Kids & Grandparents | Grammy's Corner

Kids and Grandparents: Grammy’s Day Camp

My Newest Grandson

When my daughter informed me that she was pregnant with my sixth grandchild, I wasn’t sure I was ready for another grandchild at this time. After all, Miley at only two and a half keeps us pretty busy. Miley has outgrown the baby stage and entered that toddler stage where she talks nonstop. She rarely snuggles with me anymore, much less just sit in my lap for no reason. I almost have to bribe her for a little cuddle time!!!……… Now that I think about it, maybe a new baby to sleep on my shoulder sounds like an excellent idea. As Miley outgrew her baby items, we gave them away; therefore , I’ve got to replenish the few items that need to stay at Grammy’s house. Especially since I will be keeping him at Grammy’s Day Camp while his mother goes back to work. Oh my, what will I need?

With my older grandchildren, we carried around the pack n’ plays, taking the time to set them up. The only problem was when their parents needed them, then we had to pack it up for them to take it somewhere else. I decided this time I was going to try the new 3-in-1 Folding Portable Mini Crib by Dream on Me.

3-in-1 Portable Mini Crib

The Dream On Me, 3-in-1, Folding, Portable Crib is the only 3 level portable crib available. The U.S. patented rail design easily converts crib to a changing station or playpen in seconds. Easy to assemble, one hand folding for flat, compact storage. Features include stationary (non drop side) rail system which provides the utmost in product safety and dual hooded, locking wheels. Made of Birch wood and available in 6 Non toxic finishes. A 1″ Mattress pad and all tools for easy assembly included. It is JPMA certified. This Crib is approved for use in the United States. Dimensions are 41 x 26 x 40 with a Weight of 32 lbs. It will hold a baby weight limit upto 35 lbs.

With the crib, I’ll need baby bedding for it. Oh, there are so many choices to choose from. I think I’m going to pick the Cowboy Baby 4-Piece Crib Set by Trend Lab. Your Cowboy Baby will love sleeping with his pony, boots, and hat! Trend Lab’s Cowboy Baby 4 Piece Crib Bedding Set features fabulous embroidered cowboy motif appliqués that are mixed with a delightful scatter print.

Cowboy Baby Crib Set

The quilt is framed with a chocolate based blue and tan bandana print, and accented with a classic blue and chocolate pinstripe. The scatter print color accents include chocolate brown, desert tan, and dashes of burnt orange. A soft rope-like trim adds western detail to the quilt and bumper. The brilliant mixture of soft cotton fabrics combined with cuddly velour help your little Cowboy Baby sleep soundly through the night. The quilt measures 35” x 45” and features cowboy themed embroidered appliqués set against soft caramel velour and dusk blue cotton. Patches of a bold chocolate bandana print, cowboy themed scatter print and classic stripe and motif appliqués mixed with bold bandana, plaid and motif prints in blues, browns and tans with splashes of burnt orange. Soft tan velour and classic blue pinstripe cotton twill add great texture and dimension. Rope trimmed four piece bumper set features embroidered pony and lasso appliqué mixed with cowboy motif and bandana prints. Box pleat crib skirt with 15” drop features awesome bandana print and classic pinstripe in blue and chocolate brown. Fitted crib sheet in lovely blue cotton features deluxe 10” deep pockets with sturdy elastic surrounding the entire opening for a more secure fit.

Cow Lovie

I think all babies need a Lovie to snuggle with in the crib or their car seat or wherever they are sleeping. The Cow Jumped Over the Moon Gift Set by Baby Aspen is a cuddly soft cow-print lovie with an adorable, plush cow’s head in the middle and satiny white trim around the edge. The Cow Lovie measures 17” square and is machine washable. It is the perfect size for a baby to hold onto and oh so soft. The keepsake gift box is crescent moon-shaped and is cream-colored with pastel accents that tell the beloved nursery rhyme around the base of the box, with the lovable lovie’s plush cow head popping through the lid. The gift box measures approximately 6” h x 12” w x 8” d. This makes a nice gift if your looking for a unique baby shower gift.

