Poor little guy.

TJ has had a cold for 5 days. He can't breath well and is tired of having three giants chasing him around with tissue. [The giants are tired of slimy snot]. The doorbell rang, Lily barked her piercing bark that woke the napping baby, who cried wretchedly because he was not ready for an abbreviated nap. Sometimes he wakes up happy and sometimes he is inconsolable for a brief period of time. Most times he shakes off the twilight feel, if he see a ball. All day long we hear B - ball. Ann asked him what his favorite letter was......he said B. Today I asked him to put the small metal truck into the baby shoe. Done!! Score!!! In less than 24 hours I will have my arms full of Jay and Dee. It will so great! I probably won't sleep well tonight....too excited. I wish Jay would call or text me every other day. Teenagers!

By this time tomorrow.

My family will be here in less than 24 hours. Thursday - the day before Dee and Jay arrive for TJ's first birthday. First birthdays are more for the parents than the baby. The baby has no idea what a birthday is. The parents need to celebrate that they and baby have survived one year. It's nice to have family participate in such a momentous occasion. We should think of a new name for first birthday...........'celebrate one year of parenthood'. Too much to write on the cake? I'll take my cake white flour free - low fat- dairy free- sugar free......got to watch that cholesterol. My friend lived to 101 and I don't think she EVER had her blood tested for cholesterol. She ate margarine her whole life, and other assorted non food items like white bread and sugar. Heart disease seems like a minor illness compared to obesity. Although they go hand in hand. I have been a vegetarian for 21 years. I was hoping it was like getting a 'Get Out of Jail Free' card. Unfortunately, I have also been cursed with a raging sweet tooth. Every time I get on the wagon [sugar free] one little sweet treat, no matter how small, will push me right off the wagon and run me over with it. Life is not fair.

Only three days.

In three weeks my family from Michigan will be here. I'm so excited! Dee and Jay are coming to help celebrate TJ's FIRST birthday. Speaking of TJ, he has a little cold/ or its teething. We missed 'story time' at the library Mon. and we will miss Thur. because people are coming to install the shower doors. It's about time. Life does seem to move slower in the South. It has rained for a few days, but today was clear, so I took the opportunity to weed the vegetable garden that we share with a few neighbors. TJ was not a big help - he kept me busy putting his hat back on his head and retrieving the ball he threw everywhere. I started to put together my first 'children's picture book' on blurb.com. I have the text on the pages [cut & paste from 'Word']. Now I'm gathering pictures from the internet to correspond with the text. Baby can... is the first of 20 children's books I wrote. I will give them as gifts, then may be a publisher will see them and make me a wealthy old woman, who will then travel the whole world over with her grandson Jay [later TJ when he is old enough to take care of me]. At fifteen, Jay will be a great traveling companion. California here we come!

A Million things.

It seems like I have a million things that I should blog about. Some of them will fall into place this week as it gets closer to Friday. A lot happened this weekend. It rained, so no camping for the family. Instead, Ann worked on my taxes and efiled them. They should be easier next year. I found a site - blurb.com that will help me turn my 'blog' into a book for my grandsons. After that is done, I will turn my 'childrens picture book' stories into books. I have written 20+ books. I'm going to end my 'blog 2 book' April 1st. That is TJ's birthday. I have been blogging for one year. I am turning 155+ blogs into 42 pages of text. Editing the blogs got me thinking in a million directions. Update: our cat 'Pepper' never returned after the second night at the new house. Very Sad. I'm not going to volunteer with the birds [too hot, noisy, far] but I may soon be bottle feeding kittens. Tim has been working at a bike shop for three weeks and received a offer to work 'Repair Manager' at a different bike shop. Today he gave the first bike shop, notice. More money, responsibility, no weekends. TJ has a cold/teething and is not feeling 100 %. He is starting to walk. Says..Mama, Daddy, ball, bowl, boom, and probably a lot of other words that we don't understand. He puts balls into everything. We find them all over. We found that if he wakes up from a nap with balls near him, he is in a better mood sooner. TJ is starting to play with Lily. They played 'tug of war' with a dog toy. I found/bought a red 'Radio Flyer' wagon this Sat. for $5.00!!!!! Lots to write this week

