The Little Things That Count

It had been a long time since I held a baby when my granddaughter was born. Many family members and friends waited happily for her birth. As grandma I was one of the first to hold her..warm cuddly and HUNGRY! Since that time I have had the pleasure to care for her for short times, and often several days. On the longer times she arrives with several bags of clothes, toys, food, comfort items such as pacifiers and Teddy. Soon her room at my home became filled with toys, a swing, a mini kitchen, a desk, a playyard/bed, now a toddler bed, a wagon, and the doll highchair that was given to me on my second Christmas. Outside there is a small pool with all the water toys,T ball, and a slide.I had forgotten the simple joy of splashing water and blowing bubbles.
Chasing a toddler chasing a big brightly colored ball is priceless.
Her hugs and kisses bring tears to my eyes. Nothing can compare to the love of a child.
There are 525,600 minutes in a year.Use them wisely for time lost can never be regained. Throw the ball, color, sing the same song again, splash!

Salute to Grandparents raising grandchildren

I admire the grandparents (and I personally know several) who have taken on a second generation to raise. When their children fell into bad situations and could not or would no longer be responsible parents, these people, many preparing for retirement, have taken on total responsibility for one or several little lives.
While sons and daughters are in rehabilitation programs for various reasons, or perhaps incarcerated, grandparents have provided a home for their grandchildren. Some grandchildren are eventually reunited with their parents, others remain with their grandparents.

Grandparents Day has taken on a new meaning over the last few years. Grandparents are not rocking on the porch. They are going to school functions, sports events, and keeping the family together.
God Bless these Grandparents!

Notes to self

-Never underestimate how fast a two year old can run

-Do not lose their favourite stuffed animal

The 5 second rule of food
-----Go ahead..try to beat a two year old to the cookie they just dropped on the floor while offering an alternate cookie to distract them

They know when something has 'disappeared'

The Alphabet song and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star have the same music

I have forgotten some of the verses for "There's a Hole in the Bucket" (search for them)

Response to a tag game

According to the directions here are 8 little known facts about me
This is for you Maya!

1-I don't like to come in out of the rain Rain water makes hair soft and I always got in trouble for lugging containers of rain water through the house to save for later

2-I live in Florida I HATE THE BEACH (and I can't swim)

3-I am a klutz. I have fallen down stairs several times, tripped over grass runners, fallen up stairs, ballet needs more coordination than I can muster

4-I like noise, I have a set of drums

5-I am a magnet for static electricity.....the fountain, the printers, metal doors, shopping carts, other people, my car, my dryer.....my first record player (until it caught on fire), the toaster
..I feel the electricity and often see sparks

6-I wanted to be a painter...middle school art class was a disaster..the india ink spilled, my trees didn't look like...well a tree Stick people are stupid unless you are reading a Nancy Drew novel or a Sherlock Holmes mystery

7-I want to hug a white bengal tiger ..unfortunately Seigfried and Roy have dibs on the majority of the species

8-I want to see Grand Central Station, I hear it looks better than it did in the 60's
And visit Central Park as long as I am there

Who am I?

I am not the grandmother from the last century

I don't bake cookies

I don't sew, knit or crochet

My home does not look like House Beautiful

I don't dust

I don't wax floors

Cooking is on a need to do only



Instead...

I make shapes with clay

Let the microwave do the cooking

Keep at least one clear path to navigate through the house

Pull a wagon full of grandchild and teddy bear through the yard

And allow splashing in the bath tub