Karen Nazor HillMy grandchildren are still on an emotional high after spending a week with their 3-month-old cousin, Charleana, who recently traveled from San Diego to Chattanooga with her parents Kit (my son) and his wife, Bonnie.
It was the first time my grandchildren Tilleigh, 10, Evie, 7, and William, 4, along with their mother, my daughter, Kacee, and my husband, Hank, had met Charleana. I flew to San Diego the day of her birth in January and then again in March to visit (the benefit of being retired).
And though everyone in the family was excited to see our new baby, it was Tilleigh who had been chomping at the bit since January to meet her cousin.
You see, Tilleigh is a baby whisperer.
Whenever there's a baby around, you'll find Tilleigh close by. She says there's nothing cuter than a baby. She's extremely gentle with them, and, to date, there's never been one who didn't fall for Tilleigh's charm.
Charleana was no exception.
While Tilleigh is thrilled when she gets to be around any baby, Charleana is special to Tilleigh because she's family, and family is very important to us Nazor Hills.
The bond formed between the two cousins surprised even us.
Like most babies, Charleana is very attached to her parents, so she's not always immediately comfortable when someone new holds her. In fact, she didn't seem to be all that happy with me.
But there's a reason, mind you. I recently had surgery on both feet, and my mobility is limited. I couldn't walk around with her, which is what she enjoys the most. After about five minutes with me, she was over it, and because she has a really good set of lungs, she let us know.
Tilleigh, on the other hand, held Charleana for lengthy periods of time without a whimper - even if she was sitting down.
As soon as my son and his family arrived at our house, Tilleigh stayed close to Bonnie to learn everything she could about taking care of a newborn. Bonnie was an excellent teacher, taking time to teach Tilleigh everything from holding her properly to changing diapers, bathing, and entertaining her with conversation, books and toys.
Tilleigh mastered them all.
Except when she was in school, Tilleigh was with the baby every waking hour. And because of her maturity and willingness to listen and learn about taking care of a baby, Bonnie completely trusted Tilleigh with Charleana.
It made me see Tilleigh from a new perspective - she's growing up. Sure, she's still a little girl and does things little girls do, and she's involved in numerous activites, including swimming, acting and scouting. But to see her so lovingly take care of her baby cousin showed me that she's maturing into a sweet and kind young lady. I couldn't have been more proud. The entire family was proud.
Tilleigh made Charleana's visit extra special.
We're doing our best to make sure our long-distance family stays close. This summer, we'll all be flying out to San Diego, and our California family will be coming home for Christmas. We're thrilled, of course, and Tilleigh is counting the days.
Contact Karen Nazor Hill at khill@timesfreepress.com.