Willow & Lyla...Sisters!

First time not afraid of Chuck E

Willow arrives! 12:15 pm October 16, 2015

Mr. Laurel Fall Festival Oct 17

Mommy & Willow Home!

Big Sister Lyla!

Little Sister Willow

Willow Looking at Granny

Last Day as an Only Child!

Sisters!

Birthday Party with Famous Sister Elsa

Willow in her room!

October 13...tomorrow evening Angela & Brock will go to L&D at UAB where Willow Anita’s journey into the world will begin.  Lyla will become a big sister! Their family will grow and things will change. I’ve spent the past few days catching up on pictures and doing a lot of house cleaning! I’m not sure exactly what my role will be after Willow arrives, but I’m looking forward to it. Since Willow will be the younger sister she will have the same role in the family as I had as a child. Lyla will be 4 years older and my sister Linda was 5 years older. Since Angela was an only child this will be “new territory” for me.














































October was a busy month! It was the first month I didn't work at least part-time since I began working full time in 1973. But more importantly it was the first month Lyla became a big sister & Willow was born. October 2 I went to the pediatrician with Lyla & Angela where Lyla got 5 shots! I stayed with Lyla Oct 2-3 weekend while her mom worked & her Dad went on overnight camping trip for the last time for awhile! October 9 was a part of "Fall Break" & the last day Angela worked for a few months. I took Lyla to Chuck E Cheese where, for the first time, she was not afraid of Chuck E & posed for pictures with him!  I went to Lyla's Wednesday afternoon before her parents left for the hospital. Although Angela started labor Thursday morning Oct 15th, Willow didn't arrive until 12:15 pm Friday Oct 16. I think she was waiting until Lyla was out of school. Lyla was very good while they were gone...didn't even complain too much while I washed her hair for the 1st time in a long time! After school I took Lyla to the hospital while Angela & Willow were still in the room where Willow was born. It was very sweet to see the family of 4 for the first time! Friday night Lyla & I watched the movie "Frozen" together and she sang along & danced to the songs. Very appropriate to watch a movie about sisters who love each other on the day Lyla became a big sister! Saturday was the Fall Festival at Mt. Laurel. It was a beautiful day & Lyla had a great time. On Sunday Willow & her parents came home. I stayed at their house until Wednesday. It was wonderful to hold Willow & see Angela & Brock continue being such good parents as their family has doubled from one girl to two girls! After 2 nights at home I met them at the photographer studio on Friday the 23rd (Wayne & my 22nd Anniversary). I was so glad I got to watch the Rotter Family at the photographer's. I know the pictures will be awesome. It was touching to watch the four of them interact & pose & so obviously love each other.  While I was at their house it was special when Lyla would hug me good night & knock on my door to say "good morning".  I had a lot of opportunity to hold Willow. She is calm & beautiful and has big eyes...and looks a lot like Lyla at the same age (Lyla on the Right below) One of the fun things Lyla & I did was go to Zarrah's birthday party at "Let's Play". We arrived at 1 pm & stayed until 6 pm! Lyla ran & played and had a great time...periodically coming back to where I was sitting to "touch base". I enjoy watching her interact with other children. After her friends left when the party was over, she continued to play with other kids she didn't know. Lyla has good social skills! Monday after school Lyla & I went to Chic Fil A for a milkshake. After she played for a little while we left and sat in the car while it rained & read some of the books she got that day at school...Scholastic books I had ordered for her. It felt good to be relaxed & not in a hurry to go somewhere & just enjoy the moment of being together. Lyla is very close to being able to read herself. However, hopefully it will be a long time before she won't want to be read to. But maybe a short time before she is reading to her sister Willow. Wednesday Lyla had a fever & her Dad took her to the doctor. Sabba Raffi came to visit & bring Halloween treat bags for Willow and Lyla. I stayed until Lyla went to school Thursday then returned Friday when Angela & Brock went to the Halloween parade at Lyla's school. Lyla was a beautiful Cinderella! And then I went home after Safta Nitza arrived on Halloween Day. The first month of life with Willow is already over! I'm going to visit my Mother for a few days while Nitza is in town.  After I get back from Mobile & Nitza returns to Florida & Brock is back at work (his first day back is today, November 2), I am looking forward to helping with both Lyla & Willow as this new phase of life begins! I look forward to returning to "my time with Lyla and Willow".

