Ways to save and "shave" on your monthly budget

We all love to save money. I get so excited to know how much money I saved on my receipt monthly. I think of it as a present to my household; to me. I came across Dollar Shave Club a razor subscription company that prides itself on shaving time and money for its members by sending quality razors to their door for as little as $1 a month. This got me so excited to know how much money I saved on my receipt monthly. Not only do I like to save money but what I do have, I like to recycle the things that I often use. There are plenty of ways to recycle the things you use daily. When you are out at the local grocery store, make sure to remember to grab a few more plastic bags for kitty litter. Cleaning your felines litter daily helps keep the house smelling better. I realize it can be a PITA sometimes when you forget or have other things to do. But you have to think about your furry baby; he/she can't flush like we can and their own special

territory does need to be cleaned so they can have room. Think about the close proximity of their genitals to the litter. It is a much more safer and cleaner way for them. No one wants their furry babies to get an infection due to lack of hygiene of the feline kind. Speaking of hygiene, children and babies often have accidents in their clothes that you can not foresee. Bring a few bags (just in case) in their diaper bag or in the car. We even use those trash bags to pick up the accumulation of trash during those long drives. They are easy to obtain and easy to dispose of. Another way those bags can be recycled into good use is if you forget your umbrella at home but there is a downpour outside, use one of these as a temporary umbrella so you don't get wet and eventually sick. Come to think of it, using and recycling these plastic bags can save you money in the long run. And what of those cloth bags that you can buy for $.99 at the store? I have a million of them stuffed in my closet somewhere. Then one day as I was looking at Victoria's play corner, I thought to myself “She will never play with all these toys”. So I have decided to kill two birds with one stone (in the long run). I watched to see what toys she likes to play with on a constant basis. Then that night I put the toys in one of those cloth bags and kept it next to her toy box. When she plays on the living room floor (she is currently trying her hand at crawling) she 'discovers' what toys are in the bag. Then, when floor time is over, I sit with her and the bag. We both grab toys littered on the living room floor back in the back. I am trying to teach her to clean up. I like to do most things ahead of time. It saves my time to do the things I like to do so I can play with my grand daughter or hang out and watch a movie with my daughter. Doing things early can save time and money. My daughter likes to prepare the 'next-day' bottles for Victoria each night after she gets home from work. She makes 24 to 30 ounces-worth instead of one by one. It is easier for her because she knows that if she has to get up in the middle of the night (yes that does happen once in a while), she doesn't have to pinpoint how many scoops to mix with where the water level is in the bottle. She doesn't have to make a bottle with one eye open; being so sleepy. Everyone is happy (especially me because I am sleeping!) This makes it easier to just grab a bottle before she wakes, warm it up, and it will be welcoming when she is alert. Simple.

I have never been good about keeping up with the house. But I do know that you can only eat an elephant a bite at a time. So while I clean the house, I pick my domestic battles. Monday I choose to clean the living room and hallway closets plus do my dishes. Tuesday I prefer the kitchen and bathroom probably because they are easier to put together with the mopping and same basic cleaning supplies. I also do my dishes that day as well. On Wednesday I tend to drop it a few notches by cleaning my bedroom and the balcony as well as doing the day's dishes. Thursday its off to a fun-filled day down at the laundry mat. Finally it is Friday and I decide to clean up in the living room some more and finish the never-ending pile of dishes. Weekends everyone picks up after themselves! I'm done!!!

Creating a technological bond between great-grandmother and grandchild

On one of my other postings, I have talked about how I am so thankful and blessed for being a part of the generation that I am in. We are after the Baby Boomers and before Generation Y. I heard that they are called 'Generation Y' for a reason. “Y move out of my parents house? Y pay my own bills?” But I joke....kind of. My mother is a part of the baby-boomer generation. She is also very close to Victoria. But she is really close to my daughter. So close that my daughter named my grandchild after her. What an honor that must be! We want to make sure that she is a part of this baby's life as we are. Unfortunately she lives about 25 miles away so she cannot see her precious great-granddaughter as much as she would like. But we have found a way that we can connect on a daily basis: Facetime. Having the special incentive to use this technology means she can be there to view the milestones at the tips of her fingers at any time. This is a great way to keep in touch with what is going on in the family, not only with Victoria but us too. There is a survey that shows 20% of the grandparents that were interviewed use such technology to 'touch base' with their grandchildren at least once or twice a week.

Grandparents of a generation or two ago would probably not accept anything other than the telephone for communication with their children and/or grandchildren (if the internet were available back then). But the grandparents of this day and age frequent social networks anyway; so using programs such as Skype, Facetime or Google Hangouts on any device they own in the form of a laptop, desktop, tablet or cell phone is easier to keep in touch with their babies' babies. That brings me to my own mother. She wants to make sure she stays in my daughter's life as much as possible (as she should). When my daughter was in high school, they would spend hours (literally hours) on the phone like teenagers chatting away to each other. They are so close, they share the same likeness of music thus going to concerts of that genre together. They are that close. So you can see how much my daughter wants to share special moments of Victoria with my mother. It is almost a daily occurrence that there is communication on Facetime. Be it lunchtime or bath time, my mother gets to see my grand daughter and my daughter, Victoria gets to actually see and get to know her great grandmother and I get to see my mother daily. As her adult-child, it brings me comfort knowing that my mother is okay.

