There's A New Kid In Town

Welcome to the world Baby James Daniel Jackson!

My newest grandson arrived Friday, August 20, 2010 at 3:11 p.m. He weighed in at a whopping 10 lbs. 10 oz!

Here are some pictures of the "little" guy:




I've been with my daughters when each of the other grandchildren were born, but I missed Baby James' birth. Common sense mandates that I wait and go to Ohio after Angel gets out of the hospital when I can truly be of assistance to her. I found myself regretting allowing "common sense" to rule though, when Angel developed complications and had to be given general anesthetic for a C-section.

I paced the driveway, phone in hand, waiting for updates from my niece who was there at the hospital in Ohio.

I shouted angrily when I heard how immature everyone was acting in the waiting room 500 miles away. (It happens every time)

I cried when I thought about how scared my daughter must have been when they told her they were going to need to put her under for the C-section.

Then I forgot about it all and smiled when the first photo of my new grandson finally arrived on my telephone screen.



He's perfect!

And I am in love ... again.

"Mamaw" Becky Taylor
August 22,2010

Me, Myself, and Becky Taylor

Today started out in a rather unusual way.

Admittedly, the way life's been behaving lately, it's gotten difficult to distinguish between usual and unusual.

But this morning was "unusual" in a happily amusing sort of way. I got a text from my daughter Angel in Ohio almost as soon as I woke up. She said my four year old grandson, Jayden had called to her from the living room, saying "Mamaw Becky" was on t.v. Angel checked the screen and saw there was a Sylvan Learning Center ad airing which featured a woman whose name was displayed in the lower corner of the screen.

The name was "Becky Taylor"

How odd! Jayden thought his Mamaw Becky was on t.v. and the woman he'd mistaken to be me just happened to have the same name.

Of course, Jayden is only four years old and can't read yet. That would seem to eliminate the possibility he'd simply recognized the lady's name.

I thought about it and recalled seeing the same ad several months ago. I wouldn't have remembered it except for the fact that I'd noticed Becky Taylor and I shared the same name.

End of story, right?

After giving it more thought, I considered the possibility that the other Becky Taylor and I might also share similar coloring, etc, therefore making it possible that Jayden had the two of us confused as one and the same.

The name thing? Well, that part was surely a very funny coincidence!

If you've followed me very long at all, you'll know I can't let these things rest that easily. I had to investigate.

A quick "google" search revealed a photo of the other Becky, lending evidence to my theory that our similar hair and skin color had confused my grandson.

My attempts to find the Sylvan commercial online were not quite as successful. That came as a real disappointment because I really needed to figure out if the name "Becky Taylor" had been spoken at any time during the ad.

My curiosity was beginning to get the best of me, so I did what came most naturally.

I looked up the other Becky Taylor on facebook (yes, I found her there) and sent her a message explaining the situation to her.

Becky Taylor seemed to get as much of a kick out of the story as I, and verified for me that her name is not mentioned verbally in the ad at all. The only reference to "Becky Taylor" is the one printed on the screen.

Now, let's take a "logical" look at the facts, shall we?

What are the chances of there being more than one Becky Taylor in the United States?

"Becky" is a very common name, and so is "Taylor" ... so do the math. There are hundreds, if not thousands of us. Nothing remarkable to report on that aspect of the story.

The likelihood of any two of those Becky Taylors bearing similar physical traits?

Well, America is the proverbial "melting pot" of the world, so again, nah! No big surprise there either.

The possibility of a four year old boy living in southern Ohio, seeing someone on a t.v. commercial and mistaking her for his "Mamaw Becky" who lives in Georgia?

Still no big shock factor there. (YAWN)

BUT, a four year old boy in southern Ohio spotting a woman on t.v. whom he believes to be his "Mamaw Becky" and it turns out the woman on t.v. and his Mamaw Becky actually share the same name?

That's a bit more difficult to explain away.

Becky Taylor (of Sylvan Learning Centers fame) thinks Jayden recognized the name, and in conjunction with the other similarities, came to the conclusion that he was seeing his "Mamaw Becky" on television.

My daughter was hesitant to accept that possibility, until I reminded her that Jayden had likely seen my name written on the Mothers Day card she'd recently mailed to me. After a short period of convincing argument on my end, Angel finally agreed (or at least decided to humor me) to consider that possibility.