Lyla is 4 & Waiting on Willow (Part II)

Today has been a challenging "computer day" for me! We have finally moved to Windows 10 & it seems to have some incompatibilities with my blog. After I uploaded the pictures I couldn't add the text, so I made the pictures one blog & text another. Since my last blog you & your Dad joined me, Maggie Rae & Eli at Johnny Rockets for lunch then shopped for toys for each of you at Toys R Us. You each had a specific amount you could spend & it wa interesting to see how a budget can have an effect on spending choices! I took you to school for the 1st time this year...the 3rd August to start at Hilltop! You are learning at lot at school. We have had several great afternoons at Olmstead Park. It is always a joy to watch you playing with other children & seeing how your "playground skills" are improving. You can now swing high all by yourself! Your mom's friends gave a shower for baby Willow Anita Rotter who will be arriving very soon! As I looked at the new chair in her bedroom it reminds me of the many times I rocked you in your chair. I'm looking forward to her arrival & moving into the wonderful bedroom waiting for her. You are going to be a great big sister! You came over to visit me & Wayne September 5. We found a huge "mushroom" in the yard! I went to visit my mother for the last time before Willow arrives. I don't want to be in Mobile & get a call to come back to Birmingham to be with you while your Mom is in the hospital! Due to car trouble in Mobile I decided it was time to get rid of my 14 year old Honda Accord with 206,000+  miles & get a new one. It will have more room in the back seat for you & Willow to ride. On September 17 Wayne & I joined Nitza & Koplan at your house & celebrated your 4th Birthday!! Your parents fixed a delicious dinner & birthday cake. Then on Sunday we went to your party at the Zoo. There were a lot of kids there & the weather was great and everyone got to feed a giraffe. Now when I stay with you on school days I take you to school & you stay until 1:00 Monday, Tuesday & Friday and until 3:00 pm on Wednesdays & Thursdays so some days I'm not really with you very much. I haven't been with you on Tuesday Ballet Days yet. But I'm looking forward to seeing you dance! Recently there have been workers repairing miscellaneous things at your house. You've lived there almost a year & soon the warranty will be running out! October 2 I went with you & your mom to your 4 year old check up. You got 5 shots!! We went out for a milkshake afterwards to try to compensate for the pain & reward your good behavior. Your Dad jointed us there. October 3 I came to stay with you while your Dad went overnight camping/hiking for the last time until after Willow arrives and is no longer a tiny baby. You happily waited for your Mom in her bed with me where you were allowed to sleep since your Dad was gone. You were very happy to hear when she was on the way home (one of the pictures above). Other than going outside for a short time we just stayed in the house & watched TV and played in your bedroom. It was a very nice time with you. We won't be waiting for Willow much longer...she should arrive October 15...less than 2 weeks away.It's going to be fun to see how you adjust to being a big sister...and I will have the opportunity to spend time with her as well as you. It will be exciting to watch. I hope she's as sweet & pretty & smart & kind as you are. I've never been a big sister. You will have to let me know how it is!

Lyla is 4...and waiting for Willow

Elsa outfit

Shower for Willow

Birthday girl at school with friends

Chair waiting for Willow!

Willow's changing table

Large mushroom Granny's yard

4th Birthday Party

2015 pumpkins

Waiting to sleep with Mommy

August pictures (had trouble uploading them!)



You love footed pajamas!

Eating sugar at Chuck E Cheese!

Picture Lyla took!

Princess Lyla!

Building a tent!

