to a new nine months

The last nine months is over.... like my husband said, it was like every ounce of life and joy was sucked out of our beings day after day after day..... It was hard to describe how horrible it was in our household having Brianna here, but that is so an accurate description. Life being sucked out of us. It feels so good to be able to breathe again!

But we are ready to move on and enjoy the good life once again! And now that the past nine months is behind us.... we have a new nine months to look forward to.... I just learned last night that I'm going to be a grandma! First time. What good news after what we've been through these past nine months! Woo hoooo!!! Oh, I should probably say, for those of you who know me and my children.... that it is Bucky and Michelle expecting. Michelle is excited and Bucky is skeptical.... but that's normal; it is a scary time for sure. But they both have great family values and will be loving, caring parents. And I am thrilled for them!

Some of my best memories of growing up were of my grandparents. My mother's parents lived on a farm and were hard working people. Grandma did all their own canning and whenever we went to visit, we looked forward to opening up a jar of canned Rainier cherries! My dad's mother always had a glass (see through) jar of chocolate eclair cookies. Still my favorite to this day although you can no longer find them.

I know as a grandma I will have certain obligations and responsibilities..... like making sure I always have cookies in the house.... that I'm willing to babysit on a moment's notice.... that I can talk about all the new and crazy children's tv shows, songs, cartoon characters, and books..... Am I ready for this new role? I don't know! I'm still stuck on Mr. Rogers and Sesame Street! Are those shows even on still? Can you still buy Golden Books??? And what are my grandkids going to think of me when I tell them they can't watch The Simpsons, MTV, or other shows that I might think are inappropriate? Lordy lordy.... the pressure's on for sure.... Are there books for grandparents to read to learn the do's and don'ts of modern day grandparenting????

I'm going to have to bring out the craft projects, the cookie cutters, the children's books; not to mention hitting garage sales for toys and games and outside yard tools and tricycles and books and oh oh oh.... so much to do to live up to my end of the deal!

So out with the past nine months and in with the next nine months!

On another note, this is Chippy, my resident squirrel. Isn't he cute? I just have to be extra careful not to leave the sliding glass door open otherwise I'm certain he would come inside to visit.... He also climbs my screen door and looks in the house to get my attention.

And this is one of Stellar Blue Jays, looking in the door.... wanting peanuts.... They're relentless at bugging me! If I'm sitting at the dining room table, they're sitting on the porch railing, gawking at me, or flying in front of the windows trying to get my attention. They know a sucker when they see one.