The Beviad–musings, mutterings and myths

Last night, John and I went to Pasley and Jeff’s house to see our newest grand-daughter.

Tallis Audrey Greenwood LeBlanc is a week old and very tiny, but even though she was born 5 weeks early, she is no smaller than Devon was at that age. She now weighs 5 pounds 8 ounces, having lost some weight since her birth, as apparently all newborns do (she was originally 6lbs. 4oz.); babies lose weiglht after birth because of the energy it takes to nurse, which strangely enough seems to outweigh the actual caloric intake of the milk they’re injesting. Even so, her tiny feet are the size of my littlest finger. Her hands, in contrast, seem larger, and are very delicate and eloquent in their gestures. She is also very pink. Having been born via a C-section, she has no marks or blemishes on her face.

When naked in a diaper (as when Pasley puts her in a sitting position on her knee and holds her around the jawline, while rubbing her back, in order to burp her), Tallis looks like a tiny pink (rather than grey) alien, with hollow little chest, bald head, wizened face, skinny little chicken legs. With dark, squinted eyes that seem to be all pupil, she turns her little face to look at each of us in turn as we come near to her, as hesitant and stilled and filled with wonder as we would if we really were approaching an alien from another galaxy. Like that wonderful scene in “Close Encounters” where the tiny aliens and the humans approach each other gingerly, wonderingly. What does she see, I wonder? Probably blurry colors, certainly not faces. 

When nursing at P’s breast, she keeps pausing to squint up at P, as if asking herself, “Who or what is this, anyway???” She has more to comprehend than an alien might, however, being unfamiliar with any life on any planet. How new everything must be to her, since she had only warm fluid, soft motions,  darkness and muted sound about her in the womb! All of which she was used to but didn’t understand the way an alien would understand his own planet’s elements. 

When swaddled up, or in a little footed onesie, plus her pink wool tuque, she is much more recognizeable as a baby, and is very sweet. That’s when you notice her little rosebud lips, and the Preston upper lip with its distinctive M shape. She makes tiny noises, like a baby animal, as she moves about, dreaming of who knows what. When she nurses, she often falls asleep at the breast, but her nuzzling noises are those of a puppy. 

I once read of someone who, having phoned a girlfriend in the Ozarks and asked what was going on, was told that her whole family were  gathered to see her sister and newborn, and were all “worshipping at the baby”. That’s what we were all like last night, as we sat around the living room, faint smiles on our faces, riveted to the scene of mother and child, full of wonder at the thought that a week ago she wasn’t even born. 

Pasley was serene. She says that when she’s feeling tired and in pain from her incision, she has only to nurse Tallis to feel strength and serenity come into her, since hormones are released with the nursing that do just that. She was cheerful and confident, which was lovely to see. She has been wonderful throughout this week, starting with her remarkable presence of mind last Friday when, having got up from her nap, she suddenly saw that she was bleeding heavily and yet was able to dial 911 and talk to the people there intelligently (’with great calmness’, she says, in some wonder). And in the hospital later, as she lay there in labor, she was in another zone, somehow, breathing with great concentration, under control completely. In the hospital, afterwards, she was strong and calm despite the fact that she couldn’t have Tallis with her, but had to go down to the I.C.U. to see her and nurse her.  Now, she finally has her baby with her, and is in her element.

Jeff was jovial and tender, hovering over her helpfully, coming to sit next to her and gaze in wonder and affection at both of them. He got things for her, when that was required, and came to burp the baby with his magic touch. Seeing him do that reminded me so much of John burping Pasley, way back when.

As for Devon, she was the best big sister one could imagine, holding the baby carefully and gently,  then, after giving her back to Pasley, spending some time arranging receiving blankets so that they hung like curtains over the Ambi-Bed, the hammock-like bassinette that they are using for a baby bed. 

It will be fascinating to watch Tallis grow up. And grow up she will. Within a year, if she is anything like Devon was, she will be walking. This will be, then, the biggest, most developmental year of her life.

Welcome little Tallis! We all love you very much and look forward to getting to know you.