Communication Breakdown? No, We Understand Each Other.

I sent a text early this morning to my daughter but I soon realized that my 2 1/2 year old grandson was answering me instead.

Me: I'm coming over Thursday
?: Lakla
?: Jjjj5jjjjj

?: Tut

Me: That u Phoenix?
Phoenix: Tj,bill

Me: Nsjbfkjgklwq
Phoenix: Re:Lillltiv

Me: Good job, Phoenix.
Phoenix:Hick1alb.bb22.a2acababa<22B.aca<22.ca.ca;B

Me: I love you, Phoenix.
Phoenix: Jjjj5jjjj.lag.lib.llik

two pumpkins!

Originally uploaded by sujacojust a little blurry but was enough to satisfy this Grammy who's been missing them across the mountain.

Halloween Day

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

I'm just finishing lunch and settling in to read my email and blogs and news. Phoenix has his pumpkin outfit on and Skyler sent me this photo.

I'm able to accommodate about 100 Trick or Treeters tonight. So, what's new with you? Are you staying in or going out? Got any photos to show us?

Phoenix & his Monkey

Taken at night while sleeping, Phoenix hugging his dear Monkey. He will be a year old in two more weeks, September 9.

Phoenix Laughing

Click here to hear my grandson Phoenix

To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate?

So much conflict surrounding vaccinations nowadays. I didn't give it any thought when my kids were small. Of course, there wasn't any controversy then. Today it's also common to NOT get the shots.

Mother told me today that she gave me my shots. She was a RN and picked up the meds at the pharmacy with the doctor's okay. She would give me a bottle right away and I wouldn't fuss much at all, she said.

I still have two worn cards that verify all the shots of my two children. I still remember crying with my first one when he got his first shots. The vaccination cards follow them to the first day of school, and when they sign up for sports, etc.

Today Phoenix (my grandson) got his first set of shots. Skyler had been deciding whether or not to do them. It's scary for the parent that takes the child and then braces them for a series of shots but all is well.

Another milestone in the life of my first grandson.

Cutest Baby In The World

Grandson, Phoenix, 9 months old, chilling in the tubby.

The Baby Whisperer

I was on the phone a moment ago with my grandson and daughter. Phoenix likes to grab the phone and talk jibberish to me. All of a sudden he began to WHISPER to me! Isn't that wild? I've never heard a wee one (8 mos) whisper before. It was so cute.

Then he went back to jabbering again. So adorable.

5 Months Old

* Look at my baby boy. Skyler captured this shot of Phoenix sticking out his tongue this morning.

* It was fun being #1 while it lasted. UT lost to Vanderbilt last night so I'm sure they won't hold that spot by next Monday when the newest AP top 25 NCAA poll comes out. I had to turn off at the last 3 minutes. I get so emotionally invested sometimes.

* We got a little snow this morning. The surrounding mountains may get several inches before the day's through. I'm traveling in the morning over those mountains so I hope the highways are clear by then.

Soon....

I'm going to go pick up Phoenix today. Goodbye quietness, sleep, and sanity. Hello slobbery kisses, midnight rocking love, and tears of pure joy. I'm feeling blessed.

By The Time I Get To Phoenix - part deux

I'm dealing with a stomach virus that has plagued me since about 3am this morning and has left me as weak as a kitten. I was going to keep sweet Phoenix for the weekend, but we're postponing that until Monday.

Skyler will pry the little darling from her and let him stay with his Grandmother for a few days. I'm excited about it. A four-month old totally in my care for 3 days and nights.

Hold up. Did I just say "a four month old totally in my care for 3 days and nights?"

YIKES!

If he gets along alright being away from his Mommy, we may do this one weekend out of the month. She may have to pry the little darling from me.

Skyler & Phoenix Have Gone Home

My little grandson and daughter got to stay a good long visit with me but they left today.

In the 2 weeks or so they were here I got to see him change so much. He laughs a lot now and he is a happy, smiling baby when he's not fussing for his bottle or because he wakes up and needs a fresh diaper. He always smiles when he sees Skyler come near him.

He learned to roll from belly to back and from back to belly and began jabbering a lot more. But mostly he just is. His existence is remarkable enough for me.

Phoenix Update

Part of the reason this blog exists is because it's fun to document family memories and milestones and have them in a journal to look back on.

My grandson who's 10 weeks old is changing by the day it seems. He's smiling now and it's not just gas that's making him do so. ha! It's neat to watch him and feed him and have that eye to eye contact. We "talk" back and forth and he trying to form words and watches my mouth move so intently. The first sounds he's made is "Goo" and "ah-goo" and several more indescribable sounds.