Page 12.) 7-7-98

We went Hines Park [at Inkster] for the annual 'Mud Fest'. GG; "Do you want to go in the mud with all the kids?" Mack; " NO". So we went to the baseball diamond to play [what else] baseball! You have a bat, ball and glove [mitt]. Two boys came up and wanted to play too. I said; "ok". So I got to sit down. Eight [older] boys came and played 'baseball' with you. You were in 'BASEBALL HEAVEN'. They were very nice, paid attention to you, took care and you pitched! 7-27-98 Today is Monday! It is a beautiful day! NOT HOT. We went to Aunt Kathryn's to see Devin and Rekha. You are an incredible boy! You will 2 1/2 next month [August 24]. And you talk very well in big sentences. You saw 'McDonalds' the other day. "French Fries Grandma" " Sorry Kenzie - too early" [10:am]. They don't make fries until 10:30am." We drove more and you saw 'Dennys'. You pointed ans said; "eat there!" Kenzie wanting something...." Please, I love you, best Grandma in the whole world." You do shorten it...."Please, best in the whole world." Mama lost her job [again] today. Yuck!!!

Page 11.) 7-1-98

GG caught a bird [parakeet] in Aunt Pam's backyard [Jamie's Birthday] yesterday. Today at a garage sale, we found a very nice bird cage. We went to Aunt Pam's and brought the bird home and named her 'Penny'. She's white with a little sky blue. Buddy. Muffin and Cookie want a closer look at her.
You took the tub of used chalk out of the garage, lined all the pieces up very neatly next to each other with the biggest piece at one end, ending with a little tiny piece at the other end. This is the first time you have tried to order [make sense] of your environment. This is 'logic' at its base and you are not even 2 1/2 yet [Aug 24th]. You are a very wonderful boy. You love baseball and you are a very loving. Today you said; "Coco." I said; "Coco?" You said; "yes Janet." You were thinking about my friend Janet Bain [we ate dinner at her house about 2 weeks ago] and her BIG DOG 'Coco'. I don't know what made you think about Coco, but you talked to me about it.
{Memory.........we used to make a big deal about the tiny food [tiny grapes] being 'babies'.}
7-3-98
You peddled a BIKE today! You rode a big bike out of the garage all by yourself to surprise GG.
7-6-98
We were playing baseball in front of the house. You were pitching [as usual] to me. When I hit the ball, you said; "nice job."
{Memory..... I used to make train engines for you out of play dough. I have to say.... they were quite good.

When your life is not just about YOU.

Can't say that I ever wanted to grow up to be a ________??? I probably would have been a good teacher, nurse, researcher, accountant. Actually, I would have been good at what ever I did, I just couldn't decide what I wanted to do. My sister said that she was determined to never rely on a 'man' for financial support [they could leave -like our father did]. Me...I was always afraid to HAVE to support myself, but that could/did lead to low self esteem; when someone has financial power over you. When I was 50 I became a realtor. I liked it so much I thought 'this is what I want to be - when I grow-up'. Then the housing market killed any enjoyment I had. There was a time that I regretted not going to college, but not any more. Life is short. The most satisfaction I ever got out of living, is when I was thinking/doing for others.

Just call me........klutz

What is going on??? I don't seem to be able to get through a whole day without hurting my self. I fell on the ground moving a chair and hurt my right hip, right arm and sprained a finger. I slipped on the stairs a little, but managed to hurt my backside. I rammed my knee on the door jam, entering the house. I whacked my right ankle very hard on a wooden stool. And to top it off; the last stair, closest to the ground collapsed while I was caring TJ outside. If it wasn't for the house being close to where I was falling, I would have crashed. Maybe if I bought stock in ibuprofen, I could change my luck. As it stands now, the drug companies are making a fortune off my clumsiness.

I'm not sure....

