Gary Kanter   Songwriter, Humorist, Irritant!

So much has happened since my last contribution to this site.

We finally got ensconced in our new ol’ cedar home on Camano Island…after a brief stint in Auburn…two major moves!

We have completed the major remodeling and are finally down to the regular remodeling.  This was all precipitated on the impending arrival of our first grandson.

He arrived on St. Paddy’s Day, under a full moon.  Daughter Carrie and S.O. Daniel became the proud parents of Jaden Michael Brian Laurie, 9 lbs/4 oz.  Yep, a big baby!

Carrie invited me to witness the birth…which I did from a modest perch on the side.  It was magnificent…his first breath…his cry…his neophyte mother nursing him…tears from the grandparents…watching their baby have a baby.

Jayden has rocked our world!  Becoming a grandfather, I must say, is better than I could have imagined.  I have seen the future and it is him!  And, for the first time in a quarter of a century, there are three generations of my family alive at the same time.  A sobering thought.

I am glad they are living with us…I get to see and experiences the day-to-day changes I haven’t witnessed since his mother was born.

I have assumed the role of manny…I feed…play with…console…and tend to the little prince as needed.  I have even learned to change a boy’s diaper…a skill requiring exceptional reflexes…though he did send a line drive my way I misplayed into wet jeans.

I bore the shit out of everyone I can with pictures…on Facebook and in person.  The cell phone is the greatest invention for doting grandparent photo display since the expanding wallet compartments.

I know he is intelligent.  How do I know?  He was only a few weeks old when…as I attempted to feed him he…well check out his middle finger!

That’s my boy!