12 things I want to show you about my 8 month old grand daughter Victoria Renee

Ok...I didn't write the 7 things I have learned about my grand daughter Victoria Renee. BUT she has made some improvements during the 7 month and I would love to show you the pictures instead. Today is Victoria's 8th month of life. I want to show you now that she is starting to leave the infant world and go straight to becoming a little kid. Its hard to believe that my grand daughter isn't a baby in a bassinet anymore. She is really growing up and I have become closer and closer to the little booger. We have gone from this:

To this:

Now we are to this:

Somewhere in between 22-25 lbs, she is starting to lunge forward to position herself to crawl. One of these days she will do it and hopefully it will be in my presence. Her mother holds her up in a standing position as she holds on to the coffee table in the living room. She is definitely on her way. From eating this way:

Eventually eating in a high chair:

And finally she is an ol' pro!

As you know, I am her babysitter while her mother works. There have been times when things are kind of hard keeping her on a schedule but all in all, she is a very easy baby to deal with. I set a schedule for her sleeping and she has grown into it wonderfully. We have gone from this:

To this:

And at times.....I find her playing in her crib when she is supposed to be in dreamland

She does a lot of things on her own, though.

And she even tries to push herself by doing different things, such as holding the bottle in one hand then switching to the other hand......

She really thinks she is cool. Thats ok because I think she's an awesome kid. Not a baby but a kid.

A Wonderful Day at Shriner's Circus

The alarm blared next to my bed as I struggled to find my glasses on my nightstand. The sun had already broke through the clouds and the sky became clear. As I lay in bed, I hear commotion in the kitchen with Victoria sitting in her high chair and her mother feeding her oatmeal with fruit. She has been 'finding her voice' for days now and shrieks (screaming out loud) to hear her own voice. Two wonderful faces to wake up to. (And my black cat Shaddow as well!) Today was the day we are going to the Shriner's Circus with Victoria. I kinda had the feeling that she would do well with crowds but with the loud noise I wasn't sure about. Today was also the day that she was promoted from her carrier to a 'big girl' car seat. Not the 'big, big girl' kind of car seat but the kind that toddlers are in. She is a husky 21 lbs. But she is also over 27 inches long. Big girl! But I bet when she starts crawling (which she is showing signs) that weight will melt off

her. Fat babies are cute babies! As we were walking into the Thomson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, TN there were people with children everywhere. I was kind of nervous, myself being in large crowds. And I had my grand daughter in my arms so I had to make sure I kept a straight face and took care of the task at hand. We searched for our seats in the dark in the nose-bleed section. Yes it was packed with children screaming from excitement everywhere! My daughter found seats for us and I handed Victoria to her so I could take pictures of her first experience with the circus. There were tigers balancing on beams jumping through fiery hoops and elephants dancing. There were trained dogs balancing on the backs of their trainer wowing the crowds. Victoria did enjoy it but the loud acoustics and flashing lights bothered her. After a few attempts to get her to look, we decided to retreat to the corridor of the arena so Victoria will feel a bit easier with all the hoopla that was before her. Finally we were standing in the corridor looking at the action that was happening inside the arena. I noticed a stand that sold wands that light-up. I decided to buy Victoria a big pink light-up wand. She was mesmerized by the flashing lights. It was great! She seemed so excited to see her new present come to life with just a push of a button. Fortunately that diverted her attention from the flashing lights and the loud noises coming from inside the arena. Then an announcement came on the speakers saying that there will be an intermission and a display of pony rides and elephant rides were presented to the little children. My daughter was so excited that she grabbed Victoria and announced that she will go down to see if she is old enough to ride a pony. I told her that she was probably too young and the clowns will probably scare the crap out of her. Like always, she paid no attention to me and walked down to the bottom of the arena where the pony rides were. I stayed up in the corridor searching for them to just get a glimpse of my baby and her baby within the crowds of other parents. I noticed that my daughter was next to a crowd of people strapping on harnesses for Victoria to ride a pony. I honestly couldn't believe it! She is only 7 months old and she is enjoying what other kids way-older than her- are enjoying. My daughter and a helper walked in a circular-motion following a circle of ponies attached to one another. Victoria enjoyed every minute! Soon the ride was over and she had to leave her pony. I was hoping that she would come back up to where I was standing but they were

surrounded by a bunch of clowns that took pictures with my grand daughter. If she was scared she never let it show. Then my daughter took her to get her face painted in the form of a cat. Yes she was young but I am so glad that my daughter introduced her to that type of social action. She didn't cry or become irritated. She just smiled and was very attentive. Basically she people-watched. As I sit here trying to find the words to put into this blog, I smile to the fact that my daughter had shown me what a true parent does. Its never too early to make memories with your babies.

I am proud of the mommy that she is becoming.

How much is too much baby TV time?

