Naomi?

I ran up the stairs with Mom's mail, a couple of Christmas cards. As she started to open them, she said, "I put a couple of cards in the mail today." I asked her who she sent them to. She said one to her great grandson, Kyle, and a birthday card to her sister Anna.

"Anna's birthday is right after Christmas, you know," said Mom.

"Yes, I know. The 28th. The same day as Naomi's."

"Naomi," said Mom. She studied my face as she said the name again, this time as a question, "Naomi?" Her brow crinkled, her face a big question mark and I knew she wasn't just confused about when Naomi's birthday was, she was trying to place the person.

"Dana's daughter. Your son, Dana. The daughter that Dana had with Vicki. Naomi."

"Dana has a daughter named Naomi?"

"Yes. First they had Naomi, then Heidi, then Carly." She took a few more moments for thought before a look of recognition came over her face.

"Oh, oh, yes, of course. Naomi! Her birthday is the same as Anna's?"

I reassured her it was as I attempted to disguise how shocking it was that she didn't have immediate recall of a granddaughter she has loved so dearly for more than three decades.