Sunday, June 27, 2010

LAST DAY IN OHIO




























































As thunder booms outside my window, I am preparing for my last night at my daughter's home in Ohio. She is well on her way to recovery from her surgery, and ready to give up her temporary housekeeper and nanny. It has been fun getting to know my grandson, Daniel, who is a bright and funny boy. It has been two and a half weeks of makeovers, trips to Amish country, feeling what it like to be in high humidity again, taking Daniel to the park and library, loading and unloading a dishwasher at least once a day (quite a change from cooking for one!), baking cookies, teaching Daniel to go up and down the stairs and in and out of the car (saved my back....he is a BIG boy!), introducing him to the fun of a wading pool on a hot day, picking dandelions, and lots of chasing an active toddler! I also lived in the home of two techies who live on their computers and Blackberries, so I learned to use a fancy coffeemaker, satellite TV, a Wii fitness video, and a talking treadmill!!!! Incidentally, after all this time on the treadmill and Wii I am UP 2 pounds!!!!! NOT RIGHT!!!!! And we didn't even eat out a single night!

























Monday, June 14, 2010

PLAYING GRAMMA IN OHIO




In this day and age, a woman is often made to feel inferior if she doesn't have the huge boobs like a Hollywood starlet. However, my daughter had the opposite problem...an abundance of bosom! Rather that be proud of her assets, she resented that they caused her back and neck pain, and made it difficult to find clothing that fit and didn't gap. Now that she has had her baby and lost the baby fat plus a few pounds more, she requested and received permission from her insurance company to have a breast reduction. As her weight lifting would be restricted and my grandson is a hefty 32 pounds, she called on her mommy for assistance....which explains my presence in Ohio!


I came the day before the surgery so that I could have time to get reacquainted with Daniel and learn his schedule. The surgery went well, she is home, and we have settled into a routine. Niels went back to work today, so when Daniel was ready to get up at 7 am (that is 4 am in Arizona!!!!), I got him up, dressed and fed him a breakfast of cheerios and fruit. We then had a couple of hours to play, which today was out in the back yard and on the deck, then he goes back down for another hour nap. That is my time to do some laundry, and go downstairs to use the fancy talking treadmill and Wii Fitness!


When he awakens, I give him a lunch of yogurt, granola and fruit, then more play time. Since CJ's favorite DVD was Baby Einstein's "Old McDonald's Farm", Jen got it on Netflex and we introduced Daniel to the wonderful world of television. He loves it....especially when the dirty pigs come on! Daniel goes back down for a second nap about 2:30, and today I baked chocolate chip peanut butter cookies. I thought he'd be up by now to help me lick the spoon and bowl, but he must have really gotten pooped out playing outside this morning!


Niels gets home about 5, then it is Daddy time! I'll fix dinner while Daniel gets to play with Daddy. Meals have been easy so far as Jen's friends have brought over food, and she has cooked extras and frozen some, but we are looking forward to tasting a recipe she found for Caribbean Chicken as soon as the frig is cleared out of leftovers.


Jen has been enjoying catching up on sleep and being child-free for a couple of days. She has very little restrictions other than the weight lifting, so other than the bruising and some tenderness, she is feeling pretty good. We went to church yesterday, and afterwards I took this picture of her in her pretty green shirt to show the difference with the before and after. She looks great!!!!!