For some reason, I'm missing Mom particularly today. Don't know why, but I keep thinking about her and just plain miss her. Maybe it's the baby.
I finally got to meet our little "Peanut" yesterday. He is the most precious little boy. Tonijo let me hold him in his little WSU Cougar blanket for quite a while, so I talked to him and looked him over very carefully. He's got the sweetest hands that made little fists and clutched at the soft blanket. He made little sounds as he slept in my arms and I kept track of every breath.
Peanut had a quite a time coming into the world. His parents, Tonijo and David, told me the whole story Saturday. Evidently, just as Peanut, whose real name is Bryson Lawrence Batterton, was being born early Friday morning, Jan. 18, Tonijo suddenly got a high fever which stressed the baby. He couldn't breathe and as he continued to have difficulty breathing, the doctors said Peanut needed to go to Spokane. So David and Peanut went to Spokane in a plane while poor Momma had to stay in Pullman to battle her fever.
Peanut was in NICU for four or five days. Tonijo insisted on leaving the Pullman hospital on Friday afternoon so she could be with Peanut. He finally got to come home last Thursday. He sees the doctor on Monday. I asked him to please never scare us like that again.
I feel so blessed being here to meet Peanut. I kept thinking about when Tonijo was born and how I have a photo of her in the incubator just hours after she was born. And here she is, some 30 years later, the mother of little Peanut.
Tonijo always has been special to us. She calls Mom Grandma Wilma and me and Martha Aunties. So naturally her child is special as well.
If Mom was herself, she would be so happy about the baby and wanting to hold him lots and lots. A big smile would be on her face and she would probably also be giving Tonijo a very hard time. As I imagine what Mom would be doing around the new baby, I think about how much I miss her.
I miss sharing everything with her, especially major life changes and stories. I can hear voice sometimes, what she would say to me in certain situations. Mom will always be with me.
I called the nursing home the other night to check on Mom. The nurse said she was sleeping a lot and asked me if that was normal. It is. She takes spells where she sleeps a lot and then goes back to a normal schedule. They took her off one of her medications to calm her down and she seems to be getting along well without it. As the nurse was telling me about Mom's long sleeping spells, I secretly prayed that she would not wake up. And that is my continued prayer.
I know Mom would love to see little Peanut. To give him her love and lots of hugs and kisses. I guess his Nana Sally will just have to give all that love and hugs and kisses for both of us.
