A Post A Day APAD Day 29 The wheels on the bus

I’m sure it makes sense that I would have children’s songs stuck in my head after spending a week in Colorado with my 3 year old grandsons, Right? So why now, after being home for 3 days do I have have them stuck in my head again? (Because I took all the pictures and videos that I took off of my phone!!!!!!)

I am a picture person! Before I leave from seeing the boys, Thing One and I file share the pictures we took over my visit. (This time I came home with 487.) So at least once a month, I take 90% of the pictures off my phone and transfer them to my computer AND a back up drive.

Have you ever seen the show are you smarter than a fifth grader?

I haven’t seen it, but I’ve heard of it. After watching the proficiency in which my 3 year old Grandson D could navigate a tablet, I had to ask myself if I’m smarter than a 3 year old. I’m “old school” in my parenting style, and also in my grandparenting style….Go OUTSIDE and play, read books, sing and dance, learn to share etc. I have to admit I was kind of skeptical at how frequently the tablet appeared. So I had to investigate more.

D’s favorite activity on the tablet is watching Cocomelon or other learning channels. I think it might be similar to Seasame street from when I was a kid? I’m not sure since most of my time was spent outside. I did like that while we were watching, the words appeared on the screen, the kids were encouraged to participate in the singing and dancing, and the lessons each episode tried to teach (like abc’s and toothbrushing) were positive and something all kids should learn regardless of how they are taught. We even listened to and danced around to some songs from my childhood.

The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round

The ants go marching 1 x 1 hurrah hurrah…

10 little monkeys jumping on the bed

The fact that I still remember the songs would suggest that they had some significance in my life no? I am certainly grateful that the boys know how to video chat with me during the 6 weeks or so that I can’t see them in person. It’s a new generation for sure. I’m glad that the boys are getting the best from both of our worlds. I have my pictures to remember when my mind forgets, I wonder what they will have.

Damn it! The song is STILL stuck in my head….smh

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A Post a Day APAD Day 25 …. The sun will come out…tomorrow

I think I have mentioned before that I talk to everybody right?  If I haven’t told you, let me assure you now that that is definitely the case.  Most people that know me will tell you that I make friends every where I go.  Everytime I make the trip to Colorado, people ask me if I think Colorado is beautiful.  I respond, “to be honest, I haven’t seen much of it other than the inside of my daughter’s house or the view of  her backyard.”  (Remember they moved out here as the Covid lockdown was beginning.)  We’ve been to a couple of parks, we took the boys to the zoo one time, but other than that my time consists of being a Grandma gym and crawling and climbing with the boys on everything possible.  Trust me, I AM NOT COMPLAINING!!!!

As usual I digress.  What I have seen of Colorado is beautiful!  When I walk onto the deck in the backyard the mountains seem so close that you can touch them.  It almost…ALMOST makes you forget that all of the houses look the same and are right on top of each other.

It’s been cold and overcast since I have been here this week, and I could have sworn the mountains had moved.  I am hoping to see a better view before I go home and maybe catch a sunset like this one from last time I was here.

If not I will keep my fingers crossed that everyone becomes afraid of flying again and I can enjoy this view on the way home.

This was my flight home the day Illinois was shutting down for the first time. LOVED IT!

**** Update: The mountains came back

A Post a Day APAD Day 24… How to Babysit a Grandma

When the boys were first born, I bought them a book called How to Babysit a Grandma. There is also a book called How to Babysit a Grandpa which includes activities that are more my style…but it is what it is. While we have read How to Babysit a Grandma a few times, I don’t think they learned anything from it. In fact, since they day they were born they have been “writing their own stories”.

If THEY were writing a book called How to babysit a Grandma, todays chapter would have been called something like, “Fetch”. The game begins with one of them asking Grandma to go down the stairs into the yard to get a ball for them (because they aren’t wearing any shoes.) Grandma happily obliges them by descending 1000 steps and throwing a ball up onto the deck. Points are earned when you tell Grandma it’s the wrong ball 187x until she has thrown all of them up onto the deck for you. Bonus points if you manage to enlist your brother into helping you drop all 187 balls off the deck before Grandma can climb the steps to the top of the deck.

Surprisingly, I managed to stay in the game and keep them entertained for almost an hour. I think we all get points for that one. Climbing up the stairs was completed in a crawling like fashion, but in the end I think we all won.

Although I didn’t ask for it, I am kind of grateful to their dog, ATLAS who helped by popping a couple of the balls.

I believe the next chapter in the book is called, Getting Grandma to fall asleep first.

A Post A Day APAD Day 21 Grandma is my name

My favorite name is Grandma

Of all the things I have been called, I think Grandma is my favorite! Don’t get me wrong, I LOVED being called Mommy, but it wasn’t long that Mommy lasted. At least not in the cute endearing way it sounds the first time it comes out of your child’s mouth. Now when I am called mommy, its usually a sarcastic response from me asking (parenting) Einstein or my parents if they remembered to do something.

Yep Grandma is my favorite. To be honest it’s really not even the word Grandma. It’s the gleam in the boys eyes when they see me. It’s the arms that are raised as high as possible asking me to pick them up or hold them. The fingers that find there way into mine when we are going to try something new that MIGHT be a little frightening. Overall its the warm fuzzy feeling that radiates from my entire body….all because I am a Grandma!

This is how we spent a good portion of the evening last night, and I hope for many more hours of this before I go home next week…so I’m off for now!

A post a day APAD Day 20 Up in the Air again?

Leaving on a jet plane

At the end of March 2020, just as the world began to lose it’s fucking mind because of Covid, Thing One, her husband, and my twin grandsons moved to Colorado. (that’s another story for another time though) From that time, until May of last year, I have been flying or driving (mostly flying) to Colorado every 6 weeks to see them. The last time I was there was for Halloween last year. I was supposed to go again the 2nd week of December, but at the last minute decided to try to cut the tip of my finger off. ( Again another story for another time. )

When this post goes live, I SHOULD be on the airplane on my way to Colorado. Please cross your fingers all is going well!

As much as I have been traveling, you would think I would be a pro at it by now. The only things I can almost guarantee about the day is that:

1. It will be a long one
2. the rules will have changed from yesterday
3. the waiting times will be enormous
4. some one some where will cause a scene about something
5. it will be different from my last flight
6. I am sure that I will be using YAIS

Update**** on the ground safely. Truly the best travel day I have had in a long time. Not one instance of yais. Two infants that slept the whole flight. Almost no lines for anything. In The fact the only thing I was correct about is that it will be a long day and it would be different than my last flight