1 month down...11 more to go.

2011 is speeding along. Jan 1st thur Jan 5th saw me in Michigan. Came back to NC just in time for a snow storm, which I hear is rather infrequent here. We got 3-4 inches; N. Raleigh got O. It took a few days for the white stuff to melt. This past weekend we enjoyed 67* weather. TJ 's hair is curling in the back, so cute. We were playing with the small-stuffed football today, his favorite, well, any ball is his favorite. I asked him to throw it to GG. It does leave his hand, but not always in my direction. Today he made sure I got the football..............he crawled over and ..gave it to me. AWWWW! I don't carry him up or down the steps, so he crawls up and down with me close behind. We have only done this 3-4 times. Today he not only crawled up, but instead of putting his knee on the next step, he put his foot [just the right one] on. Dang, he's so tall. Not interested in walking yet. Very affordable places to retire: #3 Raleigh NC #4 Charlotte NC .......yahoo.com

Everything

TJ's Dr. visit resulted in 'elective' surgery for his enlarged growth on his belly button. Nothing amiss, just not a good clamping when his umbilical cord was severed. The surgeon recommended waiting until April after TJ turns one. Less risk of anesthesia if past 1 year old. Still on the medical side....my wrist feels 99% better since I had the cortisone shot Jan 4th. Now I would like a cortisone shot in my right knee [only hurts to kneel on it - I know - don't kneel on it] and my right hip. The knee is not new, but the hip thing is. On a brighter note, I slept like shit last night, [coffee at 9:30pm] but was up at 3:45 am writing children's books. As I noted on 'Facebook' I have written 17 children's picture books. I'm also on my fourth painting. Rock on!

Check

Dog food...check. Cat food/litter...check. Full tank of gas...check. Cupboard with food... check. I am bound and determined NOT to charge ANYTHING on my Visa for the month of Feburary. A little charge here, a little charge there...by the end of the month - holy Batman! Not only do I not want to charge anything, I'm going to try and not spend ANY money.
If I have to keep a journal of every penny I spend, so be it. I swear, I don't NEED a thing! Wish me luck...

Naps and Night time.

For the first time since I have been TJ's daycare/Grandma, TJ fell asleep for his nap on my chest/lap. Previously, he always fell asleep in my arms with a bottle, song and blanket. Then I would move him to a flat surface. Heaven forbid, if the bottle fell out. Unfortunately the bottle always in the mouth for a nap carried over to night. Now Tim has to sleep with TJ for anybody to get any sleep. What a tangled web of crying-bottle-sleep we have gotten ourselves into. There is hope for a nights sleep; TJ will be weened one day. Today - no blanket, no song, no bottle. He just asked to be picked up on my lap, faced me and put his head on my neck/chest and feel asleep for two hours [with me pinned under him] and Lily squeezing in; I forgot...I was sitting in the 'Lazy Boy' recliner rocker. The same one that I rocked Jay to sleep in - fourteen years ago.

Reading

TJ sits still enough for me to read him a book. "Duck on a Bike" by David Shannon [illustrated by the author] seems to be the right story [animals/bikes], not too long, great pictures and just the right amount of words, not too many - not too few. I do wait to sit and read till TJ is a little tired because he is a very active boy. I have tried other books, but they just didn't have the right combination of factors. I'm a big proponent of counting from the get go. It seems to me that counting should come as naturally as talking, walking and eating. Numbers are a huge part of modern life. Two ears, two hands, one head, five fingers [high five] and 10 toes. Numbers/counting, are a big part of our day.

Wish me luck.

After having written 4 1/2 'children's picture books', I found a publisher [Blue Apple Books] in NJ and mailed the 4 finished manuscripts to ATTN: Submissions. I addressed the envelope in bright marker using a different color for every word, hoping it would get somebodies attention. Very colorful and child looking. Then, I took the envelope to the post office where I paid extra to have it 'signed for' when they receive it. I thought about sending the submission with a box of candy...... next time, if I need to find a different publisher. I have great ideas in my head about the illistrations. The fifth book is getting more finished and I have started my 6th.

I know

I know in my brain that I have everything that I need and then some. But somehow the Visa bill is always a shock when I get it. What could I possibly need? I have indoor plumbing, running hot and cold water, central air and heat, a comfy bed, a cat and dog, a laptop, flat screen TV for movies, a car, food and shelter. Somehow - someway I manage to spend a little here a little there until I'm astounded at how much I spend. Go figure.

Sad.

The grandson [Jay] that I left in Michigan is going to be 15 next month. He doesn't call, write or text me. Out of sight - out of mind. I do luv reading his texts to Facebook, but there aren't very many of those. I miss you Jay. I wish we lived closer together. Hopefully you're having too much fun to communicate with your NC GG.

Tim

My son Tim hasn't found a job yet, so we share taking care of TJ. Tim cooks, shops, cleans, and does everything a stay at home parent needs to do. I help, do the laundry [I like to], make bottles, clean up the kitchen and entertain TJ. When I feed TJ a bottle, I have always sung 'The ants go marching......'. It helps put him to sleep. I sing 'It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood......' to him every morning. ' The 'Adams Family' song [with the finger snap] when he is sad. 'When the red red robin........' when we are out for a walk. ' The wheels on the bus....' when he does a fake cry. 'What makes that silly old ant......' when TJ needs entertaining. Also....'Mariann oh Mariann oh won't you........', 'This old man......', The noble Duke of York....', 'How much is that doggy...', and anything else that pops into my brain. I sing all the time.

