KICKIN IT!

On Saturday Oct 16th Elatia finally felt the baby kick! How excited are we!? A. freakin very! Now she feels her kick all of the time. On Tuesday Nov 2nd as JR was getting ready to paint a turkey on Elatia's belly, oh yes, we have belly paintings. JR has to try and out do my nieces in Ireland with their preggo belly paintings! Quite the competitive and creative family we have here!

I too finally got to feel her kick! It was such an amazing feeling! I felt my granddaughter move! Right when I think I can't get anymore excited...BAM! I get hit with more excitement! AND there's more to come! Becoming a grandparent is like the best thing EVER! Maybe it is because you are older and wiser and can see the bigger picture, who knows, but it's AWESOME!

Since our cuz was here we had Fakesgiving before she left, hence the turkey belly painting, and we put up our Christmas tree. That was our tradition at Thanksgiving when Andrew was here. Andrew would put the tree up the night before and then we'd decorate it together on Thanksgiving Day while he helped me cook. I miss those days so much.

Since Andrew's friends aren't around here anymore we decided to do it while Chrissy was here. We went out to get more decorations for the tree since I re-did the tree last year & it needed a little more balls...that don't sound right but that's all I got for now. The tree is now a PureHeart tree with green & gold balls & bows with white lights. I saw these pretty glittery green stars. I bought 6, 1 for each of us. It was nice to have to get 2 more to add to our family. One for JR, and one for "She who must not be named," which brings me to the fact they still don't have a name picked! ugh! I don't get it! I had Elatia's name picked when I was 15yo! She did have names picked but she reneged on both of them. grrrrrrrrrr Oh well, she who must not be named will eventually have a name and hopefully we'll love it!

I also bought "She Who Must Not Be Named" a little Princess stocking for this year. I couldn't resist! I have to re-do our stockings now. I have to write Granda on Martin's that says Daddy, mine has got to say Grammy C under Mommy, Waish's (her nickname) has got to say Mommy now, "The Muck's" has got to say Uncle Muck, and we have to get JR one.

After Andrew left it was such a HUGE loss, and I didn't think my family would grow bigger. Family has meant everything to me my whole life but it has always eluded me. I was told at 8yo my family didn't love me anymore and I lost grandparents and uncles, aunts & cousins. I was left with only an abusive step father, a beaten down mother and a wounded sister. Not a mix for a happy family life or childhood. My mother and sister never recovered from it, which is why we don't have a relationship now. I chose to heal it, they chose to bury it, well try to, it just shows up in other ways until you do heal it. So I figured screw it I'll make my own family and I did and I was happy with it until one major player left and I didn't think my own personal family would ever feel right again. Now we have 2 new people in our family with the hope of more! My family won't ever feel complete without Andrew physically here, but there is a lot of healing going on with this little girl coming into our family and for that I am very grateful! She is coming into a happy, loving, healthy, functioning, family and that makes me very happy!

IT'S SO GOOD IN THE GRAMMY-HOOD!

THE BEAT GOES ON!

I am so behind on my blogging. So much has happened Between work then our cuz Chrissy coming over from Ireland, I've been too busy to write.

Elatia bought a fetal heart monitor so we could hear the heart beat. Elatia would sit and listen to it for 30 mins at a time. She loves listening to her daughter's heart beat. As the baby has grown, her heart beat has been easier to hear. Now we can hear her kick and let me tell you, she can kick! It can hurt your ear drums when she kicks just right. Elatia loved having that monitor since she wasn't feelin her kick.

Elatia's belly is starting to pop but not as much as my friend's daughter who is due at the same time. Elatia doesn't really look pregnant in her work clothes but she does in her regular clothes. We are just so excited! It is such a bazaar feeling to think about having a granddaughter! I love this bazaar feeling! Martin and I are so psyched about becoming grandparents. We are making all kinds of plans for her.

We have to tone down the clothes shopping but it is so hard! Elatia needs more baby supplies now, not clothes but none of us can help ourselves! There's just too many cute baby girl clothes to pass up.

IT'S ALL GOOD IN THE GRAMMY-HOOD!

IT'S GRAMMY & GRANDA'S TURN....

TO SHOP! That is the right of passage into grandparent hood isn’t it? Shop till you drop for your grandbaby. It feels so surreal to be in this stage of my life, a grandparent. I’ve been hoping for it, dreaming about it, looking forward to it, and now that it is here, it feels so weird! Wonderfully exciting but weird. Just like it feels weird for Elatia to think of herself as a mother. That’s always been my title, well for the last 30 or so years. It’s weird to think of myself as a grandmother.

Today is Martin’s day off so I suggested we check out Macy’s because I heard from a guy at work that they had great prices on baby clothes. We went and I wasn’t too impressed with the clothes prices but we found a few things we liked. I gotta go back and get the pink piggy bank that says, “Little Princess” on it.

It would appear that we all have themes we will be dressing her up in. Martin is going to rock her out with outfits with guitars and rock star on them. Me? Glam, punk, and princess stuff. Sherri, things that looks like it’s in the clown family, you know, things with colorful circles on them.

