Done?
Okay, let's talk about love, sex, and the male brain. Specifically, this passage from the article:
"As men age, the male brain hormones change and the male brain and body goes into the stage of life called andropause ... Whether Grandpa is your kids' hero or the grouch they hate to visit depends a lot on how he handles these hormonal changes ... The grandpa that kids can't wait to see is the one who's feeling the effects of the hormone oxytocin, often called the "cuddle hormone." He's fun and playful and likes to hear what his grandchildren have to say. He's much more patient with your children than he was with you, when you were growing up. The love circuits of the mature male brain can be hijacked by his grandkids, even more than they were by his own children."
I love my grandchildren...all five of them...and I've often felt that I'm a much better grandfather than I was a father. I know that I'm more patient with Marcy, Joe, Noah, Leya, and now Elise than I was with their parents when they were children. Now it looks as if there's a hormonal reason ... I must be high on oxytocin. I've got the cuddle hormone in abundance.
Speaking of Elise, our fifth grandchild was born yesterday ... Elise Anya was 19.5 inches long and weighed 5 pounds, 8 ounces. This is a picture of her trying out those new lungs:
Yes, she's adorable. Red, wrinkled, and noisy to be sure, but perfect.So, if you'll pardon me, I'm going to practice my grandfathering skills. I appreciate you, dear readers, but I love the grandchildren.
It's nothing personal...it's the oxytocin. Or, as we called it in simpler times, just plain love.
Have a good day. More thoughts tomorrow.
Bilbo
Congrats, Granddad! I've been waiting to read about this ever since you told me it was imminent last week.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! Elise is adorable. She actually looks like she's singing opera there :)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Grandpa x 5.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to inform #1 Son & wife that Bilbo's fired another shot across our bow, and there's no choice but for them to gin up another irrestible cutie. Presumably they'll respond: I'll be our pleasure!
Emininence Grise
Yay, the waiting is over! Of course you're more patient with your grandchildren than you were with your own kids--you had lots of practice making mistakes the first time around. :) My mom told me that my dad told her there were things he wished he'd done (with us--my sister and me) differently.
ReplyDeleteWhat a coincidence. I read several articles yesterday about oxytocin. One article Addicted to Love is a delightful description of the affect that oxytocin has on the small Prairie Vole which is one of the few monogamous mammals.
ReplyDeleteYou appear to be addicted to love, Grandpa. Very sweet photo of your new granddaughter.
I've only got 5 to go to catch up.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like those lungs are in good working order.
ReplyDelete