Visit from Grandpa

Today my Dad came over to visit and spend the day with us. Looking around the room at Astrid's toys, my Dad marveled at "all the stuff they have for babies now". I asked my dad what they did back in the day (when my brother and I were babies...*ahem* back in the 70's) without all these modern day "mother's helpers" and boredom busters. He said they just made do with carrying the baby around most of the time or putting a blanket down on the floor and letting the baby roll around. I just listened and thought to myself "Uh-huh...no wonder so many housewives smoked cigarettes and/or drank heavily during this time period."

I do remember however that we did have a swing. There's a photo of my brother as a baby sitting in it and me standing next to it eating an ice cream cone.

And then there was the laundry basket method. I thought it was just my mom's method to sit me in a round laundry basket so that I could play inside there and be safe while she did housework. But then I saw a photo of my Korean friend as a baby sitting in a similar round laundry basket. Turns out it's a Korean thing. Makes sense.
Here's a photo of my mom looking at a four day old Astrid lying in her bassinet.

I can't imagine not having a bouncy chair (we have 3 of them!). We got our first one as a gift and it really saved our lives. The quality of our lives that is. I could wash dishes and fold laundry with two free hands while bouncing Astrid in her chair with my foot. In addition to freeing up my hands, it also saved my back and knees. And we could finally eat a meal without one of us having to hold her and entertain her the entire time.

This was the second time my Dad has seen Astrid. The first time was four days after she was born. Today when I opened the door while holding Astrid in my arms, Astrid looked at my Dad like, "Who's this guy?" So I introduced him to Astrid by saying, "Astrid this is your Grandpa. My Daddy."

Throughout the visit Astrid kept staring at him and checking him out. My Dad would do this clicking sound that would make her smile so of course he got a kick of out doing it over and over again to see that smile of hers.

My Dad said it warmed his heart to see her smile at him. It warmed my heart to see my Dad in the role of Grandpa and to see them interacting with each other as Grandfather and Granddaughter.