Mike Dougherty's Blog

The amazing Charity Grace

Charity Grace Campbell was at the Stephens Media office in Little Rock today with her mother, Priscilla Campbell, to attend the baby shower for Emmy Buffalo, new daughter of Mark and Linda Buffalo.

Priscilla is our reporter at the Lonoke Democrat. Her husband and Grace’s dad is Nathan Campbell, who does HV/AC work in Lonoke County.

Grace, who will acquire a nickname from me at some point, was born Aug. 20 at Baptist Health Medical Center-North Little Rock, a month before doctors expected her. She weighed just under three pounds at birth. She is now a healthy-but-tiny five pounds.

After gifts were opened and the eating of cake commenced, several of us drifted back into the newsroom. When Priscilla wondered if cake was still available, I told her I would hold Grace while she went back to the conference room to eat.

My childrren are 27, 24 and soon to be 22, so I’m not exactly in practice at the baby cradling thing. But who can resist a tiny miracle?

We started out by letting her snuggle into a comfortable position — she fits entirely on my lower left arm when I bend it at the elbow. First, it was the gentle rocking full-body rotation from left to right. When that got old for her or I got tired, we went to the old standby: walking the floor. We made several laps around the editorial department and the news bureau and that did the trick. Gracie was out like a light.

Mama had to ask for her back.

Oh, that nickname? I am leaning toward Maizy, short for Amazing Grace.