Thursday, June 19, 2008

 

Then came Grace . . .

"Years from now, when you think of this - and you will - be kind."
- Deborah Kerr, to Cary Grant, AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER

Years from now, I'll think about this week, and the nearly 10 months preceding it, and I'll have no problem being kind. To call this time the turning point in my life is a gross understatement. You get a few really amazing, life-changing happy moments in any life; I've been lucky enough to have my share, more so in the last 8 years since Our Woman in LA entered the building.

And on Monday, another Little Woman in LA entered my life. Meet Grace Marabel Wieland (seen below in the picture, with her beaming Mom and Dad).



She's the little one, in the hat.

What can I tell you? She's amazing. I know I've practically used sky-writing to tell anyone and everyone about little Gracie, but I'm a proud Dad, so . . . get used to it. She came into the world at 7 pounds, 12 ounces, measuring 20 inches long. She's got a beautiful head of dark hair, and a face that makes you fall in love. Her mama and I are beyond proud, beyond overjoyed to have her as part of our family.

She entered the world at 11:22 a.m. Monday, after about 30 hours of labor for Steph. Steph did it all 100 percent naturally, which is just another in the litany of reasons that my wife is an actual super-hero. Did I mention that she pulled off the major labor and birth (which took almost all of Sunday and part of Monday morning) after closing her brilliant City at Peace - Los Angeles show REVIVE ME on Saturday night?

See what I mean? Super. Hero.

In the hours after Gracie was born, I thought about the journey Steph and I took to get to the little post-partum room at Cedars, where we spent our first night with our daughter.

I remembered the day we learned we were pregnant. It had started with a yoga practice for Steph, where her instructor noticed that she was having troubles with some of her usual poses. We had lunch together that day, and wondered if she actually could be with a child like this one.

On the way home, Steph tells it, she listened to the Jeff Buckley song "Halleluia" in her car and was hit by an honest to God wave of realization. She KNEW she was pregnant. That night, after taking three pregnancy tests (after all, she had to be sure), she called me at the dinner meeting I was attending. I was sitting across from the CEO of the YMCA of the USA, who was speaking, so I couldn't answer. My work cell phone buzzed. Then my personal one. Then my work one. Then my personal one again.

So, you see, I pretty well knew that night, too, before I even left the dinner.

I've always believed that the important stuff in my life - or anyone's, really - are the little moments that make you appreciate how great being in this world can be. It's not the high school graduation that matters, I've argued. It's the moments where you've really appreciated friendships, or things you've learned.

I stand corrected. The little moments - like having the cell phone buzz incessantly while you're listening to your boss speak - are amazing. But in the wake of the big moments, as on Monday morning at Cedars-Sinai, I saw just how incredible those can be, too.

Welcome to the world, Gracie. Already you make it better for being here. Welcome to LA, to this family, and to everything. This is going to be a great ride.

Comments:
Perfect. I am weeping. Congratulations doesn't even begin to say it, but I am going to say it anyway. Much love to you all!
 
Welcome to the World, Grace. I'll tell you this: it's been pretty cool so far...

Plus, I've met your folks and they're good people. Funny, too (which is a plus). ;)

--Kenny R.
 
so overdue in talking to you -- but i know how crazy you guys have been too adjusting. i'll give you a call this weekend. congrats she is perfect!
 
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