It's a baby boom for Mimi and Pa!
February 2005My husband and I are being swept up in a Seubold family baby boom.
Or in the language of our Barbie-fan granddaughters, a “new baby-topia.”
Not since Frank and I were married four years with no children then wound up with five babies in eight years have we seen so many little ones popping up – but this time amongst our own offspring.
After our first born, Schenk, arrived, he was followed, in rapid succession by three sisters – Sunday, Laurie and Lanci – and finally, another brother, Morgan.
Having had so many children to raise ourselves over so many years, we weren’t in any particular hurry for grandchildren. And besides, we didn’t think it any of our business to suggest if or when our children should have babies.
Then in 1990, Schenk provided us with Nils, an absolute joy of a grandson. And for the next 10 years, Nils remained our Lone Ranger of grandkid-dom. “Ah, Mimi, remember when you still used to spoil me,” our now tall, handsome, driver’s permit and life guard certification-owning Nils will occasionally remark, with a fake sigh and a grin.
Finally, in September of 2000, our youngest son, Morgan, and his wife, Mindy, had Emma, their first born and our first granddaughter. Frank melted and I cried. She was gorgeous.
In 2003, we hit a double jackpot. In June, Morgan and Mindy’s second daughter, the adorable Maile, was born, and our youngest daughter Lanci became an instant PeeWee (her family nickname) “step-mom” to lovable, 2-year-old Karson when she and Karson’s dad, Colby, married.
The next year at Christmas, our middle daughter Laurie became a “single mom,” when her friends Sanna and John gave her a “baby” – a long-legged, golden-haired, rambunctious but sweet natured Catahoula puppy. Little Bella and Mama Laurie bonded immediately.
Last summer, the other two-thirds of our daughters announced they were pregnant – Lanci with her first baby, at age 36 and Sunday with her first at age 39! Colby and Greg were proud papas-to-be and the entire family was thrilled and amazed. Lanci’s due date was early this month and Sunday’s this April.
In November, Greg and Sunday surprised everyone by moving to Michigan for Greg to take a new job, so Frank and I began studying Michigan weather forecasts, road maps and flight schedules. We’re still debating whether it’s best to drive or fly to Michigan in April.
Then on Christmas Eve, five weeks early and by an emergency C-section, grandson Remi Scott made an unexpectedly early entry into this world. In fact, he had to be taken from his mother so quickly, there was no time for Lanci to have any anesthesia or painkillers before the emergency surgery. Lanci was scared, but when she cried out to the Lord during the ordeal God answered hers, and all our family’s and friends,’ prayers. Remi weighed only 4 pounds and 14 ounces but he was perfectly healthy. Dr. Torres told me how brave and cooperative Lanci had been during surgery and some nurses at the Women’s Center were calling her “Braveheart.” As my dear mom used to say, “God is good, all the time.”
Karson got to see Remi on his way to the nursery just minutes after he was born and was so proud of his new brother. But he got a little worried when he learned his dad would be spending the night at the hospital and he would be spending the night with Mimi and Pa on Christmas Eve.
“Mimi, how will Santa know where to leave my presents?” he asked on the way to our house. “You’ll see,” I assured him. “When we wake up in the morning, I’ll take you to your house and you’ll see that Santa has brought you all your presents and your dad will be there to help you open them.”
When we got to his house early the next morning, Karson was excited to find everything there exactly as promised. After snapping a few photos, I left so the boys could spend Christmas morning at the hospital with our family’s tiniest and sweetest-ever Christmas present, and their PeeWee. Six days later, Remi had flourished and he and Lanci got to go home. At his checkup a week later he had gained 6 ounces. Three weeks later he had grown an inch and gained 2 pounds.
Last month, Frank and I were saying that once Greg and Sunday’s little girl arrives in April, our family’s new baby boom would probably be over. But a few nights later while I was working late on the magazine, Frank was having supper with Morgan and Mindy, when Emma calmly announced, “Pa, my mommy has a new baby in her tummy … . ”
Linda Seubold, editor of Entertainment Fort Smith Magazine, can be reached at lindaseubold@efortsmith.com. Read her archived columns and articles online.
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