Long story short ...

It is a small world after all.

Reality is truly stranger than fiction.

My four year old grandson is most likely a genius (just like my other four grandchildren happen to be)

...and I have a new friend. Her name is Becky Taylor, just like me!

5/11/2010
Becky Taylor
Bold New Day! LLC
Personal Development Coaching for Women
http://www.beckyjtaylor.com
http://www.boldnewday.com

Oh Boy!

My twenty-two week pregnant daughter, Angel had an ultrasound yesterday. Everything looked great! The baby weighs a little over a pound and was moving so much that the technician had trouble getting some of the measurements.

She did manage to some very important information though...

It's a BOY!

Grand-baby number six, he will even the score so to speak. As of mid to late August, we will have three grand-daughters and three grand-sons.

As was the case with my own pregnancies,seeing the photo's taken of the ultrasound make this grand-child seem more "real" to me. I think this is especially so because I've not seen Angel since Christmas. She was pregnant then, but hadn't told us.

That, combined with everything else that's been going on, has caused me not to think as often about this one.

My apologies to the little guy. He is every bit as precious and as much loved as the first five grand-children. A bit more of a surprise, maybe ... but a pleasant surprise none-the-less.

Suddenly, I am tempted to go to the OshKosh outlet and buy cute little bibbed overalls and tiny sneakers. After hearing of each of the other grand-children's impending arrivals, I ran straight out and bought a baby gift, so I am a few months behind. No problem! It won't take me long to catch up.

This baby doesn't have a name yet. Angel has waited until after her babies were born to name any of them. I'm calling him "Judah" which means "praise" for now. Who knows? Maybe it will stick.

A lot of uncertainty surrounds my new grandson. I'm concerned for him in many ways. I suppose that is the case, to some extent, with all new babies. I'm convinced the more complicated the circumstances surrounding a birth, the more unique and special the child will be.

This baby is special indeed.

So, welcome to our family baby Judah. As unsettled as your world may seem, one thing will never change...Mamaw loves you very much!

The Eye Of The Beholder

Among my most prized earthly possessions is an antique "Hoosier" cabinet that once belonged to my grandmother. I spent hours playing with it when I was a child, so much that Grandma decided I should have it for my own when I grew up.

When the cabinet came into my home about 15 years ago, I immediately found a spot for it in the breakfast nook. Perfect! I marveled at old cabinet and gently placed my own hands over the areas where my grandmother's hands had worn away the paint over many years of pie-making on it's surface.

For a few minutes, I was a five year old girl again, tirelessly spinning the handle that use to sift the flour for Grandma's delicious baked goods. The original yellow stoneware bowl, now cracked with age, had my name scrawled across the bottom with a marker. B-e-c-k-y. I thought about the day my grandmother had written it there to insure the cabinet would land in the proper hands after she was gone.

Needless to say, that old cabinet is worth a million dollars to me. I truly don't know that I could part with it for all the money in the world! It's sentimental value is much higher than any monetary gain it might bring. I love that old cabinet! Just looking at it makes me feel warm and safe, much like I use to feel in my grandmother's arms.

Today the cabinet sits in the breakfast nook of our new home. Instead of housing baking supplies, it has become bit of a "catch all" for our family's odds and ends that have no where else to go. Art supplies for my own grandkids, a few books, table cloths, and our camera to name a few. Though it's function has changed, it remains a vital member of our family.

My six year old grand-daughter, Esther was here for a few days this past week. She pulled the box of art supplies out of the cabinet, then stepped back and looked at it for a brief moment.

"Mamaw", she stated "You really should buy a new cabinet. This one's old and it doesn't look too good."

What? How could that child possibly say such a horrible thing about my grandmother's cabinet?

Ahh, but it is true. Beauty really is in the eye of the beholder.

Esther didn't know my grand-mother (or even my mother for that matter). When she looks at the cabinet, she sees an old piece of furniture, it's surface dulled by time and paint worn through around the handles. There's no way she can understand that to me, those worn places symbolize the spots where my grandmothers petite, flour covered hands once touched. It is there, I find indescribable beauty in the old Hoosier cabinet.

In fact, our home is filled with beautiful things, but that cabinet is probably the only piece of furniture I would actually risk my life to save if ever there were a flood or fire.

