Sunday 11 July 2010

I'm officially a granddad now!


Presenting my first grand child - Benton James Boley - arrived just after noon on Saturday the 10th of July, Chicago time! (3:28 am Sunday, Canberra time.)

Justin, the proud daddy, reported shortly thereafter that my daughter Megan and their new little guy whom I had been referring to as the "rolly poly baby Boley" (due to the SIZE Megan got during the later stages of pregnancy - witness this photo at her blog here) were both doing quite fine in the hospital there in Chicago.


Women reading this may be interested in knowing that Benton came quickly, so his mom had a short intense labor. Megan arrived at the hospital already fully dilated. The birth was attended by a mid-wife and doula and didn't require any medical intervention, so we are all very thankful for that. He looks just like his dad. He loves his hands and likes to keep his fists by his face.


Benton starts a whole new generation on both sides of the family among the Boleys and the Hochstetler's - so this is indeed a momentous occasion!

Since his birth actually came two weeks early, this finally relieved Megan from being so vastly pregnant while enduring the current heat wave in the eastern half of the country. However, it's going to be interesting to see how Justin deals with all this while taking his Illinois bar exams around the end of July for final certification as an attorney. He graduated with a JD in law about seven or eight weeks ago.

Megan documented her entire journey through pregnancy at that very interesting blog of hers.
(Update: she added this post-birth "review" column on the 15th of July, which is generating some amazing comments from other readers.)
I cannot describe this wonderful feeling of being a new grandfather...

Carole Anne and I have been planning to include part of a week near the end of my holiday leave (mid-Sept to mid-October) to actually hold him and spend some quality time with Benton and family.
Here's a copy of the card I've sent them containing one of my favourite quotes about a baby being born.

Oh, by the way, Megan has a penchant for "twittering." And she continued to do so - even right through labor and after this birthing episode. I found some of her comments rather humorous, especially this one just a few hours after Benton's arrival! (And if you want to read any of her recent updates just click on her name at that entry.)

Doin' "the Dance of Joy in Canberra!"

-Grandpa Clair


P.S.  Click on his name under the photo above for more pics!

1 comment:

  1. Clair and Carole Ann: Congratulations on being grandparents! And what an absolutely beautiful baby. You have all received the most important gift: a new birth. A professor at Wake Forest once said that "Every baby is a pledge to the present that there WILL be a future." (David Smiley, 12-21-86)
    Jean Rodenbough

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