Reading With Grandkids

I've mentioned before that we're big reading fans, and love to take our older two granddaughters to the library.  They're finally getting used to the idea that you don't buy books at the library; you borrow them.  The oldest has started on The Mouse and The Motorcycle series, and she's just loving it.  The 4-year-old is a fan of Mo Willems and his Pig and Elephant books.  I have to admit, I think they're just hilarious too.  Here's a link to Mo's Pigeon Presents Web site, with links to some of the best books.  We've got "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Schoolbus" on hold at the library now, and we can't wait to read it.

If you and your grandkids don't use the library yet, I highly recommend it, and the big secret to really enjoying it is the hold system.  Our local library has a good Web site that lets us search for books and put them on hold.  We'll find the ones we're looking for, and just wait for them to become available.  It's let us enjoy so many books that we never could have before.

The 6-year-old mentioned last week that she'd like that new book by Dr. Seuss, "The Lorax."  I actually remember this one from when I was a kid, so I explained to her that it wasn't new (she thought it was because of the movie coming out) but we put it on hold, and can't wait to read it this week.

Love, love, love the library.

A Writer Becomes a Grandma

I thoroughly enjoyed this article about writer Anne Lamott's experiences as a first-time grandma.  I particularly enjoy her saying how addictive being with her grandson is, and how much she wants to be with him again.

"This is the one fly in the grandma ointment – the total love addiction," she writes. "The highest highs, and then withdrawal, craving, scheming to get another fix. All I do is wait for another chance to be with the baby. He has basically ruined my life."

It's amazing how universal an experience grandparenting is, and how difficult it is to explain to someone who hasn't enjoyed it yet.  Welcome to the club, Anne, you're going to love it.

Weekend with Our Littlest

We had a wonderful weekend with our littlest granddaughter.  She's growing so fast, and I'm just amazed at how well she can communicate, even though she only says a few words so far.  She brought me an empty bottle at one point, crawled up into my lap, and then pushed my hand over to the bottle.  I told her it was empty, and she kept pushing my hand over to the bottle, looking at me like I was just a little dense.  I finally realized she wanted a bottle, and was trying to get across to her slightly slow grandma that she was hungry.  What a smartie she is! 

I know, we all think our grandkids are the cutest and the smartest, and isn't it great for them to have such big fans? 

Another Reason Grandkids are the Best

We were talking this morning about how much we love the grandkids, and how they're just like more kids to us.  It occurred to me a bit later, as we were enjoying our unhurried morning routine to get ready for work, that one of the good things about being grandparents is not having to get the little ones ready for school.  Those morning rushes out the door were usually stressful, and I can't say that I miss the hurry-hurry moments of getting on shoes, finding backpacks, signing permission slips, etc.  So, chalk another one up to the grandparent side - good times with the kiddos without the morning rush. 

Why I Love Valentines Day

My Baby Boy

I love Valentines Day.  The main reason is that my wonderful son was born on Valentines Day, coming up on 26 years ago.  This has made Valentines pretty special to me ever since.  We've had heart-shaped cakes and cookies, and all kinds of Valentines themes to go with his birthday, and he's always been a good sport about sharing his birthday with the sappiest of holidays.

Don't know about other grandmas, but I miss picking out and helping the kids address their school Valentines.  These days, I like to buy gifts for the girls, and of course a birthday gift for my son.


Remember the Valentines we used to give as kids?  We used to make decorated Valentine mailboxes, covered with little bits of tissue paper formed on the end of our pencils, and get so many fun cards and pieces of candy.  I can almost taste the little candy hearts we'd get in the envelopes.  Yum.

Anyone else remember Valentines fondly?  What do you do with your grandkids for Valentines?

My Two Favorite TV Shows

I've already mentioned one of my current favorites, Downton Abbey.  It's a soap opera for those who like their action slow-moving and their heroines with a stiff upper lip. World War I, beautiful costumes, upstairs/downstairs...it's just great stuff.

My other particular favorite is Swamp People, and my favorite person on the show is Liz, the working mom/gator hunter.  She's the one who shoots the alligators, after she and her partner track them down.  Troy, the guy who pulls the string, is always yelling at her to "Shoot it, Elizabeth, shoot it!"  She just keeps her cool, and takes the shot when it comes around.  For some reason, I especially admire her well-worn Frontier City ball cap.  She manages to be a great mom, and a kick-butt gator hunter. 

I mentioned on Facebook a week or so ago that I'm a true member of both the 99 and the 1.  I think my two favorite TV shows back this up.  If you're looking for some 99% entertainment, I'd highly recommend Swamp People.*

Note to my daughter:  Do not, repeat, do not watch this show.  I know you hate alligators, and even the stuffed ones at Cabelas freak you out.  This is not a good program for you.  For everyone else, check it out.