.....that I have anything interesting to say, but here goes. Does the comma go before or after the BUT? I need to stop drinking the 5 oz glass of wine that I enjoy, it messes up my dreams....makes them scary. Ann should have laughed her head off when I tumbled out the the patio chair yesterday. I was trying to turn the chair a little to see TJ. With my sandles on, my ankle must have twisted, the ground was sloped and I don't have great balance any way. I landed on my bad hip but really sprained a finger on my right hand - ouch. Bless Ann for being concerned, if it was me watching instead of doing, I probably would have chuckled........my bad.

Growing up.

TJ is such a great boy. I sure all children are great, but TJ is the one I spend everyday with. True - I spent everyday with my own children, but then I was young and ambitious, had a demanding husband and a household to take care of. My life couldn't be any more opposite. I sometimes feel that I'm looking at TJ's baby/childhood under a magnifying glass. I see the slightest change. What an awesome gift - to see so much growth up close and personal. I did daycare my first grandson Jay when he was 6 months old but, I also had another 6 month old, Kelli, until she was 4. This time - no distractions. Jay's daycare grandma had more get up and go. They [Jay and TJ] have been lucky to have a grandma for their daycare...........and I have been blessed to be able to help raise them.

Page 10.)

Sometimes I take you to garage sales in your stroller. We had a great time 'saling' yesterday. You bought a yellow baseball bat $.25, a white plastic baseball $.05, a big purple ball $.25, but you best find was a small baseball mitt for $.10. You wanted that mitt more than anything in the whole world.
Sometimes I carry you instead of taking the stroller out of the trunk. The stroller does keep you out of trouble, and I'm always telling you that you are too heavy for me to carry - 30 lbs.
One day I was carrying you and you wanted to get down so you could see something and you said " Heavy Grandma, heavy"

Page 9.) 6-19-98

You are Grandma's best boy! You are smart, beautiful, strong, sweet and wonderful.
You luv the park "Tot Lot" . If there is a mommy pushing a baby or child on the swings, you stand at the next swing - looking so cute - hoping the mommy will pick you up, put you in a swing and push you too. And you are so cute .... they do! If I come over to the swings to push you, you say " No Grandma, mommy push".
{ I drew a picture - in this memory book - of a woman, baby in swing and child (you) standing at the next swing}

Out of sorts....

Yesterday I was in a 'funk'. Lately I have been saying things that should have stayed in my head. Nothing bad or hurtful, just needless. Remember your mother telling you "if you don't have anything nice to say....". At 61 years of age, I should have that down pat. I'm going to try harder to speak more thoughtfully. Garage sales tomorrow!!!!!! Volunteering at 'Companion Parrots Re-homed', noon to 5pm. Should be interesting. 13 days 'till TJ's first birthday!

TJ & Lily

TJ is so cute with Lily. He loves to give Lily her 'dog biscuits' after she goes 'potty' outside. He enjoys feeding her off his highchair and any other time he has food. TJ has been giving her 'kisses' since he could crawl. Unfortunately, TJ had little understanding what 'pet Lily she's soft' meant. We have to remind him every day to open his hand; pat, pat, pat. It seems irresistible for him to grab a hand full of dog fur. I'm glad to report that we are seeing progress. Needless to say, Lily was very wary of TJ because of the pain that he inflicted upon her. Now TJ is her best friend - the one with 'kibbles' [human and otherwise]. We give TJ a 'gold fish' cracker; he gives it to Lily. Everyone is happy.

A new normal.

The smell of fresh brewed coffee wakes me up. Tim has settled into a work schedule; M T-TH F S. He leaves @ 9:30am and comes home @ 6:45ish. Ann works M-F leaves @ 8:15am and comes back @ 5:15pm. Ann and I have a few minutes before Tim comes home to discuss what TJ did all day; over a glass of wine. I have Wednesday AM or PM to do what I want. And all day Sat/Sun. Evenings are spent reading or a movie or computer time. Life is good. Speedy seemes to have survived his weekend trip to the emergency Vet. He's eating and pooping. If he eats too much at once he will throw up and Lily gets a warm treat. Lily eats anything, everything and too much. TJ has become her best friend since he has been throwing food off his high chair. TJ and I eat, play, and nap. We go to the library once or twice a week. Weekends are for 'garage sales'.

