A Time of Firsts

So, as you are about 6 weeks now, you have experienced many firsts.... Here are just a couple of pictures that represent these milestones... They may not be exactly the first time, but you get the picture... new experiences like bundling up to head into our cold winter weather, and warming up with a nice swim and bath in the big whale given to you by the Fechter family back in St. Louis.

Another Generation of Griffin

Well, your grandma Griffin would have been happy with a boy or a girl, but we think she was especially excited with you since the Griffin name will continue another generation. Can't you see her satisfaction?

Your Irish Eyes Are Now Smiling!

Okay, so you are actually probably about 25% Irish (though your dad was always taught he was 100% Irish, he also was taught that everything, including water, was invented at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. Anyyhew, you have now passed the baby stage of blank stares and distant glances. You can now LOOK at us and smile too. In fact you JUST smiled at me as I am sitting next to you and mom as I type this! Interesting… your best smiles seem somehow always to come after a meal. And today you have had about 27 meals already. But we are very happy about your smiling, and you now (at 6 weeks) are interacting more, responding to our voices... fun stuff!

I want to Rock n Roll All Night…

And party every day. That’s right, little guy, the music that makes it happen for you is rock n roll. Whenever you start to fuss, and we need to calm you, the first move is…. well, okay, the first move is to have the mama nurse you into a joyful milk coma. But if that’s been done, then the NEXT best thing is some hard charging, base-heavy, rock. And, just so you know your first favorite band, the rock n’ roll that you ALWAYS go for is the New Orleans band, Cowboy Mouth. Okay, now look, some of their lyrics do get a little salty, but hey they got some soul too. And your favorite album (above) and song is their drum-laden tune “Uh-Oh.” In fact you can listen to it right here.

Now, if ever we wonder where you picked up your head-banging side, or if ever we regret that, we have only ourselves to blame. You see, this past summer, when you were still in the womb, we took a trip to New York City, the Big Apple. Your dad was intent on seeing some show, so we went to the half-price ticket booth (yes, parsimonious parents) and got convinced to see "Rock of Ages." They told us it would have 80's music. We forget the heavy metal tinge to the 80's, and that's what we got. Well, we also got tickets located right behind the speakers (remember, half-price!) Now, your hearing tests were a-ok, no damage... and you seemed to have picked up a love for the style. Surely on purchasing your first drum set someday, we will second-guess our New York decision!


Now, when you need something a little more traditional, we’ve got that covered too… of course, as noted, you were born to the music of The Mission. And your mom likes to throw in some of Handel’s Messiah to keep us sophisticated. Here she is calmly enjoying the classical music with you. And let us not forget the music that we played when you first came home with us, and the best music ever produced in your pop’s hometown… the music of the St. Louis Jesuits. Awesome!

Yes, Your Nursery Has a Theme

One of the most annoying questions while your mom was pregnant with you was this: “what’s the theme of your nursery?” For most of the time her answer was, “the theme is get all our crap stored in there out of there by birth time.” I mean, don’t you agree that whether the theme was “baby jungle” or “underwater sea turtles” was irrelevant to you—which is why your dad toyed with the following ideas for your nursery: “nonviolent activists of the twentieth century,” or “great players in Cardinals history.” Your mom was tempted by functional minimalism: “I mean, it’s a room where he can sleep, feed and poop—what’s wrong with that theme.” In the end, your dad’s cousins Megan and Coleen happened to donate some really cook artsy stuff, like the moon and stars mobile in this pic. Your mom suggested lights around it (low energy ones, of course)—and it turns out you are transfixed by the deal, it has a calming effect on you. So we’ll take THAT theme!

Coming Home

We left the hospital with you Monday, January 11 and drove the 3 blocks home. On arrival we brought you in and your first reaction was precious: a half spit-up, half vomit show. Yes, that new outfit especially chosen for the occasion lasted about 2 minutes. Fortunately, things got a lot better, but it did send your mom and dad into a bit of shell-shock, especially when then the dog commenced to bark loudly at you (at least he did not try to eat the vomit, he only eats his own vomit). That situation is much better, too—I will write about that budding friendship next week.

No doubt the COOLEST part of your arrival was the fact that your grandma and gradmpa Gehred were there to greet you. They live here in South Bend now, which is awesome. Even before you arrived we were having fun with them here, but now it will get even better. For example, we can play games like: “Try to get Dr. Gehred to overreact”… (it’s impossible) For example, when you puked on arriving home, he said “ a little drool, babies spit up, get used to it.” When you went a few extra hours without eating, “that baby could go a month without eating.” I think tonight we will tell him that we fed you some meatballs: he’ll only hope you enjoyed them! Of course, his hearty approach to life is actually much appreciated by new parents. As are the showers of affection you get from Grandma Gehred. She’s like the woman in the Gospel whom Jesus says “has loved much.” That’s what she does… for us, too, she is helping with any and all tasks we need: washing, cooking, cleaning. She even had the idea to put out the big welcome sign for you. Now, they could have retired anywhere… and we are so happy that the Bend beat out lame-o cities like Portland and Santa Fe!

A nod to the midwife

We already wrote to you, young Benedict, about your amazing birth—your mother’s gutsy performance and your father’s expert coaching—especially when they told me I might be more help getting out of the birthing bed! But here is a photo of Kristin Vincent, the midwife who led us through the most amazing experience of our lives! We are so grateful to her—and thus you should be, too!

