Babies, Babies, Babies

One young lady came in to our store the other day holding her very new newborn in her arms, with a blank stare in her face and ordered a sandwich. When she left, my boss told me she had come in not long ago mumbling, "I am a bad, bad, bad, mother. I am a bad, bad, bad person." She stumbled around, was crying, ordered a sandwich, and walked out. We then proceeded to talk about pregnancies, young women, and how sad it is that too many young girls get pregnant when they are not ready for it. My heart always hurts when I hear and see these things (for very personal reasons) and I can always feel the tears welling up in my eyes which I must fight away, because the depth of the sadness hits me hard. A young child gets pregnant, and her whole life is altered. When she is not ready, she gives up so much, and not only gives it up, but loses it as well.

That compounds the pride I feel in my sister-in-law and nephew. I told my boss that I bet Rachel was prepared for motherhood by age 16, and would have done a fine job of it too. I wonder if motherhood is just built into some and lacks in others? And then I wonder if it lacks within me? If it does, I'm not crying over spilled milk. I can't help it. Maybe when I'm 35 the baby euphoria will hit, but in the meantime, a nephew does more than suffice.

I felt so happy when I checked my email inbox not long ago and saw a lengthy happy email from Rachel. Usually she isn't so chatty in emails like she is in person, so I thought (and hope she doesn't mind) I would post it here so more than one can enjoy it--what better way to see Lucas than from her perspective. Her email is posted below, the email of the best new mother I know of:

My life has been really busy. I'll have done 12 massages this week. Originally I was scheduled to do 10 but life has a way of changing.

Delacey is babysitting for me. She had Lucas for 3 hours last night while Rick and I went on a "hot date". We watched Shrek III, ate dinner, and then went to Baskin Robbins afterwards. I felt like a giddy teenager dating my husband. I thought we were going to be the only ones in the theater. At the last minute 6 other people came in- still very few.

Lucas did just fine. I have a harder time leaving him than he has being left!

I had Delacey come with me to physical therapy today also. Its was very nice to not have to be concerned about where he was while I was being treated. Kim gave me some exercises to strengthen this stupidly weak, painful shoulder. Hopefully, that combined with seeing Kim more frequently will help me recover.

Lucas is continuing to grow and change - of course. I've been watching "The Beverley Hillbillies". He gets so excited when the music comes on at the beginning. He dances around clapping his hands. When the music comes back on at the end he hurries over in front of the screen to wave goodbye to the Clampets with both hands.

He folds his hands when we talk to Jesus at meals and will blow on his food - whether its hot or not. He's been living on baked potatoes with either flax or olive oil and garlic salt. That is something he will eat. He's been kinda picky of late about his foods.

Tiffany and I are in the process of changing the Cradle Roll program. We re-did the room. But, I don't have the music for all of the songs. The songbook was SUPPOSED to be in. I called today and it isn't. They're closed tomorrow. I don't know what I'll do about Cradle Roll.

Got to run! Sorry so short.

Love,
Rachel

Helping Garden

Here I am "helping" mommy garden. I figure out why she gets upset when I throw dirt in the air that lands in her hair or when I dig in her planted pots. She did let me get muddy and play with her watering can.

Sparkle the Clown

" Me with Sparkle the Clown "
Mom took me to the "Relay for Life" walk
to see her friend Sparkle. I've seen "Sparkle"
before without makeup. I wasn't scared of her.
Mom wasn't sure how I'd react.

Groovin' to the music

This picture totally captures my pure joy and ecstasy of moving to the music. I love clapping my hands, beating on my drum and dancing around. Isn't God grand to give us something so soul stirring to enjoy!

Learning is painful

Learning can be very painful! Mommy loves to show my booboos. I think that having a combination of tile floors and cement outside I doomed to having many more bloody mouthes and fat lips!

Bucket Head

I like to put on hats - or at least try too. Mom has been trying to get a picture of me with this bucket on my head for awhile. But, every time she grabs the camera, I turn into a ham and pose without my "hat"
I said my first sentence on Monday, June, 11th. I said, " Hi Dad!" Mom thinks that I'm on the early side to be making two word sentences. I don't know if I am or not.

Daddy Graduated Today

I was loving Daddy here. I don't usually kiss anybody but I did today! Isn't daddy handsome?

Four Generation Picture

Here is my Great Grandpa Curtis Miller, Grandma Melody Miller Drake, Daddy Rick Drake and Me Lucas Drake. I wasn't cooperating very well for my picture with Grandma Melody. I have so many things to explore I didn't want to sit still!

$ Drummer Kid 4 Rent $

I cultivate the beat in the lil chump. I do, I do. Music is in the soul of every good Drake, from Grandma clapping her hands, to Auntie singing, to Dad stomping his leg as he played Scott Joplin on the piano.

Typical babysitting day, Rachel sneaks away, Lucas is asleep, he awakes and starts crying to be heard and taken out of the cage. On the double, rescue! I fly in there, beaming at him as big wet tears dribble down his chubby cheeks and he reaches out for me. I whisk him up, and we stop on the way to look in the mirror, where he presses his cheek against mine and hangs on tighter around my neck and giggles, staring, staring, staring at us. After waving goodbye to the mirror, we stop at the fish tank where he presses his big hand against the glass and alternately points or coos at the fishies swimming. His eyes are big with wonder.

Next stop is at the computer, where I load up some music from the internet. And we drum on each other. He likes hearing the empty thump on my stomach. He claps his hands in the air, I point at him, he points back; he waddles around clapping his hands, and clapping his sides; he giggles, he laughs, his eyes are bright, he is happy and having fun.

Then the Latin song by Chelo, "Cha cha" comes on. That kid has the Latin move in him! On this particular occasion, I whooshed him up which threw his head back and he giggled. I grabbed his arm and we swung around the living room together, me stomping and yelling "everybody do the cha cha!" in all the right parts. I put him down and he waddled, wildly swinging his hands in the air, making his baby noises, tottering every which direction. Wild passionate joy and happiness was there as he made his noises and I belched out the cha cha words and practiced my spanish words.

Suddenly, the song ended. He looked at me with disconcerted eyes, and suddenly the tears started welling up as he pointed to the speakers, telling me he wasn't done yet, and don't ruin the fun by turning the music off! I told him in dramatic overtones, "wait! Wait! Just wait! Another one is coming on!" he stood there, chubby finger pointing, sniffling. "Dangit," I thought. "It's not starting." When it did, he started wobbling around again, banging his sides, laughing, so I got the drums out where he could bang away. Rachel walked in then, and started laughing at the two of us (probably more at him than me since he was more fun to watch).

This kid is going to be a mad drummer someday if I have anything to do with it (ahem, symphonies always need drummers who can keep good time!). Maybe I can rent him out someday as a child protoge drummer. Walla Walla Symphony or Latin troupe, lookee out!!! He's on the rise up.

Dirty Boy

We went to a hot dog roast at Peter and Valia's house. I enjoyed my gooey hot dog. Then I sat on the ground and threw dust on my head. Notice how gray it is. Mom says that this was the grubbiest I've ever been. This was last Sabbath, May 26, 2006