You have been especially delightful recently!

Learning to play softball!



Finding Bunny!!!

You posed so well!



At Taziki's



At Taziki's Again



In Atlanta with Mommy



On a hike with Daddy

After Lunch at the Mall with Granny & Tata

Pushing Neighbor Dog in Swing!



So cute!

There are probably many reasons you have been especially delightful recently, but I think “delightful” is your basic “default” personality. One of the main reasons however is you have amazing parents who feed you healthy foods & keep you on a routine and shower you with love & security and take you exciting places and enrich your life with friends and many people who love you and send you to an awesome school…just to name a few things. And of course, you found your bunny! Maybe your fairy wings & wand made it happen? It was cool the day bunny disappeared & we sat on the front porch wrapped in a blanket. Obviously when I put up the blanket, I wrapped up bunny as well. I was so glad to hear you found him! This month you went to Atlanta with your parents and a Saturday hike with your Dad. It was Spring break and your parents were off work some together. Your house in Chace Lake sold and plans were made to build a new house in Dunavant Square close to your school! How exciting. You Mom started working day shift which means on the days she works she does not see you at all, but she does spend more time with you overall. I have learned to be sure you do not have any caffeine or sugar at lunch time so you will nap better. When we ate at Jason’s Deli you asked me “does this have caffeine?” before you would eat something. It is so wonderful you are such a healthy eater. We went to lunch with Elizabeth and her Mother one day after school. It was so sweet to see you with a little friend! All four of us went to the potty together for you to “poop”--Elizabeth has a sweet Mom! She was impressed with how well you were “toilet trained”. One evening while you Mom was at work your Dad cooked dinner outside and played disco music. It was so precious to see you run around & dance so well to the music! You have many many talents! One day a neighbor had her dog at the swings & you got to push him! I had a birthday & turned 62. Now I’m eligible for Social Security! And I’m planning to retire in the near future (but keep working part-time for awhile!). We had a great dinner sitting outside at La Paz for my birthday. You have started listening to the music from the movies Frozen & Annie in the car and it is so fun to hear you sing along. You are able to express the song “Let it Go” from Frozen makes you sad and sometimes you want to skip it. You sing so sweetly along with the song “Tomorrow”. We ate at Taziki’s twice recently. Yesterday the waitress commented how cute you were and how she liked to see you when you came in. I’m always surprised when people recognize me because I feel very “non-descript”. But I do understand why people notice you! You are so adorable. We have fun eating outside at Jason’s Deli. You really like to see the birds come pick at the leftover food. Yesterday for the first time in a long time you didn’t call me back or get upset after I left you for a nap. Of course I had done all of the pre-nap tasks…tissue, water, hugs, songs, books & High 5,4,3,2,1,0 & “air hugs” etc. After I leave you in your room for nap you sometimes sing “Tomorrow” in your bed to your entourage. You now have original bunny plus substitute bunny & favorite “nanny” and the original sheepy & puppy plus a new owl and another animal..it’s white but not a new sheepy. Maybe a dog? See above…I’ve turned 62 and the memory is going fast! But I have many wonderful memories of being with you & look forward to many more.

April 2014

You should be in advertising!

1st McDonald's breakfast w/ Granny

Rain coat at School

Twirling & dancing with Granny



Chip & Dale at Disney (you call Valleydale Road "Chip & Dale" Road)