If I read another article about how television damages our children's way of thinking, I am literally going to scream. I mean, there is nothing wrong with watching an educational video with your grand child. Or am I wrong? True, sitting your grand child in front of the TV so you can get the house done or chat with your friends online isn't what this is about. Sure they want a bit of a break so they can do some personal things. Ok..ok this is what this article is about. I've read up on a few subjects and I think I have found an alternative way to appease both the parent and the child. I realize every generation after generation says the same thing: the younger generation is in a world of trouble. Yes. This is true as well. But as we help our children raise their children (in my case, they both live with me), I have to think like both a 'grand parent' and a 'parent' when Victoria is in my care. While my daughter is trying to spend quality time with her daughter before she goes to work or attends a class in college, I have to keep her mind occupied during my time with her. I understand she is now 5 months old. Wow! Another month she will be half a year old! (But I digress.) I wish I had learn to do this when my daughter was her age. As many grandparents often do, I could kick myself in the seat of my pants when I think of all the things I feel like I 'robbed' my child when she was young. Thank (enter your deity here) I have been given the opportunity to rectify it through Victoria. I am not saying I was a neglectful mother. I was young and youthfulness isn't always a good thing. My sister who teaches children before they start kindergarten (to prepare them for that big milestone) told me before Victoria was born that their brains are evolving on a daily basis. That is kind of a 'no-brainer'. In so many words, I believe the great Eleanor Roosevelt said, “You learn something new everyday”. But how can she learn something new if I don't help initiate her learning process? Stick her in front of a television? That definitely won't do. If I did that, I would be robbing another generation in my family of critical thinking and I don't think that is fair. Not fair to my

daughter, my grand daughter and to the world. Schedules and routines are two different things I have found. A sleep schedule or an eating schedule is what Victoria follows (although it is very hard to follow when she is teething.) Routines are wonderful. They aren't 'time-pressing' and easy to follow. I have a routine set up for her as soon as her mother leaves for work that doesn't involve the television. I don't want to fall into that trap which I rely on the television screen to occupy her time. I want her to imagine, explore and ponder. Yes. I realize that she is still 5 months...True eventually she will become engaged in her saturday morning cartoons or watch YouTube videos (under strict guidance) but I want to prolong this as long as I can. There is nothing wrong with playing with puzzles or reading a book. Giving them the initiative to use hand-and-eye coordination opens up a lot of new avenues. Self-disciple is paramount in anyone's life and showing them early will help with their future. They also can become re-programmed to eventually become good listeners, learners, strengthen their fine motor skills, problem-solving abilities, become more creative and help them find a way to have self-worth with a better sense of self. As a grandparent, giving presents is what we live for, is it not? Giving the gift of 'focusing', 'creative thought' and cultivating it through the years is a present that is sure to develop self-assurance. http://www.janetlansbury.com/2010/07/a-creative-alternative-to-baby-tv-time/

5 things I have learned about my grand daughter Victoria Renee ~

Celebrating my grand daughter's up-coming 5th month of living (I can't believe 5 months!!) I have learned a lot of things about her that are very individual. Being so young and having such a strong personality so soon, she has given me the wonderful chance to learn about what her likes and dislikes are. 1. No matter how she sleeps (always on her back), Victoria finds a way to have her feet sticking out of the blanket with both arms high above her head. 2. Her favorite toy is a “Glow Worm” that my bestie gave her. Followed by a cloth maraca and a cloth rattle in the form of Winnie the Pooh. She also loves her "Prince George" or "George" while she is sleeping. 3. Victoria has a bad habit of pulling her hair when she is sleepy. Now she is starting to suck her thumb. We are desperately trying to refrain this. 4. I am an avid watcher of 'The Big Bang Theory”. 9 times out of 10, she is watching it with me. At any moment, i.e. changing her diaper, feeding her or just having tummy time on the floor, she hears the theme song and stops whatever she is doing just to watch the opening credits. 5. Her mother has successfully found all her ticklish spots. Originally I would guess that she would be ticklish on her chunky thighs but no. Mostly on her sides and her tummy followed by the bottom of her feet.

Coexisting with a baby and a kitty cat

Want to harness physical, social, emotional and cognitive development from your child? It can all be found by encouraging interaction with the family pet. It doesn't matter if it is a dog, cat, horse or goldfish, the main ingredient is a sense of companionship that is offered by animals. Having a pet is sometimes what everyone had as a child as they get interaction with warm fuzzy entertainment given by the animal. My 'pet of choice' was always a feline. As long as I can remember, I have always had a cat by my side. In bad times and good, my feline friends were always there for me when I felt like I was alone. We have a feline, as you know. His name is Shaddow. I have always loved all my cats in my past. But this cat has a very special place in my heart. I originally adopted/rescued him from the local Humane society in Palm Beach county along with my mother and daughter down in South Florida. Shaddow was originally rescued for my daughter but chose me as his favorite. We got him at six months although by the looks of body which dealt with malnutrition, he looked four months old. By the time he was nine months old, he had already learned how to fetch. We had taught him with cloth kitty toy balls as we threw them up the stairs, he would catch them and bring them downstairs to us. Now he is just a Tomcat, and old man. He has had his day. During the 6 of the 9 months, we made sure that we left blankets out for Shaddow to smell. Now, Victoria's scent wasn't on the items at this time but the smell of baby items were around so he would get used to knowing that our scents were different than the scent that was on the items. I wasn't expecting him to rub his face on these items but to understand that something or someone is arriving soon and to understand that our family is expanding, not excluding him. I really want him to learn this. While my daughter would work on the computer working on her college classes, she would invite Shaddow to sleep next to her. Her touch and scent obviously comforted him because he would sit by her constantly. Seeing them both sit on the couch made me think back to when she was a little girl and he was a kitten. My daughter played violin and cello. She went to a performing arts school during that time. Every time..and I mean every time she practiced her craft, Shaddow would come running from any place in the house just to sit in her empty case to sit and listen to her play. There are times when he would meow with the music as she ran the strings with the bow. We have wonderful memories with this feline. Finally the day to return home with our new bundle of joy, Shaddow was hanging around the house (probably sleeping in his

