Ardian’s birth sampler

Day 180: 02/29/2011

Originally uploaded by Elisabeth Tully

Ardian is my fourth grandchild. When Alden, my first grandchild was born three years ago I began a tradition of creating a cross stitched sampler to celebrate her birth. These little projects are remarkably time-consuming, so the advance notice provided by a nine month gestation is very helpful. The projects can be completed in advance, with the addition of the vital statistics when the baby is born. Tomorrow, Andy and I will take this sampler in to have it framed to hang in Ardian’s new room. Next December, I’ll get to make the trip to the frame store again with my daughter-in-law Robbi, when grandchild number five is born. Time to get stitching.

Sisters

It is a rare treat to have both Andy and Lindsay visit at the same time, and so we took a moment to pose for a commemorative photograph. Neither grandson was inspired by the occasion.

Day 173: 06/22/2011

Day 173: 06/22/2011

Originally uploaded by Elisabeth Tully

We welcomed Ardian Cook Demolli to the world at about 4:30 pm yesterday. It was fitting that he was born on the longest day of the year. He weighs 9 and a half pounds, and is 21′ long. My daughter Andy was a hero through a long labor and difficult delivery. She was made anxious by the fact that the hospital had posted a sign on her door advising parents to keep their eyes on their baby at all times. (We thought that was the hospital’s job.) We are confident that Ardian will not get lost, because he has an electronic tracker attached to his ankle. When Andy accidentally moved it, a nurse appeared immediately to check on the baby. It is amazing that children were ever successfully born without all of the technology available today. There is no chance that I will give child rearing advice to my daughter. Everything I know is out of date, and she has watched so many baby videos that her theoretical knowledge is vastly superior to my own. But it was a real pleasure to attend this joyous event. I couldn’t really help in any way, but there is something important about “attending.” I fell privileged to belong to a long chain of women, extending back through the ages, who have shared in the wonder of a new life,