Baby better.

TJ had a fever Fri, Sat, and Sun. Today he is much better. We still are clueless as to what caused the fever. Ann was going to take him to the doctor today, but that seemed unnecessary. We have cuddled and picked him up so much that he seems to be whining just because he can now. He will play and play and then whine at our legs. We don't want to re-enforce negative behavior. A ball will usually distract TJ from whining. He throws well and we enjoy playing catch with him. He knows if he gets the ball into something like a box or basket, we will throw up are arms and yell score! Re-enforcing positive behavior.

Page 8.) 6-13-98

We were at Kristy [Gosline's] wedding and the minister asked Aunt Linda [Kristy's mom] " Who giveth this woman to be a bride?" Aunt Linda said "I do" and right away you said " I do" and the whole church cracked up.
You luv your bat, baseball and mitt.

6-18-98

Today you played baseball with 'Great'. You had a super time. Everyone says you talk well. You can say 'persistent' and 'difficult'.
We went to Greenfield Village today with Eleanor, Kimmy [foster child] and Sidney grandaughter]. You luv the horses and merry go round.

Page 7.) 6-2-98

You are a very special boy. When I was picking up dead branches from under the chestnut tree, you came over with your baseball, baseball hat and bat to help me put leaves and branches in the trash. I didn't ask you to...you just did it!

Last week you were saying yups for 'yes' and nopes for 'no'. Who knows where you got that from.

6-15-98

So much has happened in two weeks. You change and grow and speak and tell stories.....you are a joy.
Today you went to the dentist - Dr. Daryl. You were good about sitting in the chair but wouldn't show your teeth or open your mouth until much later when you wanted to talk about Dr Daryl. AAAAAhhhhhggggg! Went to metro beach.

Fever

Today is Friday 3-11-11. TJ woke up with a fever and was sleepy all day. He had very little to eat or drink. His Mom said "let the fever do what it supposed to do [kill germs]". So I rocked, sang and caressed him when he wasn't sound asleep. I got nothing done [nothing to do], napped and ate pizza for lunch. The day passed without dragging toooooooooo slowly. I was happy to sing and comfort a sick baby. When I was sick as a little kid, I remember being pampered. It didn't seem scary to be sick, although I remember crazy dreams if I had a fever. Tim used to clench his fists and mumble about a train coming. Even today, if I get sick, I like to massage 'Vicks' on my throat to give me a sense of childhood comfort. It probably doesn't do anything medicinal, but sure smells good. Memories...............

DMV

Today was not my shining moment. I seem to be endowed with a very long fuse; so not too much bothers me. NC DMV did their best to piss me off and I had a melt down. Must have been very funny to see an old lady yelling at a DMV worker. Hey, when our public servants treat us worse than prisoners [it was NOT the waiting, '''it was the standing outside].........AND they know they do because they won't let more than 35 [including workers] people into the building at the same time, because they are AFRAID someone will cause a disturbance.........call me SOMEONE!

Splendid

Today was a super splendid day. Everything hummed along smoothly. TJ was in a great mood. He was easy to get to nap. He woke up happy from his PM nap. He ate well. And he plays alone well for some of the day. I opened a few windows to let the warm air in. Lily [dog] and TJ are great friends now. TJ gives Lily her treat when she comes in from 'potty'. It also helps that TJ feeds his food to Lily from the high chair. Lily has found a new best friend. Tim has Wednesdays off [works Saturdays] and I'll be able to step out. Life is good.

Things to do............

The state of NC would like to separate me from some of my money; so I will go to the DMV Wednesday......joy. Then I will head to the Senior Center to join and play cards or do some of those things that are supposed to make the few years left - better. I'm not convinced that exersize is good for your health.........just look - Jack LaLane ***DIED***. And he was a fanatic! The parrot rescue near here is looking for volunteers. I might just look into that. It will get me out of the house and out of the poor peoples hair that were silly enough to invite me live with them [bet the're having second thoughts about that].

