The infant terrorist
There is a special reason why The Legal Genealogist is so very happy to be in Portland for today’s seminar of the Genealogical Forum of Oregon.
Two special reasons, as a matter of fact.
One of them is named Beatrix, and she was born in July. She is the latest twig on our family tree, my great niece.
The other one is her older sister, Isadora (a/k/a “Isadorable”), who is just a little past two and totally in love with her baby sister.
And they are alive because of me.
It all began just a few years ago1 when their father, my nephew Ian, was an infant.
My sister’s first-born, he was a bit of a difficult baby — in part, perhaps, because he was the first-born, and the new mother’s tension over every sniffle and cry was being communicated to the infant.
She did her best to handle it all herself but finally, right around two o’clock in the morning when he was perhaps two months old, she called me in tears. He wouldn’t stop crying, he seemed colicky, she didn’t know what to do.
I had just read an article in a New York newspaper entitled, as I recall, “The Infant Terrorist.”
It described a child very much like Ian, and a parent’s lament very much like my sister’s. And it was hilariously well done.
I found it and read it to Ian’s mother as she sat, rocking him in her rocking chair.
She laughed as I read.
And the baby’s crying got softer.
We got to the parts about the crying and colicky issues, and she laughed out loud.
And the baby stopped crying.
Now the main thrust of the article was that babies (and children) do what they do just long enough to drive their parents right to the brink of infanticide … and — if they are to live to adulthood — then stop and do something else.
I figure I helped Ian stop and do something else, thus saving his life.
And since I saved his life, he thrived and grew and married and became a father on his own.
So, you can see, Ian’s children are alive because of me. Part of my legacy to my family.
Or at least that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.
They are gorgeous, aren’t they?
NOTE
- Okay, so it was a few decades ago. ↩
They are absolutely beautiful, Judy!!
Aren’t they just! Sweet babies!
They are such beautiful baby girls, aren’t they?
I still remember laughing at that article…
Thank heavens I’d just read it!! (And yes they are beautiful baby girls, but the older one could NOT wrap her head around the idea of Grandma having a sister. Daddy has a sister, Mommy has a sister, Izzy has a sister, but Grandma????)
Absolutely gorgeous !! Nice rescue.
They are so beautiful!
They ARE gorgeous! And I can see a family resemblance in their eyes. I hope Ian is grateful that you saved his life so many years ago, and now he can enjoy his own children 🙂
He’s a wonderful Daddy, and my niece-of-the-heart is an amazing mother.
Gorgeous children! Enjoy them.
I did, I am!!
Isa. . ., eh hmmm, THEY are adorable!! My only question . . .where were you and that story 23 years ago when our youngest had colic, I *swear* for nine months! He is still living, but there were days, moments, seconds . . . LOL!
I’m glad he’s still living!!! 🙂
Just adorable!
They are such nice babies, Shelley!
What cute kids. Wouldn’t it be nice if they lived closer?
Anything less than 3000 miles would sure be an improvement!!
I just took a second look and you are there in those beautiful faces, Judy, especially strongly in Isadora’s face!
She is the absolute spitting image of her Daddy, my nephew, Mary Ann. Definite clone.
What beautiful children and a beautiful post. I always love reading your posts about your family – the love just leaps off the page!
They are sweethearts, Debi… and yes, I kinda do like my family, don’t I?
You are justifiably proud of those two very young ladies. But is not the proper genealogical relationship term for them your grandnieces (rather than your greatnieces)? Does the law have anything to say about this?
Fortunately, no. Either term is acceptable.