Babies

Jazzi and Ansel had baby Toby on August 3rd. The Body in the Lobby starts in November. Toby’s three months old now. It’s hard for me to remember when babies do what. But my grandson and his wife had their baby boy on March 16, and the last time I talked to them, Clark was making all kinds of happy noises with a new toy he had through the entire conversation. Fun to hear!

I printed out a sheet of what most babies do month by month, and that’s helped a lot. One of Toby’s favorite things is “blanket time,” when Jazzi lays on one side of him and Ansel on the other, and it’s play time. My daughter was so excited to be a grandma, she bought a “play area” for her floor. When she babysits, she puts Clark in it and entertains him the entire time he stays happy with attention and toys. He actually squeals he gets so excited. Once play time’s over, it’s time for cuddles and milk, and then a nap.

I try to balance out Jazzi’s workdays, with her time with Gaff, and home time, but every working mother struggles with that. Jazzi’s lucky in that Fazal’s mother, Aleena, babysits Toby during the day. Aleena loves babies. She made a living as a nanny and not much throws her. While Toby’s an easy-going, little guy, Elspeth (who’s a co-owner at the bakery with Fazal) has it harder going. Her Heath, whom Aleena babysits, too, is a fussy baby. And isn’t that the way it is? No two babies are alike. You get what you get. And you love them as they are.

Anyway, I’m hoping Toby learns to roll over by the end of this book. And by the next book, Jazzi and Ansel will have to babyproof their house. Once a baby learns to crawl, it’s time to put up baby gates and plug electrical sockets. I always thought the older a baby got, the more fun they were. Toby’s going to be a joy.