Our first grandchild, Samuel Glenn Stater, is born

What a wonderful event!   We have been visiting our daughter and son-in-law this week in anticipation of this event.   Our son-in-law awakened us about 4 am yesterday telling us it was time to head to the big Hartford hospital.   We learned that 4000 babies per year are born there.    Keely was smiling and dressed, ready to go.   The hospital has birthing rooms where the family could stay for as long as the Mom wanted.   We stayed through the early stages of labor to encourage but then moved about 9:25 am to the waiting room.   I napped (and munched).   Samuel entered this world with a hearty wail, we were told, about 11:30 am.   Samuel is my middle name and my maternal grandfather’s name.   Glenn is Mark’s paternal grandfather’s name.  Keely did very well with just coaching and support.    Labor was 11 1/2 hours, exactly the same span as for JoAnne when Keely was born.   Samuel has big blue eyes and is charming everyone.   Soon after he was born, I went to Logan airport in Boston to pick up Mark’s parents who are also overjoyed to be here for this occasion.   I’m starting a first gallery for Sam, of course.  There was no time yesterday to put things up so I’m working on it this morning.