Dept. of Family Additions

[kaffy_r]

I'll Have A Grandson

Andy and Emily called us last night, after her second trimester ultrasound, and it showed them, that they're going to have a son, or as my particularly praiseworthy son said, a baby who's going to be assigned male at birth. He and Emily are also praiseworthy in my book because he said his first concern now is that as a parent, he raise his kid to be feminist, an ally, and not a misogynist jerk. 

They haven't chosen a name yet, although there are several front-runners. I told them they have lots of time for that.

I'm glad that they have the time to prepare for their offspring a little better in their own heads. On a purely selfish note, I'm glad I have time, too. Perhaps, if they ever decide to have another kid, I'll be able to spoil a granddaughter. For now, I'm looking forward to another Berlien Boy, who I'm confident is going to be an awesome human being because of his parents. 

Comments

[lydy]

Congratulations, again! Grandmotherhood will suit you, I think.

[kaffy_r]

Thanks - I hope I can be a good grandmother. My mum was a fantastic Nana to Andy all those years ago, and I'd love to continue the Routliffe tradition. I'm hoping that COVID-19 threats and travel restrictions are loosened by July, so that I can visit and offer whatever help Andy and Em need. I know my mum saved my ass, brain and heart when she came down from Nova Scotia to stay with us for 3 months.

[dreamshark]

It's perfect timing. Of course you will be able to go and help by July. Richard and I are planning a road trip to Portland as soon as we are both vaccinated, which I'm pretty sure I will be by late April even though I have always had the kind of lottery luck that suggests that I will be the last over-65 person in the state of Minnesota to get scheduled for vaccination. That might be a little earlier than I would want to get on a plane, but road trips are a pretty low-risk activity.

And I've made reservations to fly my daughter's family out here in July. Admittedly, I have cancelled three sets of trip plans in the past 12 months, but I'm feeling fairly confident about this one. So is everybody else, apparently. The lower priced tickets for July were rapidly disappearing as of late January when I made the arrangements. If you are planning to fly, I strongly recommend that you make some reservations now. The major domestic airlines all dropped their former draconian "change fees" over the summer, so you can reschedule or cancel as needed without losing money.

3 months might be a little long, though, depending on space and family dynamics. My daughter was very happy to have us for a month after the twins were born, but clearly about ready for us to say goodbye at that point. We all get along well, but it's a small house. Just be ready to be flexible.

[kaffy_r]

Bob and I will have to evaluate our own health as we look at travelling to see Baby Boy, and we will most definitely have to gauge Andy and Em's toleration for help. "Help" can all too often be a source of stress and tension, and I don't want that to happen, not on my watch.

The three months that Mum spent with us still amazes Bob and I, because we all got along famously, even though she had to sleep on a daybed in the front sunroom, without a door to provide to provide her with some privacy. She also put up with a daughter and son-in-law who were ... not of her paradigm, shall we say. In retrospect, it was a familial miracle. With Andy and Em, I could see a couple of weeks at most, or maybe not at all - it's up to them.

[dreamshark]

Kudos to your mother, who obviously rose to the occasion in fine fashion and thus set you an example to follow all these years later!

[kaffy_r]

Mum deserved and deserves all the kudos!

[misbegotten]

Woo hoo! Congratulations on the forthcoming human!

[kaffy_r]

Yep - I'm alternately croggled and delighted by the whole thing. My croggledness is, of course, far less intense than the pending parents. Heh.

[sir_guinglain]

Congratulations!

[kaffy_r]

Many thanks!

[nostalgia]

hurrah!

[kaffy_r]

Oh, you're so right!

[masakochan]

Congrats! <3

[kaffy_r]

Thank you kindly! (By the way, how are you doing? Is your area OK with power and water?)

[masakochan]

My parents and I have been very lucky considering that we've had power this entire time- since we're close to a medical center, and no burst pipes.

(btw random, but: crunchyroll's just started adding episodes from 'Cells at Work' s2, and episodes from the darker spin-off 'Cells at Work: CODE BLACK'. (iirc code black is a slang(?)term in Japan basically calling a workplace a sweatshop.))