Prettiest Girl at Veteran's Park

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A lot has happened since my last posting. When I was with you before you went to Disneyworld, somehow the bunny you’ve had since you were born disappeared. I have vague memories bunny accidentally left the house with us & I stuffed him somewhere for safe keeping. But it seems that he may have permanently disappeared. You periodically ask “where’s bunny?” and you handle the response unemotionally but I’m sure you miss him. And it makes me very cautious about not losing your precious remaining Nanny & Sheepy! You have come to UAB several mornings while your mother had an appointment and I’ve gotten to “hang out” with you. You always want a pink “cupcake on a stick” from Starbucks, but you never eat them. You have very good eating habits. You also like to get in the fountain in from of the hospital! One of the sweetest things I’ve recorded is you singing “Itsy Bitsy Spider”. You have a precious voice! This month we went to Gymboree for maybe the last time (the current owners have closed it but maybe someone else will open it) and to Veteran’s Park for the first time. It is a great park with lots of kids & fun equipment. There will be many "last times" ahead...but many more "first times" to enjoy! During Spring Break you went to Disneyworld with your parents & grandparents. I heard you were really well behaved and had a great time!! I have realized one reason you love for me to take you to Taziki is I have let you share my sweet iced tea. Now that I suspect the caffeine affects your nap time, I’m going to have to change my ways! Yesterday we went to Jason’s Deli together & you loved eating outside and watching the little birds eat leftovers. You have developed an amazing stalling routine pre-nap. I try to prepare ahead but then you come up with more ideas of what must be done before I can leave the room. Getting a tissue & one more “high five” and more water and even yelling out “you forgot the butt paste!” when I knew for sure I had remembered it!  I have 3 naptime songs: ABC’s, Twinkle Twinkle & Row Row Row. You have really tried unsuccessfully to teach me to sing “Numi Numi”, a Hebrew lullabye. My inability to learn new things is in great contrast to your amazing ability to learn new things…and remember everything! Besides songs, there is the routine including “high 5, 4 3, 2 1 & 0’s” and hugs, etc. But you always eventually go to sleep. It is so precious to hear you chat & sing in your bed. I made a video via your monitor and you like to look at yourself “sleeping”. For the first time we stopped to get breakfast on the way to school on a day there were no bagels in the house & I realized we had enough time to make the stop. It was a lot of fun and now you say every morning that you want to stop at “Old McDonald’s” but we haven’t done it again yet. But we will. You have become very grown up about potty training. It makes it more fun to go places with you & it makes the pre-naptime routine much easier as well. One morning it was raining hard when we left your house. Although it stopped when we got to your school you still wanted to wear your raincoat in to school. You were so cute & sweet! Yesterday when we got home the “coming soon for sale” sign was in your yard. I think I captured a precious picture of you with a “thumbs up” sign. Soon after I made the picture you took off running down the street & really scared me! You knew I was upset when I caught up with you and you so sweetly hugged me & said “I love you Granny” repeatedly. Balancing the need for independence and the dangers involved is an eternal challenge in raising a child. But the sweet hugs & “I love you” make it worth it all. You are an amazing little girl and I love you “right back”!

March 2014—L-Y-L-A R-O-T-T-E-R

Snow at Granny's Feb 12

Snow at  Chace Lake

"Big girl" swing with sweet neighbor Brooklyn

Snow day with Mommy!

Gymboree sticker!

For awhile you have been able to spell your first name but your parents were surprised to hear you also spell your last name aloud! Apparently you learned that at school. As your world grows there will be more and more surprising things you have learned elsewhere…some good and maybe some not as good. Yesterday I took you to the zoo with your school class. It was so sweet to watch you walk along holding hands with one of your best friend Mattie. The time since I last blogged has been full & busy. The scheduled class at UAB mentioned in my last posting didn’t happen because it snowed again! You got to run outside in your snow suit & experience “snow!”. It snowed at our house more than yours & you have enjoyed looking at my “snow video”. You had some extra “home time” with your parents. In contrast we also enjoyed a delightful warm Saturday afternoon playing outside with a big crowd of neighborhood kids. You ran & ran & tried to do cartwheels with an older child & rode on a “razor” scooter & had a great time. The spring weather brought out a neighbor child your age you hadn’t seen in quite awhile. Her mother was amazed you were swinging alone in a “big swing” and you were “potty trained”. I tend you take your “amazingness” for granted & it’s nice be reminded how special it is. We have had some fun time at Gymboree and ate at Taziki & “Egg & I” and even got a cupcake at GiGi’s, which you didn’t enjoy very much. I’m glad you haven’t yet developed an unhealthy “sweet tooth” like I have. Your parents do so much to keep you healthy. My time with you this month has reinforced how wonderful your parents are in many ways, including the hard job of disciplining you rather than giving in when you disobey. Parenting is not easy, even with a wonderful child like you! This month I’ve finally made the decision to set a firm retirement date, July 1, when I will start working only part-time. For a variety of reasons this has been difficult for me to do. But you are one of the major motivators for me to end over 40 years of working fulltime and start “enjoying life” more. Next fall you will go to school 5 days a week instead of just 2 and next month your mom will start working fulltime day shift rather than part-time night shift at UAB Labor & Delivery. It will be good to be with you more without having the pressure of working fulltime as well. One of my favorite things this month was the video I made of you singing “if you’re happy & you know it clap your hands”. You were so cute & funny. I’m looking forward to a lot of hand-clapping in the future!