Page 6.) 5-3-98

I tell you to say 'thank you Grandmas, for the dry diaper' when I change you.
You say please, thank you and welcome all the time.
I hope you go to college. I know you are smart enough. Maybe you will be a chiropractor.

5-14-98

We gave the (neighbor) dog [Belle] a biscuit. She sits down for her treat and we say 'good girl'. You were walking back on the sidewalk patting your chest saying - 'good boy'.
The trees are beautiful; we [me caring you] were under the 'chestnut tree' and I said, " Kenzie, the tree looks like an umbrella [because the branches and leaves hang low]". So I decided to show you all my trees. The next one was a 'Redbud'. You said, "pink' [it had pink flowers]. I said, " yes, but the tree is sad because the trunk was beaten up by bugs. You said, " wa wa cry" because I said the tree was sad. I should have said the tree was in bad shape or doing poorly.

Page 5.) 4-27-98

Your favorite word[s] today are 'no way'. You also learned s-h-i-t from a movie you went to see 'Sandlot'. You call the movie 'baseball hat'
Your first real movie that you would watch all way through was ' Toy Story' .... you called it 'buzz' [I would ask you if it was too scary....'no Grandmas'].
Then you luvd 'Air Bud' .... then ' Andre' ......then 'Sandlot'.

5-3-98

You can talk very well. You are 26 months old. Everyone tells mom and me that you are 'so beautiful'
When you and Kelli are in the double stroller together, people stop and say ' they are so adorable'. I say ' Thanks'.
You luv your black plastic bat, your yellow/red car 'driving' , mom's and my car, suckers, the park, balls, candy and potatoes.

Yo Baby

TGIF TJ was a dream today. Happy baby loves his balls, plays catch, knows how to bounce/throw them and understands the concept of putting the ball into a box for a "score!" Also experiments with putting them on and in everything he can reach/touch. Great day - great nap - great BABY!

Adventurous

On Mondays and Thursdays, I take TJ to the library for story hour. The same child that doesn't like me out of his sight at home - NEVER stays near me during story time. He is busy crawling around; exploring. He looks all adults in the eye. He takes things from the other kids [usually they don't mind]. And he very rarely looks to see where I am. One time he was between two adults and wasn't too sure he was happy, but when he made eye contact with me, off he went. When the bubbles are gone and the toys come out, he's in heaven. I think he likes being with the other kids. Today he followed [crawling] the story teller around when she was passing out bells to shake [for a song]......she hadn't given one to him yet and he wanted one. One of the mom's brought waffles for her kids [they/we were staying for the second story hour].....yup; he got one.

ooooooooooooooohhhhhh

Today was a little frustrating. TJ was NOT happy unless I carried him around [too heavy] or was engaged in every little thing he did. I was on 'duty' from 8am until 5:20 pm. Tim started working yesterday, which is not a whole lot different from previous days, but it must be comforting to have an adult to talk to throughout the day. Plus when Tim was here, I could give TJ to him for his afternoon nap. Today felt like a high maintenance day. TJ seemed to need a nap from 1:30 on; until we both feel asleep at 4pm in the big soft rocker that I used to rock Jay in. It was a fitful sleep; TJ sucked on a milk bottle the entire time [1/2 hour] and my body twitched too much to get any real rest. I was going to go to the store, but I'm too tired.

March 1-2011

TJ is 11 months old today. What an exciting year for him and Tim, Ann and me. TJ has surgery next month to correct a growth on his belly button. It's not a tumor, but the umbilical cord was not clamped completely and has resulted in a very large outie. Speaking of belly button......TJ likes me to draw the letter 'B' on his back [he's not ticklish on his back] when I say a word beginning with letter 'B'. Baby, boy, ball, bear, bucket, basketball, on and on. By the way TJ is ticklish on his neck like me, Tim and Jay!