Five Generations

Today we had the rare and wonderful opportunity to see my Great-Grandma Bahen. She lives in Hawaii with her daughter, but she's over visiting for a few weeks down in Escondido (near San Diego). My mom and grandma drove over to meet up with "Mama Bahen" and spend the weekend there. Malcom, Bekah and I drove down this morning, just for a quick day trip. The drive was a little tedious at times, but Bekah was good. The Benadryl helped her nap for 45 minutes and kept her mellow for the rest of the time. She also enjoyed the special new "car toys" we bought her, thanks to advice from several moms. :)

Of course, we HAD to stop at Peterson's Donut Corner before getting to Uncle Dennis's house. This is the doughnut place from all my childhood memories of visiting aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins in Escondido. It is probably my favorite doughnut place in the whole world. We decided to introduce our daughter to the family tradition early on.

(Don't worry, we only let her lick the frosting that she got on her hand from the brief photo shoot!)

Then it was on to family time. We arrived just in time for lunch with a dozen doughnuts in hand. The place was packed with aunts, uncles, cousins, and of course my two grandmas. Everyone oohed and ahhed over the baby. They told me that I look "just like Jeri" (which is the wonderful compliment I get every time I see Mom's side of the family) and a couple of them told me that I look really good. Aw, how nice! I got to spend a little time chatting with everyone and letting them ask me all about Rebekah. It was great to catch up with each of them.

Then we got to the main event. We obviously decided to capture the unique get-together on film. It's not every day that you get five generations of women in one room. I am truly awed by the fact that I still have a very alert and vibrant grandmother and great-grandmother, and especially that my daughter got to meet them. I know she won't remember it, but it's here in pictures.


I really love the look of the age spots on our hands in this last one. It's obvious whose the oldest, but the age looks so well-earned.

We chatted more with family, tried unsuccessfully to get Bekah to nap, and finally decided to come back home. I hate saying goodbye to Mama Bahen because I don't ever know when I'll get the chance to see her again. I love her too; not just the kind of family love where you tolerate an older person because you're connected by blood or marriage. I mean that I really appreciate her as a person, the example she's been to me and my family, the service she's given to my mom's family especially, and the general spark and light of her personality. I cried a little as I left.

The drive back was wonderfully uneventful. Bekah watched her "Classical Baby" DVD on a player we borrowed from some friends (thanks again to everyone's mommy advice!) and she gradually slipped into a 45-minute Benadryl-induced coma again. We only encountered a little traffic on the way home, making great time. We skipped Rebekah's bath, and she went right to sleep after a bottle. She was such a trooper today, I love my little girl!

Anyway, I am very happy with the way it all turned out. It makes me even more anxious to see family in Arizona next week. And I'll have to start planning that trip to Hawaii very soon.