makeshift bed I prepared for him in my bedroom closet). After the family and friends have left us alone with our little entity, Shaddow came out of his secluded lair and came up to sniff Victoria's foot. Then he walked away uninterested. And that is what we wanted to happen. Still, even now the bedroom room is closed during sleep, including naps. Because even though we love him with all our hearts, he is still a feline. On a positive note, Shaddow is going to give her so many responsibilities. True, I did rescue Shaddow for my daughter to learn responsibilities but that was a moot point. Shaddow decided that I am going to be his alpha female or maybe he just views me as another cat. Whatever the case, he is going to do his part to help her grow. Emotionally, physically and mentally he will be there. All she has to do is grow.

4 month old checkup with Mommy and Daddy

Today Victoria had her 4 month check-up! Everything went well and Victoria is developing just fine. We were pretty surprised that our little porker weighed in at 17 pounds! But the real surprise is that she is 25 inches which puts her among the 95

percentile of her peers. Hopefully she will be a tall woman and with the latest statistics, it's a safe bet she will. My daughter addressed her concerns about her head always pointing to the left. She told her that she mainly uses her left side of her body..discovering her left foot, extending her left hand and waving it in a psychedelic way. The doctor reassured her that all babies choose different sides of their bodies individually and she has chosen her left. Daddy, mommy and I all let out a comforting sigh. At least now we know that she is developing at a good rate and yes..I hope that she turns out to be a lefty. We also found out that she has a birthmark behind her right ear on her head. This form of birthmarks are among 40,000 babies born each year. This birthmark is called Strawberry Hemangioma which appears shortly after birth. This type of birthmark soon disappears as the child reaches their seventh year of living. When my daughter observed it before, she was quite startled, thinking there was something growing on her child's head. “Well, Miss Priss. You, yourself have a birthmark as well. Its called Nevus Sebaceous.” She really does. As the day ended and my daughter was at work, Victoria was taking a nap in her crib. I've been wanting to set up her pack and play for so long. My bestie gave it to my daughter for Victoria. Fortunately I had time even though it kind of upset me. She is getting bigger. Growing up. She isn't that little newborn we brought home from the hospital. I let out a deep sigh and started to take apart the pack and play..or in my day (I'm really not that old) I have always called it a playpen. Isn't that what it is?

http://www.everydayhealth.com/kids-health-pictures/10-types-of-birthmarks.aspx#/slide-1

Victoria and her 3 month, 4 week milestones

Lately, we have been experiencing milestones with Victoria. She can now sit in her bouncer and reach for the dangling toys on the patted overhead bar. Well...a little bit. She actually grazes them with her left hand. As a grandmother, I think that is the best thing since sliced bread. Lol But what is even better is when she holds up her hands for me to pick her up. Its not a whole-hearted hands-out stretching-the-arms-out but its close. I see it. While it warms my heart so much, I wish she would hold her hands up to her mother who is always working. So. I mentioned that Victoria is going through a few milestones during her 3rd month of life. We want to believe she is teething. She shows all the signs except refusing food. (She is a member of this family; she never refuses food). Its hard to imagine all of the saliva that comes out of her mouth on a daily basis and then some. There is never a moment when she has a drop of saliva dangling from her bottom lip which, to me, signifies a baby. If we aren't careful and forget to put on a bib, you would find a big wet spot of drool on her shirt. Once we discovered a chaffed red ring around her neck from all the drool. A good friend of ours suggested baby powder but we found out that baby powder brings more bacteria to the 'fatty folds' and 'extra chins' that Victoria has gained over the 3 months of life. Mommy learned that using Desitin or some other form of diaper rash cream will do the job. She is also very fussy and bites on everything she can put in her mouth. Mommy decided to get a gallon storage bag and insert all of Victoria's teething rings 'just in case' and promptly put them in the freezer. We will never know if this is the reason of her little 'actions' but just in case, we keep this on the table. Victoria still does not like 'Tummy Time'. I've heard that most babies have a problem with this. When we place her on her stomach, she fusses. I shouldn't let this concern me. I've heard that some babies favor either side of their bodies and mostly use that side to view their surroundings. Victoria seems to favor her left side. Like I said before in the paragraph above, she uses her left hand to touch the dangling toys above her in her bouncer. I can tell when she is exhausted while playing or

watching “Baby Einstein” videos because she looks to the left. I Victoria Renee 6-30-14am assuming the left side of her neck muscles are tighter than her right. We have been helping her move her head to look straight, eventually looking right. This is a concern I hope her mother talks to the doctor about. She has her four month appointment in a few days to get her next series of her immunizations. So this means we are going to have to wait to see her roll over...maybe....because she could surprise us. She already does 'mini-scoots' and likes to see her surroundings in ways she couldn't before. As I mentioned before, her mother goes to work. I feel my daughter (and most working mother's) feel cheated because Victoria does pay attention to me more than her own mother. This is why I have to step back and let her mother care for her during the times when she is off of work allowing my daughter to bond with her mother. http://www.babycenter.com/0_your-3-month-olds-development-week-4_1477212.bc