[kaffy_r]

Good - I'm glad you're avoiding some of the awfulness.

BB and I have been enjoying both Cells at Work s2 and Cells at Work: CODE BLACK. One of the things I think is really great about the latter is that it's tackling things that Japanese adults have to deal with and possibly don't - bad coping habits like drinking and smoking, and of course, the ultimate end of every cell's world: aging and eventual death.

[masakochan]

mmmhmm. Yeah- IDK how far this season is gonna get- but the later chapters get into stuff like depression, diabetes, and suicide via sleeping pills & drinking 'em down with alcohol.

On a much lighter note- there are some really cute, short animes you'd probably enjoy: 'With a Dog AND Cat- Every Day is Fun!', and 'Welcome, Chitose'.

Inu to Neko episodes are only a minute & 1/2 long each, and it's based on a 4-koma style manga that the mangaka bases on her own life with her 2 pets.

And the Chitose episodes are only 3 minutes long- each- about a baby penguin who checks out a lot of favorite tourist destination spots in Kyoto.

eta: I once saw a video on youtube about a woman talking about how the CODE BLACK manga got her to stop drinking so much.

[kaffy_r]

I passed the lighter suggestions on to the pirater in chief ... he thinks we've already got the Inu to Neko, so we may enjoy one or two tonight.

I once saw a video on youtube about a woman talking about how the CODE BLACK manga got her to stop drinking so much.

That makes me feel good about the series - and I'll bet that the creative team would also love hearing things like that (and has, I hope.)

[maia]

Congratulations!!!

[kaffy_r]

Thanks, on Andy and Em's behalf; we've known we were expecting a baby human for about 1.5 months, but this week was the first time they could check for sex/gender.

[lilacsigil]

Congratulations! I hope by the time he's born travel will be easy and safe so you can see him often.

[kaffy_r]

Thanks! I'm hoping so as well. I'm also hoping that I can help out in some way once Baby Berlien arrives.

[hamsterwoman]

Congratulations to you and the parents-to-be!

[kaffy_r]

Thanks on everyone's behalf!

[dreamshark]

Congratulations! Is this your first grandchild?

[kaffy_r]

It is indeed, and may be our only one, given Andy's and Emily's ages.

[sideways]

Vongfrats!!

[kaffy_r]

Why thank you!

[a_phoenixdragon]

OMG, what awesome news!! And I know, just because they are Good People - that their wee one will be marvelous and kind. Then they will teach that wee one how to be MORE marvelous and kind.

Congrats to them - and yay new baby boy!

*HUGS*

[kaffy_r]

Yep - they let us know about 1.5 months ago that the baby was a thing, and we knew that July is the delivery date, but it wasn't until this week that the ultrasound showed that sex/gender it is. I think they'll be very good parents; I know Andy has wanted a kid for a long time.

Thanks for the hugs!

[cmcmck]

Awwwww! :o)

Congratulations!

[kaffy_r]

On Andy and Em's behalf, many thanks!

[trobadora]

Congratulations!

[kaffy_r]

Thank you muchly!

[time_converges]

Aw, yay! He's going to be awesome. :D

[kaffy_r]

I think so, too!

[dreamshark]

Just to get you in the mood, check out these Yelp Reviews of Newborn Babies.

[kaffy_r]

*sporfle*

Oh, that's wonderful!!

[lokifan]

Congratulations! That's fantastic. And they sound like excellent people & parents-to-be :)

[kaffy_r]

They are indeed excellent people. They worry about how to be good parents, and frankly, that's a good sign. It's the parents who think everything will be tickety-boo and they'll be great parents who are usually hit between the eyes by parenting.

[pameladean]

How exciting! Best wishes for being able to visit and meet the new one.

P.

[kaffy_r]

Thanks for the good wishes - we really hope we can make a visit to Seattle happen next summer, when Baby Boy Berlien is expected.

[bibliofile]

Aww, an impending baby in the family. Excellent!

[kaffy_r]

Most excellent indeed!