9 1/2 months old.

TJ had his 9 month check up. He weighs 23 lbs, 90% in height [only 10% of nine month old babies are taller], 75% in weight and 40% in head circumference. TJ was exposed to 'Whooping cough' Jan 4 - 2011. 21 days is the incubation period. So far we just see teething and a runny nose. TJ does have a tag [looked like a tiny jelly bean] on his belly button that is growing large. His doctor recommended that he see a pediatric 'surgeon' to determine if removal is necessary. I'll post updates.

Outside.

Lily needed a fenced yard to run and I needed to let her out the backdoor by herself once in a while. I was using my neighbor's fenced in yard across the street, but that required dressing warmly, walking her on a leach and bringing a doggie bag....for you know what. Life is too short. Yesterday the garden fencing was delivered. Shopping on the computer is such a great thing. Today I installed the wire fence and enjoyed every minute I was out doors. Our backyard is like a park. It was wonderful to see Lily run in her very own yard. And it was a bonus to be outside getting exercise and fresh air............it does a body [and mind] GOOD!

It feels like spring.

Jeans and sweatshirt weather; I luv it! 50* weather and warming up more during the week. I don't know why everyone doesn't live in NC, but I'm really glad they don't...think of the traffic. My business cards came in Saturday....They say: GrannyNannyGG - babysitting evenings and weekends. Maybe I'll make a few bucks and get out of Tim and Ann's hair for a few hours. It can't be easy to live with your mother-in-law.....no matter how much you love her. It's tough enough to live with the opposite sex. Necessity is the mother of invention. I know it doesn't have anything to do with having your husband's mother living under the same roof. I try to keep out of the way, give them space and keep my mouth shut; I'll have to work harder on the last item.

Books

I wrote three children's picture books this week. I've had them in my brain a long time. 1.) "Baby can....} 2.) "When you were a little baby......} 3.) "Baby likes.......} I have a friend that had her children's book published. Now I must contact her about how to get mine published. I don't trust the information on the web. It all seems geared toward separating you from your money, instead of getting you published. Wish me luck!

Winter

It's too icy out to safely walk my dog Lily. Even Lily doesn't want to walk on the frozen snow that she slides on. Thank goodness, it supposed to get to 44* tomorrow. I can stand the cold, but the ice is dangerous---I might brake a bone and then what use would I be. Today was another learning day for TJ. I can't even comprehend all the things that he learns, but he clapped with intent to show approval. We play light on - light off. TJ clapped only when I turned the light on. Tj also crawled after his ball when I asked "where's the ball"? I hope to make this blog a book for TJ to read. I may just get an idea for a kids book that I could write. hummmmm

Surprises

Ahhhh the South! I have survived the hottest summer of my life........ in NC. Now to add insult to injury.....it snowed a half a foot during my first winter........in NC. I hate to see what spring brings to NC - 40 days and 40 nights of rain? I suppose this will all be very funny in a couple of years....... if I live to tell it!

Predictions

The weather forecast calls for snow tonight - snow tomorrow - sleet Tuesday. All of Charlotte will come to a grinding halt, if it happens before rush hour. We've stocked up on food and movies. Tomorrow I'm going to sort all of TJ's too small clothes, wash them and pack into smallish boxes by size. I'll let you know what happens after i get the sorting, washing and packing done. TJ gives kisses to us and gave lily one yesterday. Still he will try at every opportunity to put lily's tail in his mouth. Today TJ added clapping to his repertoire of skills mastered. He crawls well, stands up against anything, crawls up one step, thinks everything NOT a toy is something to play with, pat pat pat, and self feeds well. We see changes everyday !

Baby has a cold or maybe it's just teething.

TJ turned 9 months old 1-1-11. He did break in his first tooth a few days before. Our very happy baby is sometimes miserable; runny nose, can't breath. A few other things: I drove through snow flurries today, we have a ghost that flushes a toilet now and then, Qtips [ in my ears] after a shower feel great, locking the pointer of the PC makes typing much easier, Dee removed a nasty bug,virus,worm from my PC YEH!!!! Made pumpkin pie yesterday YUM....TJ likes it! Made a friend named Diane, garage sales are scarce in January, downtown Charlotte is beautiful! TJ has a well check up Monday.....100% chance of snow.............to be continued.........

Back in NC

After having been away in MI for over a month....I'm back in NC. Sunny, warm 50*, and the pansies are not the worse for wear for having survived a blanket of snow while I was gone. I'm a grandma torn between two grandsons; one in MI - one in NC. When I'm in MI I miss TJ. When I'm in NC I miss Jay. I haven't blogged in a while because I didn't have Internet service, and then I need a new power cord. Lily and I walked one hour today [Tim walked TJ]. I was hoping to see some turtles sun bathing on the rocks in the creek.....no luck.