Baby's real toys

Today I will tell you what does not work for me before I tell you what does work! As you can see my wfmw logo is too small. I uploaded it and it came out like that, even though I had my settings for it to be bigger. No actually first was I am running late with my post and tried to upload the old one, could not find it on my computer so then had to go to the Rocks in My Dryer site and get the new one. While trying to upload it my computer decided to not work and made me gain even more patience all the while it was telling me that computers are the boss of me, not the other way around!

That is what is not working for me, so far, I have only been up for 10 minutes! Coffee is brewing, so maybe I will think better soon.

As I have said in previous posts, I babysit my granddaughter. I have had her since six weeks old and she is always investigating, checking out what she should not have, pulling things out of cabinets etc and all the while her toys are in a basket just setting there. She will grab the doggie toys and play with the dog, but only on occasion will she play with hers.

I am amazed, especially at this time of year, what new parents (and some older ones) feel they need to get their child. What works for me are some simple toys, car, dolly etc and then the box that the humidifier came in, the plastic box that used to have my fabric in, (the fabric that was in there makes a great toy too), the empty water jug (Please note I said empty, the full one works well for a toy, but yesterday I found it no longer works, she figured out the cap!). If I am cooking, the pots, plastic containers etc make great toys. Two chairs with a sheet make a tent. I give her things that not only cost me nothing, but also she likes better than the toys and she gets something new almost every day! It works for me!

Grandkids vs kids

I have been asked many questions about raising kids and now grand kids. For some reason since I had 5 kids and now have 15 grand kids people think I am a pro. There have been questions like:

• Which were easier to raise, boys or girls? My answer? The right handed ones.
• Are babies easier than teens? Babies can be picked up, locked up, hugged and kissed. Teens can change their own pants.
• Are grand kids more fun than kids? The typical answer here is yes since you can spoil them and send them home. But I think they are more fun because you have had a break from the kids for a bit and then you are ready for the excitement.

So, what then is the difference between being a grammie and being a mommy? Mommies are younger, usually. They have more energy, usually, and they have that special mommy/child bond.

Mommies get to tell the grammie what the child is doing that the grammie is missing because of distance . Mommies get to get up in the middle of the night with the sick child, tell them bedtime stories, and get them the big yard toys they seem to want.

Then there is grammie. Grammie gets to hug and kiss them even when they are big and may not let mom or dad do it any more. Grammie gets to brag. I mean really brag! But there is something else that is better as a grammie too. Having raised the children we gave birth to we have seen it and been there. We do not panic as much when they fall down and bite there lip, or get their first cold. We know that they get heat rash, or diaper rash and will live through it... as well as their first cold! I am more relaxed with my grand kids. So what if they get a little dirty, you do not need to change their clothes right away. It is ok to let them eat with their fingers, put potatoes in their hair because they missed their mouth or drink from a glass you are drinking out of. There is all those years of experience behind you.

Right now I babysit one of my grand children. Her name is Scout, rightly named because she likes to scout out trouble. She is 9 months old and seems to already know how to find things to get into and push the fences. But I have fun. I show her pictures of Lexi and she laughs. She climbs up on everything, chases the dog and cat, looks for her PaPa to come home from work and cuddles and hugs. We play together, laugh together and walk together. And yes, I can send her home at the end of the day and get rested for the next one!

Scout, after a long hard morning of play.



The four girls born last year



Lexi, with her big, beautiful smile.



There are still 11 more at last count, but from these you can see why I am blessed and bragging!!