Andrew had a hand in an outfit I picked out today, although Martin and I didn’t realize it until we got home and Andrew pointed it out to Martin. It says on this lime green w/hot pink trim onsie, “Nuts For Grandma” Then there’s a squirrel holding an acorn. You'd have to have been reading my other blog about Andrew on healive.org to know how funny that really is. Well, that was Andrew’s way of letting us know he was right there with us shopping today. I didn’t notice the squirrel because, quite frankly, 1. I was focused on the Grandma part and 2. The squirrel is pretty small and in my defense, Grammy C’s eyes ain’t what they use to be! Man! That second one was hard to admit! Half the battle is admitting it right?

We look forward to more Grammy C, Granda Marts, & Uncle Muck shopping dates for our Wee Woman in the near future!

IT'S ALL GOOD IN THE GRAMMY-HOOD!

SHOPPIN IN THE GRAMMY-HOOD

I met with J.R.'s mother, Sherri on Oct 1st for lunch then some Grammy shoppin. I think it is important for the grandparents to get along. I figured since my granddaughter has 2 grandmothers, I better get to know the other one. I mean, the other grandmother, Sherri, is a part of our family now, as is her family, and my granddaughter is going to spend time with her, I want to know her and have a relationship with the other grandmother. What a gift for our granddaughter to have grandmothers that get along and work together in the her best interest. Well that's my goal anyway! Elatia and JR need all the help they can get. I honestly believe it does take a village to raise a child. What better gift to give a child than grandparents that work and shop together.

Sherri & I had lunch first at Olive Garden to get to know one another a little bit, I really enjoyed her company, then it was off to JC Penny's. Well, those little girls clothes are just so darn cute! With Sherri being a clown, she was picking clothes that had colorful circles on them, they were really cute. Me being me, I was looking for more rocker and or goddessie kinda clothes. FOUND THEM! I found a cool glam outfit for next Christmas. Sherri & I both agreed she is our Little Princess so anything like that has our vote! Of course anything that said Grandma or Grandpa on it got my attention. Sherri has an embroidery machine so we can have anything embroidered with Grammy and Granda instead of Grandma or Grandpa. Sherri is thinking about going by Mimi. Grammy shoppin with the other grandmother is a lot of fun! Looking forward to doing more of that.

With Sherri, and her husband, Dave being clowns and us being psychics and comedians, this child will never be bored! We also make Elatia and J.R. look normal! This little girl is always gonna have the best birthday parties! There will always be a clown there!

Hmmm why haven't I called my granddaughter by her name yet? BECAUSE SHE DOESN'T HAVE ONE! Martin said he's just gonna call her "Wee Woman." At the mo I'm callin her "she who must not be named." Elatia and JR don't appear to be in any hurry to pick a name. They may even leave it until she is born! They're killin me! I wanna know her name already! Jayzus! I had Elatia's name picked since I was 15yo! I want to feel the vibration of her name. Ok, how woo woo was that? But I don't care! Knowing her name I can get into her energy more. Wow, I just can't stop this woo woo stuff. Woo woo is what woo woo does.

It's just been so exciting planning the arrival of my granddaughter. I didn't think I could get anymore excited but I have and I am. I look at that 3D scan and see her and there are no words to describe the joy I feel. I show her off to everyone! This is such an epic win for Martin and I. It really has given us a new lease on life and it feels so great to feel this way again!

IT'S ALL GOOD IN THE GRAMMY-HOOD

EPIC SHOCKER!

We have a granddaughter! Who knew? NOT me apparently! What a shocker! EVERYTHING pointed towards a boy! But it was way cool to be soooo surprised! I knew we had a girl coming in but didn't think she'd be first! We were all so shocked! I think part of the shock was actually seeing the baby, she is REAL! It's just so amazing! I am still flying high from the sonogram today!

When we went to the prenatal spa and did the scan, they put it on a big screen. I taped it. It is the best movie I've ever seen! It was mesmerizing to watch her move her hands, head, mouth, it was so cool! We stared at it and just couldn't believe that was our grand daughter up there and Elatia and J.R. couldn't believe that was their daughter. It was so surreal! The tears did flow. Well I am exhausted from being so deliriously happy and will continue this story, but you have the cliff notes for now.

IT'S SO GOOD IN THE GRAMMY-HOOD!

TOMORROW! TOMORROW! ....

We find out tomorrow, it's only a day away! *Sung like Annie* Yep! Even more excited now that the day is approaching. I am planning my outfit tonight because I want to make sure I look good on camera. :-D I want to video us getting ready, picking up Elatia and J.R. getting to the facility, the actual scan etc! I feel like Shannon Tweed on Family Jewels. What a gift Shannon has given her family with the home movies. Yea, I'm sure her kids haven't always been amused by them, especially being broadcast on TV, but I know they will love those movies later. I'm sorry I didn't tape my kids more. Considering how Elatia and J.R. documented their European trip, I don't think it's going to be an issue of not having enough pics or videos of their kids. That's right, I said kids. I know she has a girl coming in later.