Experiencing both sides of the generational fence

If there was one thing I have always wanted to do if Mamae was still alive would be to introduce her to the internet. I bet she would have loved the ability to chat with people from different countries or find that her inbox was filled with daily recipes for her to try...or critique. I have always heard from my mother that Mamae was an excellent cook. Not just excellent but rivaling with the likes of Anthony Bourdain, Emeril Lagasse, Wolfgang Puck or Jamie Oliver. She was that good. Believe me when I tell you I have heard plenty of stories. I was lucky enough to be born in a time when we didn't have to worry about checking-in to our parents every 15 minutes to be sure that we are safe. We came home from playing hide-and-go-seek or ghost-in-the-graveyard well after the streetlights turned on. We were able to drink out of a garden hose and not have our parents worry if there is some kind of metallic poison running through the water hose. I can remember living in Ft. Carson, CO as a six year old sitting in the front seat of the car without a seatbelt. But I am also very lucky to be a part of the technological age. There is no way I could live without my laptop or cell phone. I have departed ways with the days of cable television (or even rabbit ears for that matter). Like everyone else in the 21st century, my home phone is not attached to the wall...except when its charging. Even my own mother, who is a proud member of the 'baby boomers', would not be able to survive without her Netflix running through her Wii on her smartTV. Still...she needs her cable in her life. That is probably the only thing from her past that she still holds dear to her heart. I, however am trying to break free from the cable company. Have you ever met a person in their 60s that texts with their loved ones on a regular

basis? She Facetimes us when we are giving the baby a bath or other times when Victoria does something new and wonderful. Technology is a wonderful thing so far. And I am so glad I got to experience both sides of the fence.

Victoria the Water Baby

Its summertime in the northern hemisphere of our wonderful home and with the beauty of the weather, we all want to go out and play. What? You say babies can't? Oh they certainly can (with a lot of precautions). The leaves on the trees have finally emerged from their deep sleep, the bees (although very scarce) are buzzing around the flowers hoping to get pollen and spread it around. I guess that is why I love bees so much. There is a light breeze flowing in the air and the sun seems to dance around a few cirrus clouds in the sky. Yes, summertime is finally here for us to enjoy, even for babies.

When I gave birth to my daughter, it was the middle of summer in South Florida. It was hot, humid and I was miserable. My only daily ensemble that I wore was a tank top with shorts (and as most natives do) wore nothing but flip-flops. The only comfort that I could find would be in a room with an air conditioner. That was it. That was all I needed. Fortunately my daughter gave birth right before spring. The days were often over-cast with a cool breeze at night. Given the earlier phenomenon of the Polar Vortex, the predictions of the weather haven't been simple to forecast. The seasons are now upon us earlier on the East Coast of the US than before. But what about that hot sun? Isn't it funny that the sun is only in it's “middle-aged” years but to us, we often feel like a newly hatched egg on a hot sidewalk cooking ever-so-slowly? Last saturday, my daughter and Victoria were invited to a pool party. This was her first time without any parental advice and had to go at it alone. Understandably I was scared, but not as scared as I thought I would be. My daughter was well-equipped with mothering information. After all, she is the one with the instinct so why should I butt in? My daughter proved to me that she can tackle this 'mothering skill' and I have to have more faith in her. Getting her things together from room to room, I was following her with a mental checklist offering advice of what I would think she might need. After the advice was given to her, she prepared Victoria's diaper bag that has Winnie the Pooh across the front. A family member bought her some “swimmer” diapers for Victoria to wear while she was in the pool. Donned with sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat, my grand daughter was almost ready to go to the party. With a full diaper bag of regular size 2 diapers, wipes, 5 empty bottles, powder formula and a bottle of drinking water, she was set into her carrier that is also “Winnie the Pooh” print. Her ride (from a family member) finally came to pick her up. She was so excited that she can finally get out of the house and spend some quality time with family. Of course I was texting her every five minutes to ask if the air was on in the car on the way, was she too cold if the air, in fact, was on too much. I would ask if she was hungry or if it is time for her next feeding. Or even if she needed a diaper change and I am not there to do it. Still, I am only the grandmother. But my daughter came to her baby's rescue. I was happy to learn that she only had her in the sun for approximately 5 minutes, (just to take a few pictures) that she was indeed in a pool setting. Dressed in her long onsie, hat (that covered her neck as well), sunglasses and sunscreen, my daughter walked with her across the shallow end of the pool. She knew that you shouldn't keep a baby out in the direct sun and stayed for the next 10 minutes under the overhang of the pool deck. As soon as she got

home, Victoria was whisked away to a bath. My daughter knew that sunscreen wasn't good for baby's skin so she carefully washed it away with a wash cloth. After careful examination, Victoria was 'lotioned up' and fitted with a brand-new onsie as she sat in her lounger (better known as her throne).

The Wonderful New World of Educational Programs

There are so many things that Victoria can discover. She has made a new friend on her excursions. His name is Mr. Clock. Victoria is constantly cooing and smiling at Mr. Clock. Unfortunately Mr. Clock doesn't talk or smile back. Still. Victoria has made a friend. Also, Miss Victoria has just discovered something new. Her auntie and my best friend brought her a few videos that she thought she would be interested in. Guess what? She was interested in them! Victoria had watched the video “Little Einstein: Mozart” and the colors had excited her. The movement of the different colors excited her. This stimulation keeps her brain developing with color stimulation. I realize that she can not see patterns just yet but this helps her learn and exercise her senses.

