Four Months

My youngest grandson, Owen, is four months old today. One third of a year already.

He has only warmed up to me in the last couple of weeks. Before that, every time his mother or grandmother handed him to me he would just scream at me. Maybe I didn't smell right? Maybe I had forgotten how to hold a small baby right? In any case, his two older siblings usually wanted some attention from their granddad and I found it easier to amuse a 2-year-old and a 4-year-old than to quiet a squalling baby.

But lately he seems quite happy snuggling up in my arms. He is much more responsive too. When I hold him so he can see my face he will smile and laugh and gurgle at me. I guess my face is pretty funny looking. Even a 4-month-old can see that.

This week I passed two further tests with young Owen. He let me feed him for the first time and he let me change his diaper for the first time. Oh joy! But that is what granddads do in 2010.

When Owen's mother is out of earshot, I have started to explain sailing to him, and make wild promises about sailing adventures we will have together when he is old enough. His brother Aidan (2) is definitely an outdoors type; yesterday he was playing toy boats with me in freezing water in a wheelbarrow in their garden. And their sister Emily (4) loves swimming and playing in the water too.

Life is good.