What else will I need? I know I will need an assortment of baby blankets and Cowboy Baby 5-Piece Burp Cloth Gift Set. The Burp Cloth Set includes four burp cloths in a zippered dirty duds pouch. Each burp cloth measures 10″W x 13″H. The pouch measures 10″W x 8″H x 2″ D. I believe the musical mobile that plays the Brahms’ Lullaby makes a great addition to the crib.

Cowboy Baby Musical Mobile

There just happens that one matches the crib set, the Cowboy Baby Musical Mobile, with ponies rotating around to the sound of the music. This provides great eye tracking and sound perception skills. Another baby accessory available in the Cowboy Baby pattern, we definitely can’t do without. The Cowboy Baby Diaper Caddy stores diapers, wipes, and all the necessary baby supplies. This lightly padded caddy features a cowboy themed scatter print in chocolate, dusk blue, cream and desert sand with touches of burnt orange and caramel on a powder blue background throughout the outside with a coordinating bandana print inside and is finished with a brown ultrasuede trim. Caddy has 8 outer pockets and a removable “T” separator for maximum versatility. Keep diapers, wipes and other necessities tidy while traveling from room to room. Measures 13” x 9” x 7”.

Cowboy Baby Diaper Caddy

I think I have the basics to keep at my home. All I need now is my precious grandson. His mother has volunteered to bring his formula, diapers, and car seat with a change of clothes when she brings him to us tomorrow. What more do I need, but time to hold, rock, love, enjoy, spoil and feed the youngest of my grandchildren. I’m ready.

Kids and Grandparents: Christmas Memories

As Christmas nears, I think back through the years of Christmas past, to the point of remembering the old movie “It’s a Wonderful Life”. At that point, I have decided I must be becoming very senile or something. The Christmas season involves family traditions that are past down from generation to generation. As each generation marries and starts a family a little of the tradition changes as two individuals join together to become one.

When I was a little girl, my grandparents would come for the night on Christmas Eve. My mother would spend all day cooking a wonderful Christmas Eve meal for the family. My brother and I could hardly remember eating because of our anticipation of what came after we finished eating. We usually ate early in the evening with everyone pitching in to help clean up afterwards. Finally, we would gather around the tree, and pass out our Christmas gifts to be slowly opened one at a time. Santa delivered his gifts during the night. So everyone had to be in bed early. Not only did we rise early for Santa on Christmas morning, but we had another custom our family followed every year. Christmas morning we left for the deer lease for a week of hiking, camping, and family time together. These are some of the best family memories I have from those oh so many years ago.

After I married, it took several years before another tradition was formed. By this time, I had my first child. On Christmas Eve my parents and my brother and his family came to my house for dinner. Only instead of doing all the cooking like my mother, everyone pitched in and brought part of the meal. And just like in the past, we exchanged Christmas presents with each other. Of course, Christmas morning, my daughter eagerly awoke to find Santa’s arrival. Later in the day, we would go to my husband’s family to spend Christmas Day with them.

Now that I am the grandparent, time has changed again. This year for the second time, we are going to my daughter’s home. There is one small problem in that her husband has to work Christmas Eve and Christmas Day because he is a police officer; therefore, we are going to celebrate on the 23rd. Kristy and Joey have 2 children. My other daughter, Kourtney and Jerrod, will be there with their six children of which one is only one week old on that day. Kristy is continuing the tradition of cooking the majority of our Christmas dinner with everyone else bringing the extra dishes. After our wonderful dinner, our beautiful grandchildren will be rushing us all to sit around the tree to begin ‘playing Santa Claus’ by passing out all the gifts, which the grandchildren will open one at a time as we watch. The only difference is that they will have to wait for Christmas Eve for Santa Claus!

On the 24th I’m taking my mother to my brother’s home for dinner and gift exchange with him. We use to do it together until my family began to grow. Our other daughter, Missy and Bill and 2 grandsons, had Christmas with us early because she has gone to San Diego to her in-laws. This will be the first 24th and 25th that I am not with any of my grandchildren for one reason or another. I guess I have just entered a new era in my life of possibly visiting the local movie theater on Christmas Day!!!

