Gramma's Takin' Us To The Zoo!

"Do you think we can do it Poppa?", I asked with 1 hour and 10 minutes until we needed to meet Krista and Logan. We were going to the zoo for lunch and an outing as part of our weekend grandkid sitting adventure...and we still had to dress Louise, Carl, and Gus (oh yes, us, too!!), pack lunches, locate the double stroller, and find all the going away paraphanalia (hats, sunscreen, bugspray, diapers). Could we do it? I think their mommy could do it alone with one hand tied behind her back!! But us???....we'd try!

We almost made it in time...and we didn't forget anything....AND we had a wonderful time!! The day was sunny and warm as we enjoyed meandering our way through the zoo. Como Zoo has a new butterfly exhibit that was just wonderful!! All four of the little ones enjoyed having butterflies land ever so lightly on them, and trying to identify them from the butterfly card.

We saw giraffes and enjoyed all the monkeys and gorillas in the primate house. Logan and Louise were introduced to their first cotton candy by Carl and Gus. It didn't take them long to decide they liked it!!

It was early afternoon when we finally guided 4 hot, tired kids back to the van. Time to sing songs and get home for naps before mommy and daddy got home that night. "Wheels on the bus go 'round and 'round!!" Great adventure!!

Gramma & Poppa's Sleepover

Chuck and I spent a weekend sleepover (Thursday evening through Sunday suppertime) with Carl, Gus, and Louise while their mommy and daddy went to a graduation reunion. We also shared them one night when the big boys each stayed with a different aunt and uncle. But...we had Logan that night. Busy! Busy! Busy! I can't believe how exhausted I am! Not that I didn't know it, but it was a good reminder to me why my daughters might be feeling overwhelmed at times.

I now remember why being a gramma is so much fun....and that being a mommy is really much more fun to recall than to be living in the middle of!! "Mommyhood" is an extension of labor and delivery...it's all really worth it, but somehow you forget all the tough parts once it's over!

It seems like 90% of the time is spent putting food in one end and dealing with it coming from the other. It was cooking and cleaning up, and treats and dishes, and running to the potty, and diapers, and "wipe me!", and "gramma...I got wet!" Whew! and then it starts all over again. Then some time in there it's toys all over and dirty clothes. I think I'm really glad I've forgotten what 3 kids under 5 is really all about.

But then there was the hugs, and goodnight kisses, the sweet smelling damp bodies right out of the tub, the cute smile on Louise's face when she reached up to me to be lifted, bedtime stories and the interesting talks with Carl. There are many rewards. It was truly a fun and wonderful weekend!

I don't have any photos to share...because who has time to take pictures? I didn't even have time to read the newspaper!
But Gramma loves 'em all!

Catching Up

I haven't posted a blog for awhile, although I have photos and plenty of material. So I'll just backdate as I go....and catch up as I can. It's been a fun and busy summer! Gramma

Happy Birthday Logan!!

Dear Logan,
Suddenly you're TWO...how did you get to be such a grown-up guy? We have had such wonderful times together, and I am so happy that I've been home more this last year to spend time with you!

I remember when you were born. I was there and heard your first sounds. I watched as your Mommy and Daddy looked at you with so much love that I thought my heart would pop out of my chest! I already knew that being a grandma was the next best thing in the world to being a mommy...but this was the minute that I saw their joy and love bloom for you....their firstborn!! And I felt my own love bubble up to surround your sweetness...and knew that once again this special little person was my grandson... that we would have so many wonderful days to share together.

You've grown fast! You've shown your own personality in so many ways right from the beginning. You are the "jabber-iest" little person I've ever met, and I love every sound! I know you have so many things to say, and are saying them all the time. It won't be long until I can understand what it is you've got to tell me. And I look forward to many conversations about so many interesting things.

Who else but you, Logan, can turn on a tv, start the car, and set off the alarms with a remote long before your second birthday? Of course you've called 9-1-1 and discovered where all the buttons are on every telephone, radio, tape player and computer in my house! You're the boy that has his own box of old remote controls and telephone handsets....and will rummage through them to find the one that has the red light that works with a poke. I can only hope that all that early figuring out will show up to make you a very mechanically minded young man. Who knows where this will take you?? But I know already that you'll be the grandchild I call to program my electronics in the future!

We've had sleepovers and Friday Adventure days that have created a wonderful aura of comfort when you're here. I love when you walk into our house and "take over" like it's your own. It's one of those special "gramma feelings"!When I think of you I think of your squeals when you get out of the bathub and run naked around the upstairs, your "Oh! No!" voice, the drama that shows when you see something exciting, your sweet kisses, and how you climb, climb, climb!! It's pretzels, licorice, kitties, and electronics. Logan, Gramma loves you so much!! Happy #2 Birthday to you!

Logan at the 4th of July Parade

There's nothing more All-American than a small town 4th of July parade..and nothing more exciting than sharing a first parade with a two year old. Logan and his mommy and daddy were with us at the cabin on the 4th and we decided to go to Webster for the parade. Logan was excited to watch the bands, clowns, trucks and cub scout troops go by. But then something even more exciting!! They were throwing CANDY!!!!
Can you believe it? Can this be true?? It didn't take him long to figure out what this was all about! He was soon out there with all the other kids running for his treats in the street!
We taught him to put his candy into the pocket in the front of his overall shorts. Then he missed the pocket and sent the candy through his shorts and out his legs..."OH! NO!" he said excitedly! This was more new candy for him on the ground!! What fun! Logan loves parades!

Happy Birthday USA!!