I want to leave early because I want to stop and get Elatia a "mama" present. I saw a mug at Burlington Coat Factory that said "Mother" on it. Not sure if I am going to get her that or what, but I want to get her something special for this occasion.

Elatia was listening to the baby today and text me that she thought she heard the baby sucking his thumb! She said that's what it sounded like anyway. I thought she was effin with me, but she was serious. Who knows, maybe she did. She definitely hears him moving around, which is way cool!

I wonder if there will be tears of joy tomorrow with this scan unlike the 1st one. I really thought all of us would have cried with the 1st scan and it surprised me when we didn't. But with this being a prenatal spa, a more relaxed atmosphere and not in a Dr's busy office, AND the baby is way bigger and definably a human, and not a lima bean now, there just may be some tears tomorrow!

OMG! I'ma meetin my grand baby tomorrow! YIPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

IT'S ALL GOOD IN THE GRAMMY-HOOD!

COME ON TUESDAY!

A friend I went to middle & high school with & whose daughter is due a day AFTER Elatia, found out today she is having a granddaughter. We don't find out until Tuesday. I am so excited, I'm beside myself! Me, meet the other me, the one standing beside myself!

Not that I would be disappointed with a granddaughter, no way! I would be disappointed in myself and what I have been feeling but not having a granddaughter. I would be so shocked if we have a granddaughter is all. I mean between what Martin has been saying for quite sometime BEFORE Elatia was pregnant about a grandson, and then me seeing Andrew with his nephew, the Chinese calendar, and the baby's (Christian) ;-) great grandmother on J.R.'s side making a pendulum (geez we have a ton of them, she didn't need to make one!) to swing over Elatia's belly and sayin it's a boy, I'd be very surprised if she was having a girl. Like I said before, and don't care how cliche it sounds, but after what we have been through, all we care about is a healthy grandchild! That's all we really want!

So Tuesday we go to find out for sure what we are having. We are going to video tape it all! I want this on tape! Me, Martin, Elatia, J.R. and his mother are going. A friend told me about this place that is a prenatal spa. Elatia is getting a scan and a massage. We get a cd of pics of the scan. Then we go to lunch and after that we register for the baby shower, All of us! Did I mention how excited I am?!

Elatia bought a fetal heart monitor and has been spending a lot of time listening to the sounds inside her uterus. Her placenta, her pulse, her baby's heart beat when she can find it. She said she can hear the baby moving, even if she can't feel him move, she is able to hear him. That is so cool! I didn't have a cool gadget like that when I was pregnant. Glad she does, she sent me a link to hear his heart beat. As faint as it was, I could hear it. It was so surreal, still trying to wrap my head around all this. The odds of her getting pregnant were slim after having a rare ovarian tumor that Western med wanted to treat as an aggressive form of ovarian cancer, so to have this experience is amazing! There are so many emotions I am going through, especially as we approach Andrew's 3rd anniversary of his journey Home.

I am so proud of how Elatia is handling this pregnancy. She meditates and sends energy to the baby. That's my girl! I'm hoping that she will allow Martin to do hypnotherapy with her while she is in labor. She is his fav subject because she goes under so easily.

While it's still hard to believe we actually have a "new" soul, meaning, we probably go way back and have known each other many life times, coming into our family, it's going to get a little more real on Tuesday! AWESOME! Canni wait! Knowing what we know now about souls coming here, makes it that much more exciting!

IT'S ALL GOOD IN THE GRAMMY-HOOD!

SENIOR MOMENTS

Martin wakes me up this morning and we have our morning chat. But this morning’s chat goes the way so many chats have gone before, we think we are talking about the same thing, but are instead talking about two completely different things. When we realize that, we start laughing and say “Andrew! Seriously Dude! How could you leave us alone like this! You know we can’t be left to our own devices! We need to be supervised!”

Then I said to Martin, “I wonder if this grandchild knows what he’s (yes, he, until I find out different ;-) ) in for! He’s gonna have take over for Andrew and be responsible for us.” That’s probably what Andrew is prepping him for with his journey here, which made us laugh even more. Poor child! hahahaha

Then I said how I want to be close to our grandchild, I want him to know that we are in his corner no matter what. I want him to know he can count on us. I want us to be a strong grandparent figure in his life. I got emotional about it because of how much this means to me. This grandchild is a chance to build my family again and that means the world to me! I want to be a great support to my daughter to help her be a better mother than I was, because I believe that is our job as grandparents, help the next generation do better, and not undermine her like what was done to me.

Martin has an appointment with the acupuncturist and while we are getting ready this commercial comes on, it blew me away! It brought tears to my eyes. It was Andrew confirming what I was just talking about. He was letting me know it was going to be All Good! It was a medicare commercial about grandparents with their grand kids. It was so cool. It had these little kids around 5 or 6 yrs old saying “My Grandma is my best friend.” or “My Grandpa is my best friend.” and “Yes my Grandpa spoils me, what of it?!” It was just the sweetest commercial about Grandparents with their grand kids. It was showing how important Grandparents are in their grand kids lives. While it brought tears to my eyes, it made me smile BIG! That son of mine is always making sure his Pretty Mama knows…

IT'S ALL GOOD IN THE GRAMMY-HOOD!

