramatic nature has always brought otherwise mundane events to life. How did she sculpt her 4 skeptical sons into Cubs fans? Why did my brother Shawn believe in Santa Clause in 6th grade? I remember my brothers crying with her as Lee Smith and the Cubs decided not to take the pennant in 1984. I remember my dad setting reindeer traps on the roof to keep us from second guessing. All that was real. Grandma Kathy reminds us why we celebrate, and if there is no good reason then she will find you one. The boys were lucky to have a grandma and babysitter like that, and soon they will also have stories to tell. Thanks for the help.

On deck: 21 fresh inches of snow on the ground, but still not enough to keep Grandma Cyndi at bay. Her admitted withdrawal problem results in her booking a flight because the boys have decided to sit up without her consent. Something like that anyways.