February 2014-Cold weather & Building Autonomy

At age 28 months, you are no longer a toddler. Although a few months early, you seemed to have moved into the stage psychologist Erik Erikson calls Early Childhood with the Development Outcome of “Autonomy vs Shame” & the basic strengths “Self-control, courage & will…with the opportunity to build self-esteem and autonomy as you gain more control over your body, acquire new skills, and learn right from wrong.” Due to your wonderful parents and your school experiences you are well on your way to “achieve autonomy and reject shame”. On Monday this week your TaTa Nitza brought you home from an overnight at her house and I was there to meet you for your nap time. Due to your Dad being off for “snow days” I hadn’t seen you in over a week. When you entered the house you took charge and began unpacking your things and putting items where they belonged. You clearly like things to be where they belong! As I watched you “buzz around” I thought I was looking at a much older child. Since you had awakened at 4:30 am and already had lunch and used the potty, my goal was to get you to nap asap. You were very sweet and after books etc. you went to sleep. Nitza had asked me to let her know when you woke up so I gave you the phone to talk to her while you were still in your bed. You sound so cute on the phone. Now when I’m driving you to school I can let you take the phone and talk with your Mom without worrying about you hitting the wrong buttons and getting frustrated; another new skill. Before your nap you always like to hide and let me find you. You have always hidden behind the chair in your room and squeal with delight when I find you. One day I was stunned you were not behind the chair! I knew you had learned to open the doors inside the house so I frantically looked in closets etc. to find you. I was beginning to panic when you delightedly revealed you were behind the curtain in the kitchen! You spent a Saturday morning at our house playing with Maggie Rae who was spending the weekend with me & Papa Wayne. You had a great time and really played the piano & sang amazingly well! We rode the carousel at the mall two days this month. Your favourite animal is the frog with a “duck coming out his butt” (although I think he is sitting on the duck) but you prefer to ride other animals. One day you were confident Nitza was working at the mall and insisted I keep trying to find her...which we did. Maybe you have “grandmother radar”? You had a great first day back at school post-holidays and sang songs all the way home from school. January had some unusually cold days. One week an “Artic Vortex” and another week an unexpected significant snow on a very cold morning which resulted in your mom being “snowed in” at our house (where she was sleeping after working all night) and your babysitter Debbie being “snowed in” at your house and I was snowed in at work. But your heroic Dad made it home from Mt. Brook High School due to having the 4-wheel-drive “Rav 4” to be with you. Your Mom made it home the next day after the ice thawed some on our driveway and street. I picked you up at school Friday February 7 after your Mom had taken you to school. It is always a delight when I see your face light up when you see me after you have marched down the hall with your teacher and classmates. The first thing you said was “get it off” as your teacher had your coat zipped up and your back pack strapped on. We had a good ride home as you snacked and listened to songs. We ate Newks pizza & “raided” the fruit tray your Mom bought for Friday am “Doughnuts with Dad” (which you are VERY excited about) and then shared your sweet pre-nap routine...potty, hiding, books, songs, high-fives (& 4 & 3 & 2 &1 & none) and more songs. Then I listened to you sweetly chatting & singing on the monitor until you stretched out & fell asleep. I left you asleep after your Dad got home early because school closed due to snow flurries. I’m scheduled to see you again Wednesday morning while your Mom attends a meeting at UAB. That will be fun! You are definitely building self-control, courage & will. I’m enjoying watching you successfully move through this stage of development and look forward to many more.