WE HAVE CRIB PEOPLE!

Elatia and J.R. came over today to get some things faxed to Medicaid, which ended up being an epic fail! Can't get through faxing or calling them! Ugh! Not even gonna go there about how crapola our health care is in this country! Suffice to say my daughter hasn't been able to go to a dr since her first visit AND she has insurance! But she doesn't have the $670 a month to go to a goddamn dr, hence trying for Medicaid. Yes, the dr's office told her that is what she would have to pay each visit. It just grinds my ass that health care is a privilege is this country and not a right! Crap! I went and gone there. :-/

Anyway, since Elatia and J.R. had some time, we went into the baby's room, (that sounds so cool!) so I could show her the crib and all the other stuff she hasn't seen. I was sayin that I would love to have the crib up soon and J.R. asked "why not now?" In a matter of minutes it was up. Easy peasy lemon squeezy! The father and grand father put it up together, their first project together for the baby, very cool! So me and Elatia made up the crib with the dust ruffle, sheets, bumper guard & matching diaper holder. I told Elatia of my plans for decorating the room and she liked it. It is Mama approved.

I gotta figure how to put up pics on here as we go along of Elatia and how the baby's room evolves. When I say "I gotta," what that really means is that I gotta get Martin to do it for me. ;-)

Well I think I'm gonna go and admire my new baby room and enjoy the feeling that brings!

IT'S ALL GOOD IN THE GRAMMY-HOOD!

4 MONTHS!

YAY! We are 4 months along! *happy dance!* I'm going to see Elatia a little later and check out the bump myself. The baby weighs 4 oz and is 6 inches long. Elatia's tumor was bigger and she didn't feel it! It weighed 6 oz, so I guess it stands to reason she may not feel the baby moving yet. Although the tumor didn't have hands or legs to kick around with, but it did kick her ass! Enough about that!

We bought a crib a few weeks back from a friend. We really couldn't pass up the price of $80 for the crib, all the ocean theme bedding and a matching dolphin light. How's a Grammy C suppose to pass that up?? Ain't gonna happen!

I am on the Light The Night Committee for LLS i.e. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and I had to do a secret shopper thing at Burlington Coat Factory to see if they would ask me if I wanted to donate a $1 to LLS. They did and got a $5 gift certificate to Starbucks. I took my friend Chrisy since I had 2 gift certificates. Burlington has raised over $800,000 so far for LLS by doing this.

Well, where do you think I spent my time at Burlington Coat Factory? Yup! In the baby section! I picked out the pictures I want to hang in the back room, future nursery. It is going to be such a grandparent's nursery! They have all kinds of frames for grandparents and I'm gonna git them ALL! I cant wait till I can officially go shoppin! Next Tuesday, Sept 28th will be that day!

As I mentioned before, we go for the scan on Sept 28th to get the official word of what we are having. Me, Martin and J.R.'s mother will be present for that. Then it's off to lunch and then to register for the baby shower. SOOOOOOO excited! I know once we see this scan and know the sex of the baby, it's going to feel very real to us. It doesn't feel quite real yet, I know it's real, but still hard to believe. Seeing the bump definitely makes it more real, but it's going to be more real next week. The baby will look like a baby, and knowing the sex means we can SHOP! It's been tough holding back! Yes people, me buying a crib, a swing, some clothes, diapers, getting a changing table, is me holding back! :-D

IT'S ALL GOOD IN THE GRAMMY-HOOD!

Our lil Orange Now!

Elatia is now 15 1/2 weeks & the baby is the size of an orange. Her belly is noticeably bigger. I really need to post pics here! She still isn't really feeling any movement from the baby, you'd think she would with it being the size of an orange!

A friend I went to middle & high school with, her daughter is due a day after Elatia and her daughter is feeling movement! SO the race is on! And apparently we are falling behind! Doh! Elatia did once have that being on a roller coaster kind of feeling, but that's been it. When I was pregnant with her, I felt her moving right around 12 weeks. She definitely wanted to let me know she was there, she poked me! No butterfly feeling, it was pokes! Now Andrew I didn't feel till way later. He was more text book...until he was born.

Earlier this week I had a couple dreams about the grand-baby, weird ass dreams too, BUT it was the feeling I was left with that I focused on, not the weird ass part. Come to find out, Martin had several dreams about the baby as well. His were weird ass too! With mine, I was the one caring for the baby, down to nursing him! I told you they were weird ass! In Martin's dream Elatia handed the baby over to us! Yea, cause that's what's gonna happen! Of course Martin is always fantasizing about stea...I mean "acquiring" babies. I guess we are both experiencing grandparent brain! Apparently with grandparent brain, when your grandchild asks you for a cookie right before dinner, you tell him no as you are handing him a cookie! Ya gotta love that!

The feeling I was left with, with my dreams, was that I got to spend time with my grand-baby. It was a really nice feeling. I think I had the dreams about nursing the baby is because my subconscious mind is trying to deal with the fact I am through menopause and those days are gone forever. I haven't had the time to even deal with that part of my life changing with the major grief I have been dealing with these past 3 years. Now that Elatia is pregnant, I have to face that those days are really behind me. I have to say, there is a bit of mourning that goes along with that. I think mainly because my motherhood was rudely interrupted with Andrew leaving so soon. He already knows he's got a smack coming when I see him again! BUT....

