Welcome Ryan Keith Groller

FROM KEITH GROLLER

For some reason, turning 50 bothered me. But being a grandfather doesn't.

Earlier today -- Nov. 2 -- at precisely 2:17 a.m., I became a grandfather for the second time. And for the first time, I have a grandson.

Just like his grandfather, he was a little late in arriving. He was supposed to be born on Oct. 24, but he took his good 'oI time in getting here.

Guess he wanted his grandpop to enjoy the Cardinals winning the World Series and for all of us to get over our power-outage problems, etc. etc,. so that we could truly appreciate the moment and focus all of the attention on him.

My daughter-in-law Tanya spent 30 hours in labor and I am very, very proud of her as well as my son, Chris, the fireman, who went the distance by her side.

The entire Groller family is very excited and eager to meet Ryan later today after he spends some time in the Neonatal Intensive Care unit where he's initially going to be treated for a possible infection.

My 9-year-old daughter Aimee is excited to be an aunt for the second time and my other daughter, 26-year-old Emily, and the mother of my granddaughter, Alexia, is now a first-time aunt. Now Lexi will a new playmate on the family get-togethers.

Ryan will not have it as easy as Alexia because he carries on the Groller name.

He'll just have to learn to tell a little fib, like when someone comes up to him and asks: "Hey, are you related to that moron who writes sports for The Morning Call?"

We'll teach him to say, just like my other kids: "No never heard of him. But I am related to the great polka king, Walt Groller."

Walt Groller is far and away a much more popular Groller.

Here's the first picture of Ryan Keith Groller, and you can bet many, many are to come -- but we'll keep them over on my Facebook page, and try not to besiege you here on Groller's Corner.

http://blogs.mcall.com/groller/