Dear Myla: Wishes from your Nana


Myla Adelyn Rodewald was born a month ago, in Des Moines.

Dear Myla Adelyn:

You are now a month old, and I wanted to introduce myself. I am your grandmother Baker, and I'd like you to call me "Nana."
(Research shows that 'Nana' has been used as a word for "grandmother" since the early 20th century. When I grew up in Edina, Minnesota, my sister's best friend lived up the street with her Nana. The Minnesota Nana was very kind to me as a little girl and that's how I want to be to you, little Myla.)
My husband, Grandpa Steve, and I, are the parents of your mother, Kirstin. We were present in the hospital lobby when you entered the world on Jan. 6, and we first met you when you were just a couple hours old.
Now we enjoy seeing you, mostly via a funny thing called FaceTime, which happens on your mommy's cell phone. That happens about once a week. When we speak to you on FaceTime, you seem to be interested in where our voices are coming from.
We Bakers live on the far eastern side of Iowa, while you and your folks live in the central part of the state. That just means we are a few hours away, by car.
Shortly after you entered the world, the weather turned very, very cold, historically cold, colder than your parents have ever seen. I think that being born in January is extra special, but you will grow up with many people talking about weather around the time of your birthday.
Here are some things I wish for you, tiny Myla, over the long term:
1. You follow what we call the Golden Rule, which is: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Follow this rule with backbone, however; appreciate the wisdom of being stubborn when necessary.
2. You grow to love and respect your extensive family. Early in life you will find out your name includes all the letters of your grandparents' first names, which is pretty cool!
3. You learn about God, and the important place for faith in your life.
4. You become fair, and even-handed.
5. You live to learn.
5. You learn to read at an early age, and love to read the rest of your life.
6. You care about your own health, taking sensible steps to preserve your health as long as possible.
8. You learn to care for the least among us.
9. You love animals, like your dog, Buffy.
10. You love to play: Games, cards, sports.

With love, Nana

Below: Myla on Super Bowl Sunday, with Nana, and at bottom, with her mom and Grandpa Steve:




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Goodbye, Blogger.com

Image
Thanks to all Bakersheartbeat.blogger.com and  Gardensirencall.blogger.com readers!  It was a fun ride for years!     It's with a heavy heart that I say goodbye on this site, called either blogspot.com or blogger.com.     Recently, I wrote about a Quad-City Times Bix 7 event and the photo to go with it was blocked by Google. (This one, in this blog, was also blocked but I got around it as I'm not using Blogger anymore.)     Anyway, I'm trying to come up with a Plan B for blogging.      Stay tuned.     I think the problem developed (after six or more years of no such thing!) because I transfer the photos I take for blogs via G-mail. Either that, or Blogspot.com is now in the Google universe.     Anyway, it's not feasible to write blogs without photos, in my opinion.     All this blogging started in 2018, when my journalism career ended. Blogging was something I'd done at the office and I found Blogger.co...
Read more

Why a "community" matters, especially in later life

Image
Friends and family members in 2018 attended an excellent basketball tournament in Des Moines; four colleges participated: Iowa, Iowa State, the University of Northern Iowa and Drake University.        It was the morning of Valentine's Day and my husband Steve, and I, started to walk in Scott County Park, located just two miles from our home in rural Scott County, Iowa.     We had begun a two-mile loop when a woman in a car stopped us: She leaned out the driver's side window and handed us two bags of Valentine candies.     Startled, we stared at her as we did not know her. But she smiled and said, "I like that you are out here, walking!"     We did accept the candies and are eating them to this day!     That pleasant incident points to the importance of have a "community" in life. Communities are generally defined as a group of persons who share a common interest. Growing up, this is evident in school when one has dozens of clas...
Read more

Hair: A love/hate story from one perspective

Image
  That's me, after a recent appointment at the salon in Eldridge, Iowa Oh, give me a head with hair Long, beautiful hair Shining, gleaming, streaming Flaxen, waxen Now won't you gimme it down to there? (hair) Shoulder length or longer (hair) Here, baby, there, mama Everywhere, daddy, daddy Hair (hair, hair, hair, hair, hair) Grow it, show it Long as I can grow it My hair ... Songwriters: Gerome Ragni / James Rado / Galt Mac Dermot                   I scoop up my own hair every single day. I do appreciate this thick, brown and healthy hair, but my goodness, what a mess it makes!     I bought a special broom that grabs hair, and all sorts of devices to clean up said hair. I buy Swiffer sheets on a regular basis and use them.     I don't mean to sound negative. It's a blessing to have a head of hair, but also a responsibility.       No one wants to have hair in their food, for example!   ...
Read more