It's All Good in the Grammy-hood!

14 wks & WE HAVE A BUMP PEOPLE!

AND how excited am I??? A. freakin very! It's becoming more real that I am going to be a Grammy! Like the crib we just got today or the pack n plays, or the stroller w/car seat, or the swing all sitting in Elatia's old room didn't do that! I don't think it's fully sunk in still, but this development is definitely helping. Feeling the baby bump certainly makes it more real. And on Sept 28th, as they say on Degrassi, "It's about to get (really) real!" Elatia will be going to a prenatal spa for a 3-D sonogram and massage. She will be 17 weeks then! It's my belated b-day pressie to her.

Now in my defense, only 1 pack n play is mine, the stroller w/car seat is Elatia's. Yes the crib is mine but in my defense again, a friend needed to sell hers so I bought it. And, well, the swing came from the same lady that sold Elatia the stroller w/car seat, and it was a too good a price to pass up and it matches said stroller with car seat. Seriously! What is a Grammy to do? Other than buy stuff when it presents itself. Isn't that our job?? I believe it is.

SO far I don't believe I have stepped over any boundaries. I have been behaving myself. Elatia is good at letting me know when I step over the line. I make no guarantees how long that will last, and since all we really have is this moment, and at this moment I have been behaving, I consider that a win! YAY me!

It is most certainly ALL GOOD in the GRAMMY-HOOD!

11 WEEKS

Now the baby's feet and fingers are no longer webbed, YAY! No more Aqua Man! Well, at least they are not suppose to be webbed anymore. I had a friend whose brothers had webbed toes. What's that all about? I think they were great swimmers though. I'm kinda bummed that the baby website didn't say how big the baby is at 11 weeks like it did for 10 weeks, a kumquat, or 7 weeks, a lima bean. Oh well, it' still cool to see!

A girl I work with gave me a nice baby changing table. May have to duke it out with Elatia to keep it though. A Grammy's gotta do what a Grammy's gotta do!

For my birthday I got baby clothes & wash cloths, like the best b-day pressies EVER! I was very excited to get them. The back room, Elatia's old room, is shaping up nicely for the wee babby. Not sure where in the room I'm going to put the black recliner I have in the living room at the mo, but I'll find room. The rocker/slider I will be getting is going in the living room. A Grammy's planning and scheming is never done!

Here's something wild, I've still kept the crazy dialed down, don't want to wear myself out before the baby gets here after all. BUT I am also the reasonable one when it comes to the kids looking for a bigger place to rent. Martin and J.R.'s mother told them that under no uncertain terms are they allowed to move to North Port, Fl. Besides it being the majority of red neckville, it's over 40 mins away from all of us in Sarasota. When the kids told me about a 3bdr, 2 ba, pool, fenced yard newer house for $775 a month there, and it's only one street over from Elatia's dear friend Tabby whose son just turned a year old, I told them to consider it, that it sounds amazing. They would prefer to live in Sarasota, but for $775 a month in Sarasota, all you're gonna pretty much get is a shit box. But we all continue looking and living in hope.

Now I ain't gonna lie, when Elatia first texted me that they were looking in North Port, I cried, but I was alone so it was ok. I didn't tell anyone...until now. So I'm sending Andrew out there to find us, (that's right us, because all of us want them here), the perfect place for them that is close to us. He better deliver! I mean, what's the point of having a son on the Other Side who is kinda like a Super Hero, if we don't get any perks! I'm just sayin.

IT'S ALL GOOD IN THE GRAMMY-HOOD

DREAM ON!

Elatia no sooner found out she was pregnant and she started having the weird pregnancy and baby dreams. Well, now I'm having dreams of being preggers too! Had a pregnancy dream last night and it wasn't my first since we got the news. All I remember in the dream was the feeling of being pregnant, that's it. SO I guess me and Elatia will be having weird pregnancy dreams for the next 6 1/2 months.

10 WEEKS!

My grand baby is 10 weeks along. He or she has got tooth buds, his or her limbs are moving around. Apparently he or she (can't wait till I can stop doin that!) is kicking up a storm, but Elatia can't feel it yet. I love this website below! Hope the link works. When I was pregnant with Elatia all I had a wee booklet, not a book, a booklet, that took me through how the baby was growing. It was so worn out! I had the same book 10 years later for Andrew. Amazing what's come along in 20 years!

10 WEEKS ALONG VID

I still have kept the crazy dialed down, pretty proud of myself! But dunno how long that will last! I can't make any promises. I don't call Elatia all of the time to harass her about how she's feeling, is she eating right, getting enough rest, not working too much, or making plans for the baby, you know, pre-school, school, college. I think every first time grandmother, no matter their race or religion, turns into a Jewish mother! Or fights it like me.

Martin and I do buy outfits for the baby if we see something that may not be around for long, we grab it. I am keeping these outfits hidden because they belong to a certain gender that I am not allowed to say for sure.