Scheduling a seven week old

It seems like Victoria Renee came with instructions. Am I speaking too soon? Well, the child loves to sleep..and eat..and sleep some more. My daughter was like that. And Victoria's Nana, Daddy's mom confessed that he was a very easy child too. When people talk about 'children do not come with instructions', I assume they are speaking about their parental instinct. Some are stronger than others, I can imagine. But learning your child's language before they can speak seems to be a feat my daughter and daddy has already learned. It seemed so simple that I would like to think I know what Victoria is saying.

A few weeks ago, I was searching online on how one can start a sleeping schedule for their child. I've been racking my brain to remember how I put my daughter on a sleep schedule but unfortunately it has been too long. Luckily for my own forgetful mind, there is the internet. I've read almost every website dealing with 'what to expect' and I have come to the conclusion that this 'scheduling' is a personal thing. The cues I have learned from Victoria have been pretty easy to read. She prefers to be changed before eating?? (I thought that was the norm with babies.) She is also pretty active with the cooing and chatting, exploring and smiling after her bottle. I made it a habit to keep her upright for at least 20 minutes after eating. It has helped with the reflux which is now subsided. She has also made a little friend! Mr. Clock! We have a clock hanging up in the living room. She absolutely loves it! She stares at it constantly and even tries to coo at it as if she is having a conversation with only two of them in the room. But the best part of this whole scenario is that she began to smile....and Grandma Titi was the first one she smiled at!! All in all, she has a way of communicating with me without crying. She uses her eyes and I see that, just before she starts to smile on her face, I can see it forming in her eyes first. She's actually a pretty fun little person.

By now, Victoria can recognize different colors and shapes with detail. Just a little bit of detail. She mostly sits on her lounger to get a glimpse of Mr. Clock and her mother and I offer her rattles or hand-sized stuffed animals so she can become more stimulated with every new shape and design. After this, her mother lays a blanket on the floor, sets the toys around her and lays Victoria on her belly. I've heard this is a great way for them to get ready to crawl. I hear it is termed “Tummy Time”. It's great to see her try to lift her head and her arms try to support her upper-body. It must take so much energy away from her because she falls fast asleep as soon as she's done! For right now, she is comfortable and happy. Next week she goes in for her two-month check-up and will have to have immunizations. That will not be fun but it will keep her healthy.

The Easter Bunny: An Obtainable Goal

Boy! Are my dogs barking! What a fun day I had on Easter eve. This morning was no different from the rest, fixing bottles and preparing her diaper bag to spend the day with Victoria's daddy and her Nana. As we hurry to get ready to go see the elusive Easter Bunny, I make sure we have enough diapers and wipes while my daughter is getting her hair ready. This is Victoria's first Easter and we will get a picture even if we have to get an old stuffed animal out and set it next to her in the living room. But being parents and grandparents that we are, we want to make sure it is professionally done. At first, I thought it was silly to have a one-month old all gussied up to take a picture and not even know what was going on around her. I used to think that in my younger years. I remember when my daughter was still an infant, her father and I brought her to the mall to see Santa Claus. Well...her grandmother wanted a picture and I was too narrow-minded to see that they wanted a picture and enjoy their grandchild in the arms of Santa. Now I know how they originally felt. The night before my daughter's friend posted something on Facebook about the Easter Bunny and pictures in the mall of our little town. We made plans with Daddy and Nana to accompany us to achieve our goal. As we were walking into the courtyard in the mall, we noticed....nothing. No long lines, no kids running around chasing one another, no bows of pink and green to signify 'come take a picture with the Easter Bunny'. Nothing. My daughter went up to an employee to ask if the Easter Bunny already came for a visit to the mall. The lady looked at her and said, “We have decided not to have the Easter Bunny here this year.” This year? My grand daughter is finally born and you decide that you aren't going to have the Easter Bunny come to your mall this year?? Nana and I did not take the word 'NO'. Back to the car we go. We also heard about a park nearby and they were hosting the Easter Bunny. It was our town's Park and Recreation. If we hurry, we can finally lay our 'grandparent' eyes on this elusive Easter Bunny and snap a picture with him holding our bundle of joy. We see many people walking with their kids to their cars as they carry baskets of eggs and other belonging, collecting their children from running out into the street. We parked the car and I walked up to a bystander. I asked her if the Easter Bunny was going to show up today. “You missed him an hour ago! He was here but left!” I turned to Nana and threw my hands in the air. Nana wasn't going down without a fight either. We are going to see this child with an Easter Bunny even if we have to dress up like one ourselves and take a picture! Back at Nana's house, we had a lovely dinner: steak with baked potatoes and corn on the cob. It was good for us to gather our strength while we decide to go to the next city to see if they have an Easter Bunny on display. Nana called the mall clerk and received some good news. We found out that one of the bigger malls does have a professional Easter Bunny (and the best part is we can get pictures!) It was 20 minutes away but that didn't stop us. As we pulled into the mall, we could see a lot of people walking back and forth going into the doors of the mall, exiting the building. I was prepared to wait in line, no matter how long, just to see Victoria and the Easter Bunny. Walking into the courtyard, there is the Easter Bunny we have been searching for all day!!! AND the line wasn't long. I noticed people with baby carriages taking out their babies for the Easter Bunny to hold. I didn't feel so bad after that.