At the Mall with Mom

Saturday with cousin Maggie Rae & Frankie the dog



Sharing your multiple musical talents!



Nitza & Lyla...you have her good looks!

After Mom made it home in the snow & ice!



At La Paz with your parents

Family "selfie"?



Carousel at the Mall (the giraffe doesn't go up & down!)

Snow at UAB Hospital where Grannie spent 2 cold nights on office floor!



Driving the bus at the mall!

at the dentist

Holidays December 2013-January 2014

 

Not feeling good!




Making Gingerbread People



Cousin Abigail Christmas Day

Taking care of Sunday!



Staying warm in Nashville

December 7 we made gingerbread cookies & I spent the night while your parents went out to celebrate their birthdays. Friday the 13^th  “Craisins in Nose” event occurred. You always snack in the car on the way home from school so I thought it would be okay to give you a little bag of Craisins (dried cranberries). I keep an eye on you via the rear view mirror and when you said “Look! Look!” I did…and saw you had packed both nostrils with the berries! Knowing if you sucked them in you could choke, I tried hard not to panic. We were passing a Kindercare & I stopped since I thought they would have experience with children stuffing things in their nose. After verifying there was a berry stuck in your nose she told me they couldn’t help and I needed to take you to a doctor or emergency room. Somewhat panicked I called your Dad who calmed me down then I called your doctor’s office and said we were en route..later you had a huge sneeze and I think all the berries came out but we still went to your doctor. Since you were not in distress we had a long wait but you were very sweet and all was okay. The week of Dec 18 you were sick & missed your last 2 days of school. Finally the doctor got you on a stronger antibiotic so you would get better.  Dec 22 Papa Wayne & I went to Nashville to see Abigail in Nutcracker then brought the Green children to our house for the week. You came with your parents on Christmas Day and it was a lot of fun. You loved your gifts and enjoyed Jackson & Abigail (Jacob had gone to Demopolis to go duck hunting in Kansas with Dad and Studeman cousins). After Christmas you went to Opryland Hotel with parents & TaTa (Nitza) and I went to Mobile. Then I spent a wonderful New Year’s Eve with you. At first you were not happy to see me; you know it means your parents are leaving. But you showed me the pictures from Opryland & your wonderful gifts-including a big “Hello Kitty” auto and you got happier. Then you had a fun time with your parents’ friends before they went out to celebrate 2014 arrival. By then you were used to me again and you were so sweet while we sang songs, rocked and read books before you went to sleep. Because your Dad & mom both had to work I came back early January 2 and we had a wonderful day. We went to bookstore where you had fun with other children and then to the mall where you were SO excited when you noticed the carousel had started up. You are so alert and so smart and laugh so much. When we got back to your house you even laughed and enjoyed “potty time” and you were so sweet during pre-nap rocking and books. You were very unhappy when I left for home, but I knew you would be happy again very soon because you have a good time with your wonderful parents. Although I never want you to be unhappy…I was glad you didn’t want me to leave. Transitions are hard…for both of us! But I'm looking forward to lots of coming & going in 2014!

 

