From the December 23, 2002 Tacoma News Tribune
Judy Ritchie
http://www.tribnet.com/news/local/story/2366656p-2420555c.html
WHERE ARE THEY NOW: Almost 2 years later, mom, 53, and child busy
Lisa Kremer; The News Tribune
Morgan Zantua's magical baby has become a magical toddler.
An outgoing, loving, curious, talkative toddler. Quite a handful for a
53-year-old first-time mom.
Zantua made the news earlier this year when we told the story of her
surprise first-time pregnancy at 51.
When she first started feeling odd symptoms, she thought perhaps she was
going through menopause. She and her husband, George, had considered
having children but assumed it wouldn't happen after an earlier
pregnancy ended in miscarriage.
Indeed, it's extremely rare for women over 50 to conceive, particularly
for the first time and without technological help.
Zantua, who works as a special projects coordinator at the Center for
Learning Connections at Highline Community College, couldn't be more
thrilled with little Auriel Paloma Zantua. Auriel now is 17 months old
and can say "hello," "up," "grapes," "thank you" and, most especially,
"no."
"She is the most outgoing little girl you would ever hope to meet,"
Zantua said proudly.
"She gets it from me. When we went to Florida to visit my sister for
Thanksgiving, she met and greeted and hugged practically everyone who
was traveling. It's impractical to take her to work any more because she
wants to meet and hug and kiss everyone."
When we last interviewed Zantua, she had a part-time job and several
contract jobs, still was breast-feeding 9-month-old Auriel and took her
everywhere she went.
Some things have changed, some haven't. Zantua still breast-feeds, and
intends to at least until Auriel's second birthday. She's been swayed by
studies showing the innumerable benefits to babies of breast-feeding -
and reports that the longer mothers breast-feed, the less their chance
of getting breast cancer.
But she can no longer take Auriel to work to stay in a playpen in her
office.
While Morgan works, George takes care of Auriel, or the rambunctious tot
stays with a stay-at-home friend, and Zantua takes a breast pump to
work. It's worth the trouble, she said.
Zantua has many friends who are mothers of young children, and often
doesn't even notice the age difference.
"They're like 15 years younger than me, and I feel like they're older
because they have 3-year-olds."
Zantua's very excited by the classes she's taking and the ones she's
teaching, the new programs she's developing and the places she might be
able to travel in the coming years - all, of course, with Auriel.
"I have all these things taking place, and she's the neatest of them
all," she said.
Lisa Kremer: 253-597-8658
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