Grandchild Number 3 - Ryan Patrick Theriot

Ryan's first Halloween (He's a lion)

Craig and Russell holding Ryan - 7 mos.

Christmas 03 - Other grandmother's house (MiMi), Philadelphia, PA

Alicia, Craig, and Ryan - Thanksgiving with relatives

Ryan with cousins Anna and Landon at Grammy's house

Most recent picture

Grammy's house-making Christmas cookies

Grandchild Number 3 - Ryan Patrick Theriot

                My son's first child, Ryan Patrick Theriot, was born August 28, 2000. Here is a picture of Russell holding Ryan in the hospital that I love. Ryan was born three years before Russell's diagnosis. I still can't believe the time line until I go back looking for pictures for this blog. As I remember, Russell was still fine when Ryan was born. In fact, as Ryan got a bit older, Russell spent quite a bit of time with him and Landon together.             

                Ryan's mom (Alicia) tried so hard to have him naturally, or at least without having to have  a C section. But he was really stubborn and no matter how hard or for how long she pushed, he was just not going to be born that way! In fact, his parents joked about the baby being a "conehead" because he was having difficulty moving through the birth canal.

                When he was born, his head was a bit "misshapen." In time it was fine, but he still have to endure a few jokes here and there about his head. Once, when he was only about a year old, we went to Little Rock for a wedding shower for my niece. Landon and Ryan went with us. The shower was at the clubhouse of an apartment complex. Ryan was, I guess "exploring" and stuck his head through the wrought iron fence around the pool; and of course, he got stuck and could not get out. It wasn't anything that any other kid couldn't have done, but it happened to be Ryan. Bless his heart, we teased him for years after that!!

Craig, Momo, Russell, and Ryan

                The picture on the right is of Ryan with his dad Craig (my son), Russell, and Russell's Mom Kathleen (four generations) taken the day of Ryan's christening. I love this picture. It was a wonderful day. There is also one of Ryan in his suit the day of his first communion. It all just seems to have happened so quickly! He was so little, and now he seems so grown up!

        Ryan LOVES soccer. He has played since very, very young (love the uniform-those cute little baby legs!); and he is VERY GOOD at it. He is built just like his dad, and can run very, very fast (just like his dad USED to), which is a plus in soccer. He is also playing baseball and football (which is the favorite sport of ALL the boys, even the small ones like Ryan); and his speed is working for him there as well.

                The picture of him between Russell and me was, I believe, taken at Grandparents' Day when Ryan was in preschool. This would have been in about 2004, and it's very apparent to everyone who knew Russell

One Grandparents' Day

that the dementia was beginning to take its toll. His speech was very slurred and, as I think this picture shows, he has sort of a blank look in his eyes. Both of these symptoms got much worse. In fact, it wasn't long after this that Russell stopped speaking at all. He had a deep voice with just enough Cajun accent to be beautiful. I have missed his voice for a really long time. Ryan will be 11 in August, which means that Russell missed a lot of the last 5 or 6 years of Ryan's life. Russell would have been at every soccer, football, and baseball game or recital for all the kids.

                Russell and I did, however, take both Landon and Ryan to Jackson one Saturday morning for a Gem show. Russell had already begun educating Ryan as well as Landon about fossils and stones and rocks and all things "fun." They had a ball! There was one section at the show where you could, for a nominal fee, get a small shovel and a bag and you could dig in a pile of dirt and rocks set up at the exhibit. Any rocks you found you could KEEP. Both boys actually did each find a couple of agates as I recall. It didn't really matter what the rocks were; they were excited because they found them on their own!

                Russell also helped the boys pick out a rock that was cut in half to form two geodes (don't ask me; this was Russell's area, not mine!), so they could each have one as a souvenir to add to their collections. The stones are really beautiful when they are cut with the right tool, as this one was.

                In fact, the next day in the Jackson Clarion Ledger newspaper, there was a picture of the two of them (Landon and Ryan) in the article about the event. We knew the photographer had taken the picture because he got all their information--name, where from, why there, parents' names, etc. But we never expected that to be the picture used in the paper. It was precious, and they were so excited.

                A funny story--one day Russell and I were planning a get together with all the family that night. I was babysitting Ryan that day, and I needed to get some wine for the party. I don't usually go to the liquor store when I have any of the kids with me, but I was running out of time. So I took Ryan into the liquor store with me--I think he was about 3. I had probably five or six bottles of wine in a paper bag, which I picked up with my left arm. I then picked Ryan up with my right arm and proceeded out the door and to the car. About halfway to the car, I was having a hard time keeping both of them in my arms; and I commented that I was afraid I was going to drop one or the other. I didn't really think Ryan was paying much attention, but out of the blue he said, "Grammy, you could put the BAG down." Well, I think he put me in my place; I was so embarrassed! I did laugh, however.

                While I was still teaching, I attended a couple of conferences each year. Russell usually went with me, but eventually he was too ill to go with me; so I decided I would start taking one grandchild at a time on one of these trips each year. I took Landon with me to San Antonio, and when it was Ryan's turn, we went to Atlanta. We did all the usual tourist things--went to a Braves game, the Coke museum, the Aquarium. It was a little late when we arrived the first night, so instead of going out to eat, we ordered room service. Then I took Ryan up to the pool so he could swim. After that, it was really hard to get him to go anywhere--all he wanted to do was swim and order room service. I can't find the picture, but I have one of him in the middle of this king-sized bed, hands behind his head, saying "I LOVE room service"!      

                Ryan is becoming a fine young man. He is an altar boy at church; he makes excellent grades, excels in all of his sports, and is a great big brother (more about that in subsequent blogs).