I was at a work party last night, a couple are moving back to Brazil. There was a guy there that I have never met before. We chatted and I mentioned about about becoming a grandmother, nothing else. After a bit of conversation with him, and a few people by this time, he says, "Congratulations on your grandson!" WHAT? I never said anything about a boy! That kinda freaked my freak.

At 10 weeks IT'S ALL GOOD IN THE GRAMMY-HOOD!

HALLOWEEN SHOWER

Elatia and I were discussing dates for a baby shower. We just got news that our cousin, Chrissy, from Belfast is coming over in Oct. We are so excited! We wanted to have the shower when she was here so she can represent the Irish family. Then when we started looking at dates, Halloween seemed like the obvious choice. You can't have a baby shower in December with the holidays, and in January everyone is on a holiday hangover from parties and shopping. So why not hit everyone up before they have the time to spend all their money on others? It's part of our diabolical plan. *insert evil laugh here*

Elatia has always wanted to have a Halloween party, but was always working, so this kills 2 birds with one stone. Not to mention this was a great excuse to have an out of the ordinary baby shower. My shower for my son was out of the ordinary, I had a stripper at it! Oh yea, a great time was had by all!

I can't go into details about all our plans for this Halloween shower, we want it to be a surprise for those coming. Let's just say there will be a macob feel to it as well as a baby one. Doesn't sound like that could be a combo, but if anyone can pull it off, we can! We are encouraging costumes. Elatia and J.R. are already planning the games. It will be a Jack and Jill party, meaning, for those of you that may not be in the know, a co-ed shower, ummmm, I mean a co-ed BABY shower! Just wanted to clarify that one. I know I had a stripper at my baby shower, but even I have my limits. I'm really looking forward to this shower!

It's fairly quiet in the Grammy-hood at the mo, I've dialed the crazy down a few notches. Elatia is only 9 1/2 weeks, so it's about trying to get health insurance sorted, a REAL nightmare! Yea, we don't need health care reform at all! grrrrrrrrrrrrrr She has insurance and it still isn't enough! What a racket health insurance is! Ok, I gotta stop or I'm gonna explode!

Martin and I are still buying things for the baby. We now have TWO Pack n Plays. I thought the one we bought at the consignment store was broke, so my friend gave me hers. Turns out you had to do something else to get the sides to stay up, some kind of safety measure. I have definitely been out of this baby game a long time, almost 20 years to be exact. So the extra Pack n Play will go to Elatia. I think I'm going to take my friend's crib as well. I want to have as much as I can here at my house so all Elatia has to do is bring the baby. The woman at the consignment shop said I needed to be careful or I'll have the baby all of time. What? Is that a bad thing? I told her that was our diabolical plan! *Insert evil laugh again, only w/an echo this time for effect*

We should "officially" know the sex of the baby in early October. Then watch the shopping begin! Until then...

IT'S ALL GOOD in the Grammy-hood!

The Bee's Knees

Elatia is 8 weeks preggers now. On her FaceBook status she has a birth watch chart. Today it says that Elatia's embryo has knees! Knees are good! They are good for walking, running, crawling n stuff. Can't wait to see what's growing next week. It seems to me that if an embryo has knees, it would be a baby then, right?

When Elatia told me she was pregnant, I was in such a state of shock, I totally forgot what I had for her on this momentous day, but she didn't! I couldn't believe she remembered, it made me feel good, not only because she remembered, but because she really wanted it.

Not long after she told me the news of her pregnancy, she asked for it. On Dec 22, 1980 I was 9 weeks pregnant and started a journal to my un-born child, Elatia. I was living in IL and was quite lonely. My family was in FL. Elatia's father worked 2 jobs and was gone from 7am to 1am, so I decided to start writing to the baby about what I was going through to help with the loneliness. I use to read the journal to her as a bed time story when she was really young. She's been reading it and is finding it interesting. Like every time her father would try to feel her move, she would stop! hahahahaha!

She works a lot & now I work too, gotta have my Grammy shoppin money, so I look forward to hearing more about my journal to her and what she thinks about it. She is writing to her baby too. Her and JR kept a journal during their entire European vacation. What a great idea! Journals are like family history books that can be handed down generation to generation. What a wonderful gift!

It's All Good in the Grammy-hood!

THE LIMA BEAN

That's the size of my grand baby, according to the Dr anyway. We went for the very first OB visit and scan today. I won't discuss the disaster that is our health care system that is causing my daughter a lot of grief & costing her $731 just for the 1st visit NOT including her lab work! That's an additional $300 to $400!!! Instead I will talk about being able to get a sneak peak at my grandchild.

Elatia is, as I believe I mentioned before somewhere if not here, 7.3 weeks along, not as far along as the clinic thought. The due date now is March 7, 2011. We got to see the baby's heart beat, which was so exciting! Surprisingly though I did not cry, none of us did. Maybe because what we were looking at did not look human yet. Now when I looked at the picture again at home and had time to really look at it, I could see the baby and that actually did make me tear up.