More Pictures!

The Story of Your Delivery (or "Why mom looks just a little more weary than dad")

What an experience! Maybe over the years your ma and pa pulled a few all-nighters, but never like this one. Here's the scoop, but the message of the details is all about love and sacrifice... If your mother and I are ever arguing about a matter, I hereby give full permission to remind me of what she went through as you were born. That act trumps anything I will ever do for you! The intense part of the process lasted for about 12 hours. On Friday night, we had dinner with friends--a big, sumptuous dinner, which maybe was not the greatest idea but it sure was good and a kind of pre-game meal. After dinner is when the intense contractions started, mom's body starting to send you out. Dad helped mom breathe through the pain. When the time came, we made the long journey of 3 blocks to Memorial Hospital, birthing room 8, right along Navarre Street. There was where your mom labored in every corner of the room, on the birthing ball, in the water tub, holding onto the back of the bed. All that work, all that pressure, and you still were encased in your little protective sac of fluid--even as you got really close to coming out. Just as they were going to pop that bag for you, one of your mom's pushes did the trick. Then we were in the final stage, though still we could not see you. Dad thought it surely would take many more hours for that little tiny dot of your head that the midwife saw to make its way home. But mom kept pushing, 3 or 4 times with each contraction. She was exhausted, utterly and totally exhausted, her legs shaking in pain, and still she kept lifting, taking a deep breath and pushing.

Slowly you emerged, and in the end with a bang, with that head and then the shot of your left arm up into the new air. Deo gratias! You really came out rumbling and rambling, so dad helped to catch you, put you right on your mom's chest. Grandma and Grandpa Gehred were there too, and he made the call that it's a boy--to our surprise, since we both had thought we would have a girl. The moment was very emotional and the great accomplishment--worked by God with the participation of your mother--was cause for the most gratitude we have ever felt. Gratitude all around, also for the others present there. The midwife, Kristin Vincent, was expert, simply expert in her guidance. She knew the right positions and techniques and allowed us to see her calm that all was well. Also the nurses, Becky and LaToya, were awesome. Becky even stayed past her shift change, partly because she knew your mom through nursing, and partly because the drama of it all was just inescapable. Then there was Kathy Schuth, one of your mom's dearest friends. We had called her to see if she would be present, and she was so helpful. She even provided the music, from the movie The Mission, for your labor. At one point she said something your mom will never forget, She leaned in her ear and said that it just is okay to be in pain. Now, maybe in another context you would think that not to be helpful, but Kathy's intuition was spot-on. We are so grateful to her, too. Grandma, Grandpa and Kathy even helped to take care of Hubert. Ah yes, our dog Hubert. You are about to meet him, and that surely will be a story to write about!

So there is the condensed story of your birth. But again, what will remain is the love that the whole journey provoked. Indeed, Deo Gratias!

Welcome to the World!

You came into our world nine months ago, but emerged from the womb--your head and then a victory thrust of your arm--on January 9, 2010 at 9:43 am: 7 pounds, 3 ounces; 20 inches; full of energy. This blog will be a gift to you one day when you can read, which by dad's calculation will be sometime this summer. So, first things first, about your great name. You should know that there are about 7 different stories/meanings behind it, but most importantly it just seemed to fit, a noble name as the nurse put it. And we did not name you until after you were born and we had met you for awhile, in fact dad here kept almost calling you Benedict out loud in the hours after your arrival but knew we had to wait to be sure. And we are sure.

So why Benedict John? Of course there is the great St. Benedict, the monk from the sixth century. In addition to you learning about his cool life, you can one day find out if the name helped you as a baby to follow his tradition of keeping long periods of silence, especially when you parents were trying to sleep! And we have had quite a few Benedicts as pope (the same nurse also said with your name you could be pope someday!) One of your parents favorite popes was Benedict XV. He was called "the peace pope" because during World War I he tried to have all the warring nations reconcile. Right...not so successful, but he was faithful. And Benedict XVI, who serves the Church as you enter it today, he's a holy shepherd too. Your dad even met him in 2007. You should check out his latest letter on society and economics. Okay, we can wait awhile for that material!

Don't think we are done... your name itself has a great meaning, Latin for "Blessed." And that first part of your name, Bene, is the root in many languages for all things "good," as in Pace y Bene "Peace and Good." By the way, that's the deal here kiddo. We provide you the Pace, you provide us the Bene. Pretty easy, eh?! As for your middle name, that was kind of a last minute, gametime decision. You see, this weekend we celebrate the big feast of the baptism of Jesus. And who baptized him? John. So you also have this great saint, John the Baptist, to inspire you. He was a strong, zealous dude, on a mission from God. You also have some great Johns in your family. Your Uncle John Gehred, a man of great care and attention to others--and who was like the only brother never to pick on your mom! And your great Uncle John on your dad's side, who died way too early, a good man who always looked out for others. Truth be told, he even helped pay for your dad's education, and your dad is one smart dude! And many other Johns in our life: you even got a blessing from our great friend Fr. John DeRiso before we left the hospital.

So what's in a name? Turns out, quite a lot! And now this is your name, son. Know that we chose it with great love for you, just as God chose us for you with great love. Welcome!