End of Summer 2015

School starts Monday & Baby Willow is due to arrive in about 10 weeks! The summer has gone so quickly. I've enjoyed the time I have been able to share with you this summer. On July 8, I picked you up after gymnastics "Camp" and you were very happy to see me but when we got in the car you refused to get in the car seat which was very unusual. You got very upset. After I talked with your mother on the phone I realized it must have been because the car hadn't cooled down enough. I need to remember you are only 3 years old and although you can easily express displeasure, I don't think it is easy for you to clearly articulate exactly what is specifically bothering you when you are upset. I will be more sensitive to that in the future! There are times I feel like I do a good job being a grandmother, but there are many times I wish I could do better. Saturday, July 11-You spent the night at my house. We slept in the basement together & Sunday the dog slept on the floor. You woke up the next morning saying it was "the best night ever" and that you wanted to spend 10 more nights with me. You spent all day Sunday with me. It was too hot to play outside so we made a tent in the basement. Sunday the dog snapped at you when you tried to put her into the tent with you. Sunday is a sweet dog but she is a "snapper" which is a little scary at times! I took Annie home with me after I took you home because you & your parents are going camping in the Smokey Mountains. Friday, July 17-you spent the night with us again & this time Annie the dog came too! We watched the movie 101 Dalmatians (real dogs, not cartoon version) several times & you really liked it. However there were some scary parts you always asked me to fast-forward through! You slept very well & you spent all of Saturday in your beloved footy pajamas! We played cards in the basement & built a tent. We sort of played "Chutes & Ladders" and "Crazy Eights" but we had to alter the rules some. You were very sweet & we had a good day. When I took you home we saw how well your Dad had painted the baby's room. July 23-I picked you up after camp at school which was 2 weeks of 9 am-1 pm where you learned about food. You really liked your teacher & were so sweet giving her a good bye hug & kiss. It was raining so we watched cartoons at home until you could play outside with your bike & scooter & soccer ball. You were very sweet & loving to me as I was leaving. That always makes me feel good! The next day I went to Mobile to my 45th High School reunion. I have memories of being just a little older than you & going to pre-school where I was the chubby Eskimo instead of a pretty Hula girl in the program celebrating the addition of the 49th & 50th states. I wonder what memories of your pre-school you will have when you are 63 in 2074? I hope they are good ones! July 28-I picked you up again after camp. I spent the afternoon & night with you at your house while your parents went to Atlanta. It was hot but we played some in Olmstead Park & went to the library too. I thought you would sleep with me in "my room" but after watching a few cartoons you wanted to sleep in your bed & I slept on floor in your room. You slept well and only called out once during the night to be sure I was still there, which I was. The next day we went to Chuck E Cheese after camp. You were a little scared every time Chuck E came out, but we stayed long enough for several hourly visits & you got a little braver each time. You love playing with other children at Chuck E. You are very friendly & out-going & sweet. We had a milkshake at Chic Fil A where you played with little boy & then we went to Olmstead Park & used the beach towel to be able to play on the wet slides. That was fun! Then I took you home. About noon Saturday, August 1 you came to play at our house while your Dad worked at MBHS. We built a tent & watched cartoons then I took you to the school to meet your Dad. Tuesday, August 4 your Mom brought you to our house about 10:30 & you stayed overnight. You told me your baby sister would be named Willow but you were going to call her Lily! We had a good day playing. You took some amazing pictures with my camera phone! You seem to have a "good eye"! We had a great evening but this time you had a difficult time going to sleep & having Annie in our bed in the basement seemed to bother you. It was almost 11 pm before you went to sleep & you slept late the next morning. We played some until Papa drove us home so we could go inside to get a take out at Chipotle for lunch at your house with your mother. Today is Saturday August 8; your parents' 6th Wedding Anniversary! I am going to stay with you tomorrow afternoon while your Mother is at work & your Dad goes to Parent's Orientation at Hilltop. Then your 3rd year at HMS begins on Monday. This year you will have the same teachers in the same room with the same group of students in your age group & the older group (5 year olds). But this time you won't be the youngest! There will be a new group of younger children. It will be good to not have too many new things going on this fall since you will be adjusting to Tata & Sabba Koplan living in Florida & you will be beginning a new role in life...being the big sister. This is something neither your Mother or I have ever done since I was the younger & your Mom was an only child. So you will have to let us know how you like it. I think you will be a great big sister! It's hard to believe you will be 4 years old next month!! You are wonderful & amazing! After our visit tomorrow afternoon I won't see you again or at least a whole week! I'm going to visit my Mother & then Papa & I are going to the beach for a few days. I know I will miss you but I think we may be spending a lot of time together this fall. I'm going to stop working part-time at the end of September so I can be available to help your Mom with Baby Willow some but my primary role will be to be sure you are well taken care & get to your ballet lessons etc. I am looking forward to sharing her life and watching you become an amazing four year old & a wonderful big sister!