I started to explain the importance of the cabinet to Esther, but decided on a brief summary instead. I told her I loved the cabinet because it was my grandma's and I use to play with it when I was her age. She seemed to be content with my story and went on her way with her art supplies.

I hope that in the future, Esther will remember the cabinet as fondly as I do now. Nothing would make me happier than to think it might sit in her own home as a most treasured possession someday. Just imagining her trying to explain it's value to her grandchildren (my great grandchildren) makes my heart smile.

"My grandma use to keep my art supplies in that cabinet when I was a little girl" She will tell them. And then she will run her fingers across the marks around the handles where the paint is worn thin ... and she will smile and add, "I wouldn't take a million dollars for this old thing"

Different is a very GOOD thing!

I may (or may not) have mentioned some time back that my fourteen year old son, Adam has been diagnosed with ADHD. It astounds me that even though he's grown up in a generation where it seems that everyone else's kid was being handed medication for hyperactivity by the time they were in second grade, my son sailed right on through, his "issue" un-noticed until his freshman year of high school.

After a couple months of absolute nightmares with different counselors, doctors, psychiatrists and the insurance company, I do believe we are finally well on the way to finding out exactly what it's going to take to help Adam deal with the matter.

While Adam has always been a bit different in comparison to other kids his age (probably due to the fact that all the others were already medicated) , I never considered him to be hyperactive. Oh sure, he's had his share of sugar rushes and sudden bursts of energy at some rather inconvenient times, but ADHD? No, I've not thought so.

What I have thought is that my son is a lot like his Grandpa (my father). A "character" of sorts, but also very sweet and sentimental. Not crazy about being in crowded places or "staying put" for long periods of time. Love's animals, tender hearted and protective of his family.

Beautifully unique.

Adam's behavior is absolutely normal in the sense that I am so familiar with it, I've only contributed his differences to the fact that he has a lot in common with my Dad. (I consider that to be a very good thing!)

Well, today my five year old grand-daughter, Esther was diagnosed with ADHD too.

Like Adam, Esther is also a character ... a wonderful one at that. She's beautiful, smart, talented, bossy, and maybe just the slightest bit on the impulsive side. Esther does seem to get frustrated easily and that has concerned me at times. She has a twin brother who loves to learn and can entertain himself for hours with books and other things that require concentration. Esther doesn't seem to care all that much for reading and writing. I've wondered if her frustrations might be due to the comparisons that are sometimes made between her and her twin.

Other than that, Esther's lack of interest in learning is no big deal, at least not in my opinion. She's only five, so there's plenty of time for that in the years to come. Right?

Esther just always has something more fun to do, that's all. She'd much rather chase the cat or construct elaborate tents in the family room, take the remote control apart and examine it or sort through my jewelry box when I'm not looking.

I like that about Esther!

My daughter told me today that the doctor said he could tell Esther had ADHD just by observing her in the examination room for a few minutes. I asked Emily what Esther had been doing to make him say that. Her reply was "Oh, she was lying on her back kicking her feet up in the air, then she turned over on her stomach and hung her head over the edge while banging on the side of the exam table with her hands, then sat up and swung her legs back and forth for a while ..."

What? You mean that isn't normal?

Honestly, I thought that all five year old kids acted that way. Esther is obedient and polite (most of the time). She's also lot of fun. As a matter of fact, I adore her spit-fire attitude. It's a rather endearing trait. Esther will go far in life. I've known that since the day I first laid eyes on her!

I would much rather call my son and grand-daughter gifted, rather than hand them a "label" such as ADHD. However, I'm not at all opposed to giving them medications to help them focus. That's actually a relief, since I've seen my son struggle so much in school all the while knowing (and being told by his teachers) that he is brilliant! For that reason, I am glad Esther's ADHD was discovered so early on. Perhaps she won't have to struggle so much and feel frustrated.

My hope is that the medications will help Adam and Esther focus, without changing who they are. They are both such incredibly interesting people! It would be a shame to lose that.

ADHD, or whatever the medical professionals decide to call it, I love my son and grand-daughter ... rambunctious spirits and all! I don't see any abnormalities when I look at them (or listen to them talk only slightly under the speed of light) I see traces of my father in them, and my father is a wonderful man! Wonderful, and "different"

And that is a very GOOD thing!