I want Victoria to know that there are so many people out there that care about her. That care about her being HERE. The love that her Nana and I express for her is so powerful. We are the lucky ones. We are Victoria's hip grandmothers.

Never Ending Sleepless Nights

There inside a baby's crib is a beautiful angel...an angel that refuses to sleep at night. How did this happen?? This little creature that I love to cuddle and hold against my body is an active night-owl in sheep's clothing. There has to be a better way before I go insane. Before my daughter goes insane. I understand that we couldn't set a sleep schedule before because she was still a newborn. Thank heavens she has grown enough to step out of that category, or so I thought. It has been a ritual now that I go to bed early, my daughter stays up with Victoria til the wee hours of the morning. Then I wake up about 6 A.M. and let my daughter go to bed while I stay up and have bonding time with Victoria. Those days might be over.... So now we have to get on task. In order to have this child become a day person (which I am not and never have been), I am going to have to get strict with myself and strict with my grand daughter. Having said that, I have taken the liberty to research on how to keep an infant awake during the day. This will not be a fun ride but I have a feeling that the outcome will benefit us all in the long run. I understand that I have to be patient with her; it won't happen overnight. Even if she's up most of the night, I have to stick with the time my daughter thinks is best. For right now, that time will be 8 A.M. We are instructed to keep the shades open while she attempts to fall back asleep. Gosh that seems so barbaric....she cries in frustration because she can't get what she needs....or wants. I am going to have to play lively music during the day or even have the television on. Noise is going to happen in our home anyway. She will just have to deal with the fact that we aren't censoring ourselves anymore.

As the days and/or weeks go on while we are striving for our goal of having her sleep at night rather than the day, we keep in mind that this feat isn't going to happen overnight. Patience is going to play a big part in this scenario but united with my daughter, we will help my grand daughter through this. http://www.babycenter.com/404_my-baby-is-up-all-night-and-sleeps-all-day-how-can-i-get-him_3129.bc

One month old and her instructions are clearer!!!

Ok. Ok. By now you know how excited I am about this little bundle of joy. What you don't know is all the things she has had to deal with through this whole month. If you can remember, she had to deal with constipation in (what is my opinion) the worst way. She was rushed to Children's Hospital in Knoxville only to get her first x-ray showing that she was engorged. After an enema and five diapers later, she was good to go home. Her mother then made an appointment with her doctor and had been instructed to use oatmeal cereal (1 tsp per 1 ounce) and that should help with the constipation. It did help...until the following week when we had the next problem...gas! Newborns come home to parents that wish these babies came with instructions. Sometimes even the grandparents are at a loss to what the newborn is actually crying about. Just like everyone else in the free world, we have all the information we will ever need at our fingertips. Google, Bing, Yahoo....the list does go on. Poor baby had been dealing with acid reflux! I did notice when she refusing her pacifier after a certain amount of time. It probably had acid from her tummy on it. Again, her mother made an appointment to her pediatrician to rectify this problem. She was given liquid Zantac. Zantac! For a baby? I've never heard of anything like that but I do hear that it does work and has been prescribed to a lot of babies dealing with this problem. I didn't have this problem when my daughter was an infant so again, this was all new to me. Now that we are at the 'month' mark of her little life so far, she seems so much healthier and happier. She does sleep a lot (especially throughout the night) with one feeding at 5 A.M. Maybe her 'instructions' are a bit easier for us to read. After all, every baby is different and a new individual. But then again, I heard newborns can get cranky if they need more sleep. I suppose she isn't ready to stay awake most of the day. This is the main reason we acquired a swing.

I've heard that swings can help with tired babies to rock them. And a little fact that I, myself have learned about Victoria. She likes music. Yes..she is put in her swing and rocks back and forth. She should be good, right? No. She calms down once the music is playing. After eating, I sit her in her lounger (I call it her throne) to help keep extra acid down and help her digest the last bottle she has been given. I do this for about 20-30 minutes. Then I put her in her swing and she listens to her music and eventually falls asleep. It sounds crazy but Victoria actually enjoys her music playing. (It must be from listening to the Beatles and Baroque music while she was in her mommy's stomach.) I agree that it is.

One small step for babies...One giant leap for Victoria

There are many things to be thankful of in my life. Victoria is one of them. She is basically the sun in my whole universe. Its unfortunate that I have to 'pull back' a little when I hear her whining in her crib while her mother picks her up to hold her. I want to be the one to do that for her. Realizing that her mother has been up every two hours with little Victoria, I wake up from a comfortable nights sleep. I Sleeping Beautyhear her whine in the crib (she doesn't have the chance to cry because she is rescued from hunger by her mother) as I let her mother sleep in so I can have that one-on-one time with my beautiful grand daughter. I suppose that is my way of getting what I want. Hee hee!

Victoria is definitely not a crying baby as of yet. She does, however have a whine that sounds a little over-dramatic which is why I refer to her as a 'drama queen'. And her name is Victoria. How appropriate! As I tiptoe by her crib with a nice warm bottle of a mixture of breast milk and formula, I turn off the sound machine my bestie gave my grand daughter (to drown out any foreign noises). Awake and alert is what I find! She is trying to turn over. So young! I remember she did that the first week of being home. My mother mentioned that I was constantly doing that as well. My daughter is sitting up from her pillow and I tell her to “stay in bed, I will change and feed the baby.” My own bonding moment with the Queen!