Summertime...2015

With Cousin Maggie Rae's-painting a bird house!

Taziki's with Cousin Jackson Green



Papa Wayne reading a book to you

Sweet Annie the dog!





Gulf Shores in June

Dancing with Dad



On the road with your bike & your Dad



Today is July 7...summer is going fast! You will start school again on August 10! A lot has happened so far this summer: You went to the beach with your parents and another family; your Dad is off work for the summer & doing extra things with you; your Mom is starting to work weekends only so not only will she have more time with you, in the future one of your parents will always be off work; you are eating some of the things you have grown in your garden, your Dad's mother Tata moved to Florida; your Mom & I took you to Starkville to celebrate Maggie Rae's 7th birthday with a "spa party", you had swimming lessons at Greystone, you spent a sweet rainy afternoon playing in Granny's basement & drew some awesome pictures; you were delighted to see me arrive at your house one Sunday morning & you spent another afternoon playing with cousin Jackson at Granny's house. There were some significant political events including the legalization of gay marriage, the Confederate flag coming down in several states, & reinforcement of the Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare").Since I haven't had a regularly scheduled time to be with you since school was out, this summer has been the most unstructured time for me since I retired last October. I'm getting a lot of things done at home including cleaning out closets & catching up on picture albums and otherwise organizing things as well has having longer visits with my Mother in Mobile. But it has been a little unsettling as I adjust to this stage of life. Every season of life has its joys and difficulties. However, the season of being a grandmother is a very good one. Later this month I'm going to my 45th High School Reunion. Time goes so quickly...it's hard to believe I'm so old! I want to enjoy & remember every moment I can of your life. That is one reason I do this blog & periodically publish a hardcopy of it. It won't be long until you won't want to spend as much time with me as you do now. But hopefully you will always want to spend time with me & we may have many fun times ahead as well as great memories!  

"Anywhere chair" Early B'day!

Picture for your parents drawn at Granny's



Picture for your parents drawn at Granny's

June Beach trip



Your beautiful Mother (& your baby sister!)



Milkshake with Granny!

Wonderful Garden!

May 2015-A Busy Month-Grandparent's Day, Strep Throat, Last Day School & much more!

Friday, May 1 was “special friends day” at your school and Saba Raffi & Tata & I were able to visit in your classroom and watch you do jobs and be with your friends, especially Maddie. You were very sweet. Pictures were made of the special bench!

Tuesday-Thursday, May 5-7 You were very sweet in the morning getting ready for school. Then your teacher at 11:00 am telling me you had a 102 fever & I needed to come get you from school. You napped some after I gave you some Advil then we did puzzles and read and talked about the princess books. It’s been a while since I’ve been able to read books with you! On Wednesday I stayed with you while your mother went to the dentist. We watched TV in your mother’s bed then we sat on the front porch listening to sounds while waiting on your mother to come home. I came back to your house on Thursday and you seemed to be feeling better. When you woke up your Dad had just walked out the door & I quickly carried you downstairs so you could tell him goodbye. You didn’t have an appetite but we played card games & you made a “dance video” for your mom. About noon your fever returned so we kept the 2:15 appointment with your pediatrician. You tested positive for strep. You were very sweet at the doctor’s office and when we stopped to pick up your prescription and other things ("Frozen" bowling set!) at the drug store.