Singing & Dancing, Cousins & Thanksgiving and Birthdays

Yesterday when I put you down for your nap and left the room you softly sang many of the songs you like for me to sing to you—Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Row Row Row Your Boat, ABC’s. It was so sweet to hear your soft voice on the monitor. Your parents sent a picture of you celebrating your parents’ birthdays with a birthday dance. Music and singing and dancing are such wonderful parts of life. Music can be inspiring and comforting and entertaining and also a way to connect with other people. It is so much fun to watch you enjoy the music of life. You are quite talented! Whenever there is at least a week between times I see you I can see changes…in what you do & how mature you are. Yesterday for instance you never asked me to carry you. Although I love to carry you…it has begun to hurt my back so it would be good if that was ending! Thanksgiving was a time you got to be with your Green and Brown cousins. It was fun to watch you enjoy your cousins and dogs at the Stuedeman Thanksgiving Day event. The next day you and Eli and Maggie Rae played together & enjoyed sweeping leaves off our deck. When I was growing up I liked the Mrs. Piggly Wiggly books. She was able to convince children chores were fun. I’m still able to use her techniques to convince myself chores can be fun. Other November events: Auburn defeated Alabama in an exciting game at Auburn; we went to the 1^st Birthday party for your cousin Micah Kelley where you had fun but the only thing you talked about later was the dog across the street with “big eyes” (which were a little spooky looking); you came to University Hospital while your Mom had an appointment and we saw a “Hand in Paw” dog and walked around the hospital together; you jumped on the trampoline with Madyn next door & played with Simba & Digger & Diamond (new neighbor dog). One weekend I kept you 3 nights while your Dad was out of town and your Mom was working. It was a special time to be with you, even though you were not feeling well, especially at night. I was able to rock you and hold you more than usual. I gave you medicine & held you in the steam of the bathroom & rocked you back to sleep. You are sweet even when you don’t feel well. I went with your Dad to take you to the doctor and you even enjoyed yourself there…taking pictures of your Dad and got medicine which seemed to cure your cough & fever. Tonight I’m going to spend the night with your while your wonderful parents go out to celebrate their 34 & 39 birthdays! It’s hard to believe it’s been 34 years since your mother was born!

Beautiful Eyes & Smile!



Daddy in MD Office

"Native American" hat

Raking leaves off the deck with Eli & Maggie Rae

Cook out at Home with Parents

Birthday Dance with Daddy!

Breakfast with Cousin Maggie Rae

 

Maybe...



 

You are quite an optimist! When you are told something is not likely to happen, in such a sweet & hopeful voice you say “Maybe…”  It is very inspiring to me. Last Sunday we went to the mall to ride the carousel. It was closed to get ready to exchange the usual animals with holiday reindeer. Although it wasn’t going to happen, rather than get upset, you said “Maybe…”.  At the mall we rode the escalator several times and played with Legos and looked at the “build a bears”. I thought you would want to ride the “train” but when we got close to it, you changed your mind. We still had a good time. I was lucky to be the one to take you to school the morning of Halloween. Although you didn’t wear a costume, the teachers and the older children were dressed up. It was fun to be at your house Halloween night & give out candy and see you have so much fun with your friends. You were a bumble bee…without wings or antennae. The cutest bee ever! You have enjoyed the many Halloween decorations at the home of your neighbor who owns Simba the cat and Digger the dog…two animals you really enjoy. We visit there a lot. Our rides to and from school have changed a little. Rather than sing songs most of the trip, you want to talk about what you see…the “hidden bus”, the horses and sheep and yellow school buses and traffic lights. You know green means “go” and red means “stop”.  You are very observant and curious about the things you see. I love the picture of you reading books in your bed. Books and reading are so much fun! You have such wonderful parents. I admire their patience and consistency and obvious love for you, and for each other. I’m so glad I have opportunities to be with you on a regular basis. You are growing up so quickly. Sometimes you’re not happy to see me because you think my arrival means your parents are not going to be around for awhile. But you seem to adjust quickly…especially if you can find a tube of chapstick in my pocket. I love to hear you call out “Granny!” when you wake up. On Halloween afternoon you couldn’t seem to fall asleep at naptime. I knew you needed a “pre-trick or treat nap” so finally I got you out of bed and rocked you until you fell asleep then slipped to the floor out of the rocker and held you napping on the floor. You only slept an hour however. It’s hard for me to believe you are over two years old now. I want to be a part of your life for many more years and see what a wonderful grown up you will become. But I don’t want to rush it. I will treasure every opportunity I have to be with you. And that is not a “maybe”.