Kids & Grandparents on Vacation

Sea World Of Texas in San Antonio

I often hear people make the comment “if I had known grandchildren could be so grand, I would have had them first.” But what makes grandchildren different from our own children? Why do we consider them ‘grand’? For those of you with grandchildren, you probably would agree that there is a difference in your everyday expectations of your grandchildren today compared to your children when they were at that age. Our grandchildren usually spend a limited amount of time with us before returning to their parents; therefore, we are not responsible for the day in, day out, daily care and pressure of rearing a child. When our children were young, we were so busy with day to day affairs of a job, family, and home life; there seemed very little time enjoy life together. But with our precious grandchildren, we laugh, play, and explore the world when given the opportunity; because we have finally slowed down in life ourselves.

After spending two days with three of my grandchildren, ages 2 to 8, at Sea World in San Antonio, I have some of the best memories to last a life time. This destination provides opportunities for all ages to relax and enjoy. Between the shows that were entertaining for the young and the young at heart, the animals, the rides, and all the water features allowing us to stay cool, we stayed busy from the time the park opened until it closed. Sea World provides multiple resting spots throughout the park for grownups to relax while the children play or the two year old to take a nap. The funniest sight I perceived while in the park were strollers of all kinds being used to carry all the belongings instead of the children!!! Following are a few suggestions you might consider if you are planning a trip to Sea World.

While in the park….

Feeding Time With Seals

Make time for feeding times: Meal time is the best time to meet some playful Atlantic bottlenose dolphins and California sea lions, who you can feed by hand at designated times throughout the day. Stop by in the morning to check the day’s schedule, then give yourself some extra time to get a great spot right at the water’s edge. They are very playful and will come up to your hand.

See what goes on behind-the-scenes: Up-close tours like our Behind the Scenes and Ultimate Seafari Tour times aren’t listed on the park map, so they’re easy to miss. An insider’s tip? Book online ahead of time, or stop by the tour desk just inside the Main Entrance on the right.

Head to Sesame Street Bay of Play:This enclosed area is just for kids and a great place to let them burn off a little energy. Plus, there are plenty of shady spots for parents and a special play area just for toddlers. There are cabannas that can be rented for the day in this central area of the park, which is great if you have toddlers. It serves as the hub for the rest of the park. We went over to the Lazy River to float around I don’t know how many times. But the grandchildren loved it and so did I.

Water Play Park

Beat the heat: Temperatures can get quite high, especially in the middle of the day. Plan to take in these “cool places” when the thermometer rises: Shamu Theater, Penguin Encounter®, Sharks/The Coral Reef, and Nautilus Amphitheater. The new ‘Azul‘ show is awesome. We sat through it twice, because I couldn’t watch everything at one time. Don’t miss this one.

Pay once and dine all day: With the All-Day Dining Deal, purchase your meal tickets at one time and get a wristband that allows you to go through the restaurant lines as many times as you’d like that day. An Adult is $29.95 plus tax and Children 3-9 are $15.95 plus tax. Children under 3 may share with an Adult. Purchase in the park at any Ticket Booth, the Animal Connections Reservation Center, or Guest Services. Also, check into the Dine with Shamu. This is an up close experience with Shamu that children get to ask as many questions of the trainers that they want, while serving up an excellent buffet meal on linen table cloths. I was impressed by all the food that we purchased within the park. It was very good, with some excellent healthy choices, such as turkey croissants, turkey wraps, fruit, taco salads, fajita salads, pizza, pasta, grilled chicken, and barbeque. Large cups of ice water are free just by asking for it.

Dining with Shamu

Remember the kid in you: Don’t be surprised if you find yourself choked up in the presence of Shamu. Or, your arms covered with goose bumps in 85 degree weather as your hand touches a dolphin. There’s an incredible connection between humans and animals, one we celebrate here every day. Take a few deep breaths and drink in when you feel the connection move through you, and you’ll carry the feeling home with you.

Sea World of San Antonio surprised me by the quality of family vacation it provided for a family stretching in age from barely two to over 60. We all enjoyed ourselves without becoming overtired or cranky, making it a very relaxing, enjoyable family vacation.