At one point the Dr. opened his eyes really big, like a surprised look, that was a little startling, but I guess I was the only one who noticed him doing that. I didn't want to scare Elatia, so I didn't say anything. After all, if he did see something out of the ordinary, he'd say something, right?

It's amazing that something that small and looks like that turns into a beautiful human baby. You can't help but be in awe of it all.

It's All Good in the Grammy-hood!

FAST AND FURIOUS

That is how the signs from Andrew about this grand baybay have been coming in! Fast and furious! Of course I can't mention all the signs, it's a boundary issue thang. I'm keeping track so I can post them later when it's not an issue anymore.

Last night while home alone, I decided to turn on the music station as I was cleaning and putzing around the house while Martin was playing at the Irish Rover. The song, "Haven't Met You Yet" by Michael Buble came on. I thought, "There is that song again." Every time Martin and I would be in the car, that song ALWAYS came on, every time! We would comment, "hmmmmm what do you suppose that means? What's the message for us" Well, it dawned on me last night when it came on. It's our song for our grandchild. I have a song for each of my kids. For Elatia it's David Bowie's "China Doll." That's just what she looked like when she was born. And for Andrew it's Aerosmith's "You're My Angel." You don't choose the song, the song chooses you.

I googled the lyrics and it brought tears to my eyes, ok I cried like a baby because I felt Andrew's energy around me, it was such a cool feeling the connection with him. He was sending us that song to let us know that we really did have a grand baby coming in. Here are the lyrics...

Haven't Met You Yet

I'm not surprised, not everything lasts
I've broken my heart so many times, I stopped keeping track
Talk myself in, I talk myself out
I get all worked up, then I let myself down

I tried so very hard not to lose it
I came up with a million excuses
I thought, I thought of every possibility

And I know someday that it'll all turn out
You'll make me work, so we can work to work it out
And I promise you, kid, that I give so much more than I get
I just haven't met you yet

I might have to wait, I'll never give up
I guess it's half timing, and the other half's luck
Wherever you are, whenever it's right
You'll come out of nowhere and into my life

And I know that we can be so amazing
And, baby, your love is gonna change me
And now I can see every possibility

And somehow I know that it'll all turn out
You'll make me work, so we can work to work it out
And I promise you, kid, I give so much more than I get
I just haven't met you yet

They say all's fair
In love and war
But I won't need to fight it
We'll get it right and we'll be united

And I know that we can be so amazing
And being in your life is gonna change me
And now I can see every single possibility

And someday I know it'll all turn out
And I'll work to work it out
Promise you, kid, I'll give more than I get
Than I get, than I get, than I get

Oh, you know it'll all turn out
And you'll make me work so we can work to work it out
And I promise you kid to give so much more than I get
Yeah, I just haven't met you yet

I just haven't met you yet
Oh, promise you, kid
To give so much more than I get

I said love, love, love, love
Love, love, love, love
(I just haven't met you yet)
Love, love, love, love
Love, love
I just haven't met you yet

PACIFY ME!

One thing Martin and I have been “holding the energy on,” (a very Light Worker thing to say) is becoming grandparents. We need something to help fill a part of this HUGE void, gap, black hole, left in our lives by Andrew. We also knew that becoming grandparents may be a long shot with the near death, medical, trauma Elatia experienced 7 months prior to Andrew’s leukemia diagnosis. Losing an ovary to a rare ovarian tumor, then having cysts come and go on the remaining ovary is not a recipe for a pregnancy diagnosis. Elatia felt like she couldn’t get pregnant and that’s what we were counting on! Without her interfering, i.e. using birth control, it made our job a little easier. Oh the tangle web we weave!

We were always kidding Elatia about our cruise, we kept telling her that we were going as 4, but better be coming back as 5. Her last night in Dublin with us, she was in bed and said she didn’t come down to say good night because she was tired and had cramps. My heart sank. I knew what that meant. I went down stairs to Martin and informed him that we were coming home as 4! *grunt & huff & foot stomp* As you now know that was not the case at all, instead we went on the cruise as 5. Life can be funny sometimes, ok A LOT!

When we landed back in Belfast from Barcelona after our cruise and before Dublin, Martin was having a chat with Andrew. He told Andrew that he wanted a definite sign that we really do have a grandchild coming in at some point at least. Martin heard, “Look down Daddy.” Martin looks down at the curb where we were getting our “people mover” i.e. van, and saw a baby pacifier with a green hue! OMG! No denying that answer! And a green one to boot? Green being Andrew’s color, it was a definite sign/answer from him. What a great son Andrew is!

Martin was going to tell Elatia about the pacifier and I told him NO WAY! We don’t need to be scaring her! She might freak out! She might start using birth control or something, and we just can’t take that chance! (hmmmm boundary issue here perhaps?) While she was open to the idea of having a baby, planning one was not on her agenda. We had to keep the pacifier a secret…until July 13th that is, that’s when we spilled our guts about everything we had been doing since May. Like starting the journal to our grandchild, buying a few baby outfits and telling a few close friends & family members what I was getting about an incoming grandchild.

Martin and I are so excited to have a grandchild coming in, we can wait to see who they are and how we can help them be who they came here to be! This pacifies me!