A very helpless feeling

Here I am. The grandmother of a 10 day old infant. Although I have been getting enough sleep, the 'every two-hour' feeding time has not yet bothered me. Looking at her face mesmerizes me every time I hold that little bundle of joy. She is such a good baby; always sleeps, never cries and has a great little disposition as of late. Both families are truly blessed with her. I am in charge of cleaning and preparation of the bottles. My daughter has decided to breastfeed but also use formula. We have already gotten the 'green light' from the pediatrician to do this. She seems to be satisfied with two ounces every feeding: one ounce of formula and one ounce of her mother's milk. But we have noticed something missing: it has been ½ a day since she has had a regular healthy bowel movement. I know this is not something one should blog about. If anything, I would love to hear some advice. I am in route to the store to get her some Karo syrup for her tummy. We tried gas drops last night but still little pellets are found in her diaper. She is having so much trouble staying comfortable that she seems to always lay on her side. Imagine what my little grand baby is going through....still...she doesn't cry about it.

Wanna know a great place to shop for baby supplies? Remember to hit this consignment shop!

When I just moved up to Tennessee to be with my sister and her family, she gave me some really good advice on where to go to buy baby and children's clothes and equipment. I would see her come home from shopping capturing really good deals for her boys to wear to school, church functions and on weekend outings. I couldn't believe she told me about a consignment shop. Where I come from, the consignment shops are very small and do not have much to offer in cleanliness and quality.“Have you ever heard of 'Once Upon a Child?” she asked. To be truthful, my daughter was in high school and I never predicted that I would have to shop for children's clothes in the near future. So here I am helping my daughter 'hunt and gather' baby supplies for my grand daughter Victoria. As I am scouring the internet or Brick and Mortar shops, I then remembered the advice my sister gave me years ago. Victoria's BouncerOnce Upon a Child is a consignment shop that buys and sells gently used toys, clothing and baby furnishings that allow you to acquire quality merchandise for such a great price. These products that they sell are of

value and they always meet the standards with their products to be sure they are not on recall. Remember, these products are from your area, as in they buy products that are gently used from local parents whose children grew out of these stages of clothes. Once Upon a Child buys them for a good price and all you have to do is stop in to one of their many consignment shops and browse. It isso nice to finally find a children's boutique that will buy your gently used children's items by making an offer, selling the items for you. It is their way of 'paying it forward' for the rest of society. Personally while I was walking in the aisles of their store, I found so many cute baby clothes, children's clothes (both boy and girl), baby strollers, carriers, baby bathtubs and so much more. I did buy a few onsies from the infants aisle for little-to-nothing. And I also purchased a bouncer for $6! It is a steal! I couldn't believe how affordable Once Upon a Child is on my wallet. Think of shopping for your children. Think of an up-coming baby shower that you are invited to. Think of your nieces or nephews that could benefit from Once Upon a Child. Think of being able to give back to your neighborhood consignment shop called Once Upon a Child. You will be glad that you did. http://www.onceuponachild.com/

Understanding Hypermesis and wanting it to stop.....NOW!

Having to watch my only child nauseous on a daily basis is so hard to look at. In a perfect world, I wish mothers-in-waiting would not have to deal with changes in their bodies or disruptions of their mental state. There would be fewer stories about the mother killing their own children or the notion that 'they are going crazy' only if they were given attention. Fortunately, my daughter has a very strong support system all around her to help her through such troubled times. Although she will Locket Grampa Joe and Grandma Cheryl got mommyhave to experience these things, she has a strong family that will always be there in her time of need. I hope she remembers that. On our last visit to the OBGYN, we were told that she has been dealing with Hypermesis Gravidarum, or simple 'Morning Sickness'. This is not so simple to deal with. Although my daughter has actually gained a few pounds in her pregnancy

(only 8 lbs due to the morning sickness since the beginning), she has been put on anti-nausea medicine and has been on bed-rest for the duration of her pregnancy. She has been able to eat a lot more and exercises frequently which I am glad and my stress-level has lowered a bit. Much of the population does not understand how severe this Hypermesis Gravidarum can be to an expectant mother and her unborn child. Not only is this severe form of nausea and vomiting during a period (or like my daughter's case) throughout the pregnancy term, but it has been described as preventing the adequate intake of the important foods and fluids that the mother and child need. If it is not treaded in a timely fashion, dehydration and nutritional deficiencies may happen, metabolic imbalances and difficulty with the daily activities can occur. Although HG is not fully understood and severely under examined, new theories and findings are emerging with every year. The finding are complex and it is thought to be a physiological disease caused by many factors. As the symptoms of the HG bring on other new symptoms, repeated vomiting and severe nausea rears its ugly head for a whole new set of other problems we have to worry about. Common complications can include debilitating fatigue, gastric irritation, ketosis and malnutrition. That, my friends is scary. Scary of not knowing what is going on inside my daughter's metabolism, scary to know this could potentially harm my grand daughter and scary to know there is little that I can do to combat it. How do you prevent this potentially life-threatening complications? As a mother, I want to take this pain and suffering that she is enduring...and experience it for myself so she doesn't have to. This is not over... For more in-depth information about Hypermesis Gravidarum or Morning Sickness, please visit: http://www.helpher.org/hyperemesis-gravidarum/ http://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancycomplications/hyperemesisgravidarum.html http://www.babycentre.co.uk/a1018905/hyperemesis-gravidarum