Mother’s Day-May 11-You & your parents joined Kristina, Maggie Rae, Eli, me & Wayne for lunch at The Fig Tree then you all came to play together in the basement room-It was a very sweet visit!

Tuesday, May 12- you & your mother stopped by to visit after going to see your Dad at MBHS. Annie found my lost car keys in the basement room!! You had a great visit & you were very sweet until time to leave. (You don’t do well with “transitions”.)

Wednesday, May 13 you were awake when I arrived and we had plenty of time to get ready for school. You were ready early enough to work one puzzle before school! After school we went directly to my house where you were happy to play & watch TV.

Thursday, May 14-I’m trying to catch up on 2014 pictures this week. Maybe one day you will look thru the picture albums with printed copies of family pictures.  If so, know I spent a lot of time making them! I looked through the books of my blogs related to you. In the first one I mentioned a dream I had the night after I first saw you via ultrasound. But I didn’t describe the whole dream. In the dream I was dying and you were with me holding my hand and you told me I would be going to the same place you were on the day of that ultrasound. Death is a part of life. As I have retired and my mother is now 95 years old, I’ve thought a lot about end of life. I ordered a book by Dr. Daniel Crosby “Everyone You Love Will Die”. Despite the title it is very positive book and ends with “The fact we all must surely go makes time more precious than you know...Hug your mom, hug your dad and hold your Nana’s wrinkled hand. We have each other and you have us and love will always be enough. Yes, everyone you love will die but you’re here today and so am I”.  It reminds me each day is precious.

Monday, May 18-We had a good morning but your fever & cough returned after school. Your Dad took you to Children’s Hospital “after hours” clinic and stayed home with you the next day. Although you didn't feel well, you were sweet. You started taking Prednisone. It's a bitter liquid your Mom took reluctantly when she was little.

Thursday, May 21-After school your Mother & I took you to the zoo. You had a great time climbing the “spider web” & riding the train. A friend of yours from school was also at the zoo and you enjoyed playing with him. It was unseasonably cool at the zoo!

Friday, May 22-Last day of school! I had spent the night at your house & got to take you to school for the end of school “beach party”. You got your face painted & at the end of the party & came with Annie and got to take a picture of you with Annie & your best friend Maddie! You've had a great year at Hilltop Montessori

Sunday, May 24-Kristina, Frank, Maggie Rae & Eli came to the Disney on Ice “Frozen” show. You liked  it but the “dark part” (every Disney show has one!) was a little scary. We went to eat together afterwards & you enjoyed playing outside.

Tuesday, May 26-I kept you while your parents went to an OB appointment. We went to get a milkshake at Chic-Fil-A drive-thru while you wore your PJ's & Annie in your lap!

Thursday, May 28-We played together while your Dad did some errands to get ready for you trip to the beach. You love to play "Doc McStuffins" Match game, & putting puzzles together & stacking blocks. You helped your Dad mop the house while wearing your Elsa dress! You left for a week at the beach on Saturday, May 30. I will miss you.



You like to make towers with puzzle blocks!

Playing in your room!

After your MD visit for Strep Throat

Almost last day of 2015 at school!

Visiting Dogs at My house



Train at Zoo with Mom

Fairy wings!

f

Spider Web at Zoo



Wagon ride with Annie

Last Day of School-Face painting & Maddie

With Maggie Rae at PF Chang's

Mothers & Daughters

Elsa Dress!



Early morning goodbye to your Mom!



Posing bench I sit on to wait for you after School



May 1 Grandparent's Day at School