October 10 – “New information”

We heard about one of those grandchildren moments that you wish you had been there for.  This particular one involved Caleb way up there in Waco, his brand new hometown.  He was with his Mom and his big brother Zakary at the big Sibling Tour.  They were visiting the hospital where his brand new baby brother Luke is scheduled to be born.  As luck would have it, as they arrived at the nursery area, a brand new baby was brought in for his first bath.  Zak and Caleb climbed up on the viewing stage built just for siblings and settled in to watch the big event.  Zak was fine, but Caleb seemed to be disturbed right from the start.  He was riveted to the scenario unfolding before him.  His eyes got bigger and bigger and his mouth dropped open wider and wider as the nurse continued the bath.  Finally Christi asked him if he was okay.  Here is the interchange as best as I can recreate it, not having been there in person. 

Christi: “Caleb, are you OK?”

Caleb: “What is wrong with that baby?”
Christi: “Nothing is wrong.  It was just born and that’s what newborn babies look like.”
Caleb: “But why does it have that worm coming out of its stomach?”

At this point Christi thought, “Oops.  We haven’t had the umbilical cord discussion yet.”  Since I know firsthand that she is a master at handling virtually any situation that involves youngsters, I assume at this point they talked about it a little bit.  Basic introductory lesson, I suppose.  Caleb pondered the situation, as well as all this new information, and began to make some connections.

Caleb: “Will Luke have one of those worms in his stomach?”

Christi: “Yes, he will.  All newborn babies do.”

Here it comes … my favorite part of the story …

Caleb:  “That’s gross.”

There you go.  Leave it to big brother (and the middle child, I might add) to capture the essence of the moment in just two words.  Nice observation, Caleb.

Psalms 116:1-2 says, “I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.  Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.”

Father, thank you for gross things like umbilical cords.  Sometimes they are a window to the marvels of your miraculous creation.  Amen.