IT’S ALL REALLY GOOD!

Boundary Hunter

Well, it really isn't me looking for the boundaries as much as it is my daughter. Being as excited as I am about this blessed event, my new title in life, I may over step bounds from time to time, but I'm trying to be careful about not doing that. I wanna be a great Grammy and mother for my daughter and grandchild! On the up side my daughter has no problem bitch slappin me back in line, ;-) & I'm cool with that. Already had it happen once, the day after we got the amazing news. Had to test the waters, ya know?

I am going to be careful about how much I reveal about the weeks coming up to getting the good news, & not of the Jehovah Witness kind either. And seriously, their news just isn't that great anyway! I got in trouble once already for sharing too much on facebook, so I'm not gonna do it here so I can promote the blog if I want. I'll keep the more intimate info in my personal journal to the baby.

Speaking of that journal, I started a journal to the baby on May 28th. I could feel this child's energy when my daughter told me one of the names she chose for a baby, if she was to ever have any kids, knowing it could be a long shot. That's the info I am NOT at liberty to share here. That bitch slap is still stinging a bit. The names came up in conversation because 2 of my Irish nieces are preggers and one of them, Laura, asked me that if she has a boy, would we mind if she named him Andrew, after my son. I told her we would love that. So when Elatia and I discussed names, I definitely felt this child's energy. I remember thinking, "OMG! I've got a grand_____ coming in soon!"

The day before Elatia came over I was on the treadmill and my mind wandered, like you do when on the road to no where, and I saw Andrew with a child, and I realized it was my grandchild. I saw them having a close relationship as the child grows up. This child will know their Uncle Andrew. They will be able to see and hear him. It brought tears to my eyes to see how my grandchild will be close to their uncle, my beloved Andrew.

Now getting the news that Elatia is 7.3 weeks pregnant, when did I start the journal? Right around the time she conceived! Man! Am I good or what?! When I felt this child I had to do something with these feelings or I would explode, so I started writing to the baby. I also started buying baby clothes and hid them from Elatia. Is it only boundary crossing when she knows I'm crossing it? It's like when a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it kind of thing...right? Regardless,

IT'S ALL GOOD!

Starting In The Grammy-hood

On July 13th, I got the best news a grieving mother could ever get! We had gotten home from our month long vacation in Europe early Tuesday morning, it was around midnight. Later that day, early afternoon, my daughter Elatia & her boyfriend J.R. had stopped by. They were out running errands and thought they would just stop by. We were at the grocery store when they called. I thought it odd but nice that they stopped by & waited for us in the driveway in the heat, even though my daughter has lizard blood & loves the heat, why wait? WOW! Maybe they missed us so much with all the time we had spent together sharing a cabin on the Mediterranean cruise we went on, they just had to see us again. It's been a week already. Yea that's it! They missed us a lot! Well, that's they way it went down in my pretty lil delusional head.

When we get inside, Elatia says she has a welcome home present for me. YAY! I love presents! It was some sort of electronic box, so I thought maybe it was an accessory for my phone or a cheap i-pod, (do they even make those cheap?) I open the box and start crying, and kept asking "Are you serious? Are you serious? No way, really?? Are you serious? Don't f**k w/me!" And she shook her head yes, then I really start crying! The box had baby bibs and bonnets! Granted they weren't for her but a friend, so I couldn't keep them, but the message was loud and clear! I'M GONNA BE A GRANDMOTHER! When the penny dropped for my husband Martin, he starts crying, J.R. is crying, group hug ensued, it was such an incredible moment that I thought I could never experience such joy again. I wanna relive that moment over & over again. After the last 3 1/2 years we've had, this was a much needed event. What a wonderful way to end a month long kick ass vacation!

Now for the cast of characters. There's me, the over excited Grammy that has to learn boundaries as said Grammy & try and not be so over zealous. Yea, good luck with that one! Then there's my husband Martin, a professional psychic medium, that my daughter seems to forget the fact what he does for a living & that I use to do readings as well until 3rd dimensional crap was not getting done right, so I decided to stay more grounded. SO what does that mean? It means I just know stuff, that's all I'm saying ;-) Then we have our teenage, Avatar, son Andrew, who is on the other side now for the past 2 1/2 + years. He made his transition 4 months after a leukemia diagnosis at 16yo in Oct 2007. Hence the grieving mother title. Because Martin is a medium, we have never lost contact with Andrew, he is still very much a part of our everyday life. Martin & Andrew work together doing readings on California Psychics. Yes, it sounds awfully cheesy working for a psychic line, but Martin is excellent at what he does & it pays the bills. Then we have the pregnant daughter Elatia, and the boyfriend J.R. who impregnated her. And of course I can't forget the whole reason for starting this blog, the reason for my new title in life, my new lease on life, "the bump," well, almost "the bump," it's still pretty early. These are the basic cast of characters. I'm sure we will have guests appearances from friends & an occasional family member, they all live in Ireland, but for now these are your basic cast of characters on my road to Grammy-hood

Stay tuned because there is much more to write about when this journey began for us on July 13.