Katie’s all-too-brief mid-August visit was a bright spot in our mostly crummy summer. We hadn’t seen her in two months and were happy for the chance to see what’s she’s been up to lately. At eleven months old she is crawling and exploring her world. Because the caregivers at her daycare label her belongings “Katherine V” (her surname begins with a V) her father has taken to calling her Queen Katherine the 5th.
The Russian name for teddy bear is misha and Katie brought one of hers with her. (You may remember her other grandparents are from Russia…) Her face lit up and she sighed with pleasure when she saw the four mishas I had waiting for her here. Then she tightly hugged each and every one of them in turn.
Katie’s parents told us that she loves music and is fond of Jason Mraz. She dances on her knees and enjoyed shaking toy maracas to the music we were playing in the background. The next day she bonded with her teenage cousin Kia over music. They sat on the floor facing each other and bobbed their heads to the music Kia played from her cell phone. It was so sweet!
Green beans and scrambled eggs for breakfast – yes!
Katie and I got to read several books together and it warmed my heart to see that she loves to read on her own, too. Maybe some day we’ll find a way to tame all those wildly adorable cowlicks.
Morning nap in Grammy’s arms – an hour and a half of bliss for me. Little did we know that hours later our visit would be cut short when Grandpa Tim got seriously ill with another bout of diverticulitis and wound up in the hospital for three days. But Katie’s aunt Bonnie and cousin Kia came down to look after her and the three of them had a wonderful time together. What a blessing a loving family is.
In a couple of weeks Katie will be coming again for another visit. I cannot wait!!!
How sweet for you and her to able to enjoy the exploring pleasures of adventure together.
((Hugs)) Sending healing to Tim, as well.
Thank you, Jeff! We’ll be seeing the doctor for Tim on Wednesday and we’re kind of holding our breaths until then. Then Katie will be coming again… *hugs*
Katie is as precious as precious can be!!
Indeed, Katie is cherished and adored!!
Hoping Tim is feeling better now. How wonderful that you had this time with your precious granddaughter. Sometimes I think a little bit of good energy (time spent with grandchildren) helps to outweigh the crummy energy. It’s been that kind of summer (year) here, too, so I can relate all too well.
Katie is beautiful. So is her Grammy. 🙂
Thank you so much, Robin! Katie has been such a soothing, uplifting presence in our lives since she was born, especially when the weight of our health problems starts dragging us down. Grandchildren give us something to look forward to, don’t they? I know you’ve been coping with health mysteries, too, and I wish you bountiful healing as you continue to work your way through them. 🙂
loved the photo share Barbara…much love to you all
It’s funny, Tai, – Larisa sends us cell phone pictures of Katie almost every day and I have to resist the urge to share them all. 🙂 Don’t want to be one of those annoying grandparents! Sending much love to you and your family, way over there across the mighty ocean…
Katie is a cuteheart! How sweet and smart she is. I love the last picture of yours. Im hoping Tim recovers from his illness sooner. Family is a blessing – yes!
Thank you, Sonali! We’re getting excited as Katie’s next visit draws closer and we hope it will last a little longer this time. Tim’s feeling better but we still don’t know if he will need surgery or not….
A sweet amazing grandchild does wonders to heal our hearts when fear and pain arrives. I hope Tim is healing, and that grandchild-love can surround you always.
It’s so true, Pam. We went to an estate sale this weekend and found a little antique high chair, the kind that fits right up to the table, without its own tray. Been looking for one for a while. Can’t wait for Thanksgiving dinner with Katie at the table, and of course her parents, too. 🙂
Ah, wait until the pixs with baby in antique high chair – wonderful. My good NE friend gave me her son’s 1980 high chair for my grandkiddies – does that count as an antique?? 🙂
I suspect a 1980s high chair would be classified as vintage – now I’m not so sure the high chair I picked up is quite old enough to be called an antique. 🙂 I bet it doesn’t meet current safety standards for baby equipment, though.
I bet you’re right!
🙂
How wonderful! She’s too cute and a little ball of energy, I’m sure. I had a long weekend with my two granddaughters (5 and 1) also in mid August…it’s precious to spend time with them 🙂
Oh how much you must have enjoyed the long weekend with your granddaughters! Now I understand how excited my grandparents always seemed to be to see me and my sister and how much they must have missed us between visits. 🙂
I know…and now we’re here, missing them between visits 🙂
Lucky me, my wait is down to five days now. 🙂 But after this one it will be two months. 🙁 Hope your wait won’t be too long…
I love so much seeing Katie growing up on your blog, Barbara! She’s so precious and adorable, and I really love the last photo of you nursing her through her nap. That is what my mum used to do with my youngest daughter, Emma, when she was a tiny baby. And seeing as you said that Katie loves Jason Mraz songs, I just had to tell you that at Adam and Mary’s wedding on Saturday, after they exchanged their vows, as they walked back down the aisle together, the song they had chosen was “I’m Yours”. 🙂
How is Tim now? I’m hoping that he is well again, and with another visit coming up soon from Katie, I expect she will be a major incentive to recover. xx
Sounds like Katie and Adam & Mary have excellent taste in music. 🙂 While Katie was here Tim set up a Jason Mraz listening station on Pandora radio for Katie so we had similar music playing in the background all morning. Katie loved it!
I know so well the joy your mother must have felt to be snuggling so close with Emma. I’ve often thought that in the future when I might have time for volunteer work I’d love to spend it holding and rocking babies in the hospital. But of course there’s nothing like having my own granddaughter in my arms. 🙂
Tim’s doing much better now, but because he had four episodes of diverticulitis within a span of eight months (and several times in the previous years since 2011) his gastroenterologist has decided to go ahead with surgery to remove the trouble spot from his sigmoid colon. It’s major surgery but hopefully it will be worth it and will put an end to these repeated attacks. We don’t have a date yet, but will keep you posted.