Oatmeal

[submitted by Mom]

John was really excited to be a dad. When Julie was born, he drove all over Chicago Heights to tell Bu and Dzia, Mom and Dad and all the aunts and uncles. Had a shot and a beer with his dad. When he came to visit me that first night at St James Hospital (the first of 5 days we moms enjoyed back then) he brought me an armload of flowers and a lovely pendent. The woman in the next bed had had her 7th child and when her husband came in, he sat down at the edge of the bed, put his head in his hands and asked "How do you make oatmeal?" John was awed. "wow, seven kids." When Ed was born, it was the same excitement. More flowers and gifts. Dzia always gave us $100 when a baby came. John argued for more since this one was a "Ruszel son". Jack's birth brought more of the same (no more money from Dzia). Still the excitement built. Peter was over nine and a half pounds, more to be proud of. John loved holding his babies, rubbing their foreheads. Jenny decided to be born only after I was in the hospital for three days. Dr. Vic Towle, who delivered the first four of our babies (and me too, incidently) was by now a good friend of Johns and they decided to walk the block to St. Agnes Church for Sunday mass thinking nothing was happening that morning, but Jenny came while they were gone. Now John had an extra story to tell and also more flowers and gifts to bring.

By the time we got to California, John was an old pro at this daddy thing, but just as proud and excited when Lucy came. He brought all the 5 older kids along with the flowers to visit me on my one night at Kaiser in Walnut Creek. Looking in the nursery window at all the babies. John showed the kids their new sister. Jen decided she didn't want that one. More flowers and a beautiful necklace were brought on the November day when Tim was born. John came in looking excited still, but a bit haggard, "How do you make oatmeal?" he asked with a grin.