Today is my granddaughter Julia’s 7th birthday. Her Aunt Tammy has already written a beautiful message about Julia on her blog but I’ll add my $.02 anyway!
I remember so well 6/24/03 – Ralph was going to be induced the next day so I planned to get to the office about 6:30, work for 6 hours, then drive to Des Moines and be there for the big event. Apparently Julia had other ideas! Ralph called as I was walking out the door to tell me they were on their way to the hospital – we immediately packed up and headed north to meet our new grand baby.
As we were driving through Kansas City, Ralph called and asked if I’d like to hear my grand baby – she was holding her in her arms and at that time we didn’t know if we had a little boy or a girl but Tammy and I had already ordered a girl and expected Ralph to deliver! And she did! I cried when I heard her little cry and then I bawled when I heard her name since she is named for my mother – and for Blair’s maternal grandmother.
When we got to Ralph’s room I immediately took Julia in my arms and it was at least an hour later before I put her down and hugged my own daughter. Somehow Ralph had already ascertained that with motherhood, she would be taking a back seat to this 7# bundle of joy!
And oh what joy she provides! Julia is very much a first-born – very cautious and also wanting to be in charge. She has a vivid imagination thanks to growing up with a very limited amount of TV time – in fact she is convinced that “TV fries your brain” which is what her parents taught her years ago! She likes to plan and has great attention to detail. She’s not too adventurous with new experiences but quickly warms to things once she’s over her initial shyness.
Julia is a human dynamo on the soccer field and usually cares more about the after-game snack than the outcome of the game….unless she scores a goal! She’s now taking piano lessons along with golf and tennis for the summer and I have no doubt she will excel at them all – or quit!
Her sense of humor is developing and I have no doubt she will enjoy puns and high-brow humor like her Aunt Tammy. She’s learning to be a gourmet cook from her mom but more important are the lessons in love and life that she has already taught us.
Happy Birthday, Julia – and here’s to lots of fun times ahead for you and Grammie.