Yesterday I started the 'visiting the farm' thing where you say, "The cow goes.... MOOOOOOO! And the cat goes MEEE-OOOOWWWWW!" And he grins and grins. What a joy.

Phoenix Rising Napping

Mr Phoenix came to see me last night. He and Skyler are staying for a couple of days. He's 14 lbs and 10 weeks old and has the sweetest smile you ever saw.

Sore Tongue

I spoke to my darling daughter last night and she informed me that my grandson Phoenix was teething. "At 6 weeks?" I wanted to ask, but in my trying-to-bite-my-tongue Grandmother attitude I said something like, "Oh, really? Tell me more about it".

I'm thinking it's more like 6 months, but after just now looking it up it IS possible to begin at 2 months but typically it's between 5 - 7 months.

She goes for a serious doctor visit Monday to have a colposcopy and we are all holding our breath. They found suspicious cells during a pap smear while she was pregnant but they couldn't do this colposcopy exam until after the baby and then she had to heal for 6 weeks. They have to do a biopsy-- take out some tissue and examine it.

She has been petrified that this might prevent her from having more children. If ever anyone was cut out to be a loving, nurturing Mother it is her. Bless her loving heart. She's such a good girl and she's trying so hard to be a super mom and super girlfriend right now. And she is so much in love.

Love? I remember young love. It's so good to see your daughter in a loving healthy relationship. Love really is the answer, you know. That's one of my mantras but that's a blog post for another time.

(UT won and the Red Sox are ahead by 4 in the 8th)

Happy Birthday, So Long Dear Ones

My sweet daughter and grandson moved away today 220 miles to where her boyfriend's job takes him for now. Sigh... I kept hoping they would be able to stay around here or in Asheville (58 miles away), but it's not to be. For now. And I hope they are able to move back here before long.

She's pretty excited about a new chapter in her life and is looking on it as an adventure and making new friends; eventually finding work again and fixing up her nice apartment. Sometimes people do things the unconventional way. At least they sometimes do in my family. Have a baby first, set up housekeeping, and then get married. And who's to say what's right and what will last. We all seem to follow our hearts and I always say that when you do something based in love, it's really hard to find fault with it. That is my universal truth. Or one of many I've spoken about with my children.

So today Skyler stepped out in faith. (Another one of my simple truths.) She and her fiancé have some challenges ahead but they're optimistic and hard working and are good people.

As I wander through my modest, cozy home tonight I recall how when my life wasn't always stationary I knew that I had a home to return to with family who loved me. It warms my heart to know she always has a place to come home to as well.

I love you baby.

Phoenix - October 4, 2007

Phoenix - October 4, 2007
Originally uploaded by sujaco.

I love this little guy so much. He and Skyler are moving away tomorrow. sigh...

How about a quiz?

Okay... place these names in order of their age-- youngest to oldest, oldest to youngest.

Skyler
Hattie
Susan
Jayne
Phoenix

It's pretty much a slam dunk, right? Isn't it funny how names become generational. For instance, you wouldn't see a baby born today named Susan or see an elderly lady named Phoenix, etc.

I'll place the names in their proper order:

Hattie: my grandmother
Jayne: my mother, also my middle name
Susan: moi
Skyler: my daughter
Phoenix: Skyler's son

Does your family tree come out the same way?

5 days old

whatchulookingat::5 days old
Originally uploaded by sujaco.

When I'm away from Phoenix I find myself lingering over his photos and counting the days until I see him again. What an enormous feeling of completeness, satisfaction, peace I feel since he came into our lives.

Love and Hope

Oh, baby boy... what a joy.

I drove over the (NC) mountain this morning and had breakfast with Skyler and Phoenix at Denny's. Phoenix's carrier fitted nicely into the high chair device that they had there. Of course, his bottom didn't linger in it very long before he began squirming and wet his diaper and got hungry.

Skyler (amidst her ADD and all) was very prepared with a bottle full of expressed Mommy's milk ready for him so she fed him and then whisked him off to the changing table in the ladie's room to freshen him up. She had Daddy go to WalMart at 5:00 am the other morning for a breast pump.

It is a pure joy to see the world through her new Mother eyes. Everybody offers the baby and Mother a smile or comment. I told her that she now belonged to a very special club where membership has its privileges -- The Mother's Club.

A baby will invite total strangers to start a conversation with you. We find it so much easier to talk to someone with a baby. I wish we could always feel so at ease to strike up conversations with strangers on the street.

A baby gives you hope. A baby will remind us that sometimes through the miasma of twisted evil in the world there are also miracles and blessings wrapped up in love and hope.